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What are you doing today?

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NorthernRedneck

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Depending on how mobile I am, today will be a garage day. I have some wood to split and pile. I may head out hunting. We'll see. No plans really. Got everything pretty much ready for winter in the yard.

I talk to myself to get an expert opinion.
 

m1west

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
WOW. I'm lucky to see $350K as a 6 month gross.
Does this make you a 1%'er? Or just a good blue collar guy with valuable skills the 1%ers' need?

:applause::applause::applause:

I have a season to make most of my revenue, Can plants -October- January. then Canneries- March to July The rest of the time they are producing. So most of my money is made in a busy 6 months and the rest is what I call fire season, because if they want something during production, its on fire. Also I can go to the work cabin and my son runs things during that time. I have 4 more seasons before I retire. Then my son will have all the headaches and revenue minus a small payment to Dad. I will have the small payment, memories and be able to do what I want. Fair trade. A normal year grosses between 800k and 1.3, I bid using a 32% margin. So far in 2020 I am at about 300K. Not so good this year but I still have 2 months at the busiest time, we will see. No 1% here just a sore back.
 

EastTexFrank

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About the same as yesterday ... NOTHING.

It's still drizzly/misty/wet for the third day in a row and COOL. It's in the low 40s and supposed to be in the 30s tomorrow morning. I will be inside reading, napping and keeping warm. I'll go out to the shop and piddle if I get too bored.
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
I have a season to make most of my revenue, Can plants -October- January. then Canneries- March to July The rest of the time they are producing. So most of my money is made in a busy 6 months and the rest is what I call fire season, because if they want something during production, its on fire. Also I can go to the work cabin and my son runs things during that time. I have 4 more seasons before I retire. Then my son will have all the headaches and revenue minus a small payment to Dad. I will have the small payment, memories and be able to do what I want. Fair trade. A normal year grosses between 800k and 1.3, I bid using a 32% margin. So far in 2020 I am at about 300K. Not so good this year but I still have 2 months at the busiest time, we will see. No 1% here just a sore back.

Building a successful enterprise is one of the most rewarding things a person can do.

Congrats on your accomplishment.

You work at the Cabin/ranch is very entertaining. I must admit some jealousy of your skills.

Please, keep posting.
 

m1west

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Building a successful enterprise is one of the most rewarding things a person can do.

Congrats on your accomplishment.

You work at the Cabin/ranch is very entertaining. I must admit some jealousy of your skills.

Please, keep posting.

I had a Dad that was in the same trade as me ( Millwright ) he also flipped houses , so guess what I got to do in my spare time growing up. Not fun at the time but I learned a lot of different skills and got a work ethic out of it. When Dad said to do something he didn't mean tomorrow. Example: when I was about 12 years old my dad got me a 10# sledge and wedges, then bought tree rounds not split. It became my job in the winter to split and stack the wood as we heated with wood in Michigan. One time he had a load dumped and told me to split it. There was already a cord split so I didn't do it. The next night he got me out of bed when he got home and I split the wood. I read you're posts and see you're son is now helping and running your business as well ( working with family can be difficult at times but it can be rewarding too.) Im sure you're like me when you see your kid you trained getting it done, knowing when you are gone he can handle it. Mine can do the work and is now learning the business end. He has 4 years.
 

Lenny

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SUPER Site Supporter
Saw Governor Reynolds and Senator Ernst today. I asked them if I could take a picture with them scolding me because I didn't take my vitamins. They laughed and loved it. Below is the picture and the words I included when I put it on Facebook:


This is what happens in Iowa when Gov. Reynolds and Senator Ernst find out you haven't been taking your vitamins
View attachment 130914
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
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Saw Governor Reynolds and Senator Ernst today. I asked them if I could take a picture with them scolding me because I didn't take my vitamins. They laughed and loved it. Below is the picture and the words I included when I put it on Facebook:


This is what happens in Iowa when Gov. Reynolds and Senator Ernst find out you haven't been taking your vitamins
View attachment 130914
Good pic Lenny.
Wish I had extra Trump 2020 pens to send ya to give to them ...but I'm plum out dang it.
 

m1west

Well-known member
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Loaded up the dodge with firewood and hooked the trailer to it, tomorrow I am heading to the work cabin to complete a few things before the snow flies.
1- finish raking the pine needles away from the cabin
2- store the firewood I am bringing with me
3- add in the extra battery packs I built earlier in the week
4- gather some more fire wood from the down trees
5- load up the burned Suzuki, generator and shed and haul it home to see what is still good if anything then the dump.
I will leave around 6am and after a pee stop and a grocery/lunch stop I will get there around noon, so that will give me a 1/2 day tomorrow. If I can finish Friday I will come home Saturday, it will be close so if i have to stay another day its no big deal.
This will be the last trip for a while so I can't forget anything. Likely the next trip will be in the snow.
 

Lenny

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
Good pic Lenny.
Wish I had extra Trump 2020 pens to send ya to give to them ...but I'm plum out dang it.


That's okay. I have one of those pen with me all the time. They are great. Thanks
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
I had a Dad that was in the same trade as me ( Millwright ) he also flipped houses , so guess what I got to do in my spare time growing up. Not fun at the time but I learned a lot of different skills and got a work ethic out of it. When Dad said to do something he didn't mean tomorrow. Example: when I was about 12 years old my dad got me a 10# sledge and wedges, then bought tree rounds not split. It became my job in the winter to split and stack the wood as we heated with wood in Michigan. One time he had a load dumped and told me to split it. There was already a cord split so I didn't do it. The next night he got me out of bed when he got home and I split the wood. I read you're posts and see you're son is now helping and running your business as well ( working with family can be difficult at times but it can be rewarding too.) Im sure you're like me when you see your kid you trained getting it done, knowing when you are gone he can handle it. Mine can do the work and is now learning the business end. He has 4 years.
At the age of 12 I told my parents that living in a 12'X10' room with four brothers was too much. I wanted to have my own room. Dad took me downstairs, pointed to one corner and said " It's yours have at it."

I was mowing laws for my own money and the builders were raising new houses down the street so I begged fors crap 2X4'sandbought paneling paint and a rug. He taught me wiring and plumbing even how to install a gas space heater with a flue. I have been swinging a hammer and doing my own stuff ever since.

After marriage, I took a job at a printing plant and the rest is history.


My son is 30 years in the business. He gets this one when I can't get out of bed. But, he can run circles around me as a technician and likely handle the business end as well. The wife currently runs the business details and will teach him over the next few years.

If I drop in harness, I have no worries. They can carry on with ease.
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
No hunting today. Instead, I spent the morning in the city running errands and the afternoon in the garage doing minor surgery on the side by side.

As I was going down a side road, the front tires broke through 3" of ice into about a 6" deep puddle. The ice ended up putting a crack in the plastic front bumper. So I removed the bumper, hauled out the soldering iron and heated up the crack to basically weld it back together. It happens. I call it a battle scar.

I talk to myself to get an expert opinion.
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
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My concrete guy called and we start tomorrow morning at 7;00 Am Rain or shine.

The garage annex is already under roof and walls. just a 4 yard pour with a float finish.

Hopefully the rain will ease and he can begin the tear out of the old driveway. Assuming "Dig Rite" comes out, it should begin on Friday. Which makes the pour and finish set for next week.

I can't wait to get my new shop started. Once done I can begin the remodel in the garage itself. Then the final construction of the rear sun room. Lots to do this winter.
 

EastTexFrank

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Another day of rain. That makes three and a half days of rain and drizzle in a row. It never stopped. It also was the second day in a row that I never even got out of my sweats. God, I'm getting lazy.

Tomorrow I have to take my car in for it's State Inspection. If it's still raining they won't do it and I need that inspection in order to get my vehicle registration before the end of the month. I'm praying that the rain quits. It can't go on forever.
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
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Finished the floor in the garage annex. Raining like hell today so the concrete plant was not too busy for my small 4 yard load. We got delivery at 8:00 AM. Three Wheel barrows running made the pour rather fast
Finished pour and strike off about 9:30.

However, it was so cold that, because we were pouring the cement over and existing slab, meant a long wait before we could float and smooth the top. Done about 12:30

I'll let it cure for two days before I take one step on it. Then frame out the demising wall and install wiring. As part of the heated garage I will have to install insulation.

A 6 foot by 16 foot room should make for a nice shop. I'll build a 4" X8" rack on the wall for sheathing and paneling. An over head, I'll have a 6' X 16' rack for storing long lumber and trim pieces.

Warm in winter so these old bones won't creak or complain too much. No need to empty the garage of cars to work in it. I might be able to get some work done for a change.

However, because of the forecasted rain and Dig Rite not yet laying flags, we have to wait on the driveway tear out
 

EastTexFrank

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Got the car inspected so tomorrow I can get the road tax sticker. I'll be legal for another year.

When I took the trash out on Wednesday the keypad on the inside of the gate had a dead battery, I had to run back up to the house to get the spare remote to open it and get the trash outside for pick up. The weather was sucky so I didn't do anything about it until this afternoon. I needed the key to open the keypad and get to the battery. That's when I ran in to one of the truisms of life, never give the key to your wife and ask her to put it somewhere "safe" because you may never see it again. After a 2-hour hunt, ripping the house apart, I finally found it. It was in the kitchen "miscellaneous" drawer. We all have one so don't deny it. Realistically it should have been the first place that I looked ... but it wasn't. Anyway, I changed the batteries on the inside and outside keypads so I should be good for another year if I can only remember where to find the keys the next time I need them. :smilelove:

Darn, it was cold today. My fingers almost froze. It barely hit 50°. I didn't like summer all that much but I don't know if I'm ready for winter.
 

NorthernRedneck

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SFA today as my legs decided that today would be a good day to stop working. It hit me hard today. Woke up feeling fine walking normally. Got all 6 kids out the door to catch theirs respective buses for school by 7:20am. By 8am I was struggling to walk using a cane. By 10am I graduated from one cane to 2 arm crutches. By lunch time I could barely feel my feet and my thighs were burning. Now, I'm laying in bed feeling numb from the waist down.

And to think I had a bunch of plans to get outside and haul an old refrigerator to the recycling place in the city. That's kinda why I have to make plans the day that can be changed.

I talk to myself to get an expert opinion.
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Same shit different day. Legs still aren't working. Nearly fell in the hallway earlier when my left leg gave out.

My wife is out with the youngest kids doing the Halloween thing while I'm sitting at home in pain. I did make it to the kitchen unassisted earlier. This time of year is a killer until we get actual snow and it's not as damp.

I talk to myself to get an expert opinion.
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
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I can relate to a point Brian. My back went out a couple weeks ago. Worse than normal. Went to Dr. got xrays and bloodwork but all they would do is a referral for Nov 2nd. So, I thought maybe a chiropractor could help. It hurt that bad. So I gambled and went to a chiropractor I had heard good things about. He said my hips were out of line and my back was a mess (duh) stenosis and disc compression. So after leaving him I hurt worse. And it never got better, it got worse.

Friday I went back to my family dr asking for pain pills. He diagnosed my current extreme pain as a pinched nerve. Said steroids would help that issue. So he gave me a steroid shot and after saying pain pills would only alleviate the pain for a few hours I said but Dr. I need those few hours of relief. At that point I could not sit down. I was cringing in pain holding on to the Dr table in the room. Sitting was to panful. So he agreed to call in a 'handful' of pills and set me up with a pain mgmt dr. (a requirment here in Ohio).

The extreme pain is gone. Still in pain but it's different / bearable. I'm afraid surgery is in my future ..I dread surgeries.
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
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I had plans today to wire the new garage annex. But morning coffee on the back porch revealed knee deep leaves on the patio and most of the back yard. So I got out the leaf eating Black and Decker suction machine.
After ten minutes, I put it away and got out the lawn mower. Just vacuumed them up whether on grass or patio.

It took most of the day using the leaf blower to move them into piles and the mower to mulch them up. I put these cuttings on all my gardens to blanket them for winter. A layer of shredded leaves, a sprinkling of sand. Makes for great composted leaves and good garden soil in the spring.

None go into bags for the trash collection. I do have a composting pile but it is mostly for kitchen scraps and shredded tree trimmings. The result is flower beds you can plant without using a trowel.

Sunday, I will tackle the front yard which has almost no leaves because the great oak died and was cut to firewood last year.

The garage annex work starts Monday after work.
 

NorthernRedneck

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Dang doc. Yes I know what that's like. Mine is from the 3 breaks in my lower back. This time of year with the damp cold and it flares up. Course my nervous system was affected when I was run over. My back flares up without warning and the nerves send f'd up messages to both legs. Thigh muscles tense up and lose feeling in my calves and feet. I haven't flared up like this since before covid.

I talk to myself to get an expert opinion.
 

EastTexFrank

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Still in pain but it's different / bearable. I'm afraid surgery is in my future ..I dread surgeries.

Oh Doc, you sound a lot like I was a year ago. I've had back problems for many years but I screwed up my back worse than normal getting out of the shower and twisting, reaching for the towel of all things. It crunched and I was stuck there, buck naked, wondering what I was going to do next. I did the steroid shots and things but it was 2 months before I could function, 6 months before I could carefully do serious work around the place and a year later things still aren't back to anything like normal. I'll wait a long time before I let anyone cut on me. The "heal with steel" approach is the very last resort.

I sure hope that things settle down for you and some semblance of normality returns 'coz a bad back is a real bitch!
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
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Thanks Frank.
I agree and avoid surgery at all costs if possible. Surgery never fixes you back like you were but sometimes it can help you function somewhat like you used to. I have bone on bone in my knee and have been told I need a knee replacement. I've procrastinated on that and my bad knee might have played a part in my hip issue that started all this. because I baby that knee. I will take in the doctors advice and talk to friends who have had similar surgery and go from there. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.
 
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NorthernRedneck

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Feeling slightly better today. At least I can walk without a cane or walker. So I headed to the garage to unload and split the wood I picked up on my last hunting trip. Moved the side by side out of the garage and put the snowmobile into the garage.

My wife picket up a cricut vinyl printing machine last week so I'm going to have her make up some decals for the snowmobile.

I talk to myself to get an expert opinion.
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
Just as I thought, the front yard was a breeze. But then I got word the temperatures tonite go down to 27F.
I have a bunch of Exotics, from a sago palm to hanging baskets that will die in that cold.

The Hibiscus trees don't even like it below 40F so they had to be cut back and packed away in my ever shrinking green house. Seven tender ferns, shamrocks beyond count, three hanging Bougainvillea's, and a few I can't name.

My ass is dragging too. Making matter worse, I popped a blood vessel in my right eye. Itches like crazy but I see okay. No pain just annoyance.
 

m1west

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Just as I thought, the front yard was a breeze. But then I got word the temperatures tonite go down to 27F.
I have a bunch of Exotics, from a sago palm to hanging baskets that will die in that cold.

The Hibiscus trees don't even like it below 40F so they had to be cut back and packed away in my ever shrinking green house. Seven tender ferns, shamrocks beyond count, three hanging Bougainvillea's, and a few I can't name.

My ass is dragging too. Making matter worse, I popped a blood vessel in my right eye. Itches like crazy but I see okay. No pain just annoyance.

getting old ain't for pussies is it.
 
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