Thinking Things Would Slow Down, After Retirement

Discussion in 'Retirement & Leisure' started by Jake Smith, Aug 22, 2022.

  1. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    22,329
    Likes Received:
    47,802
    ^^ Story of my life lately. :oops:

    I'm glad Leo is doing OK.
     
    #631
    Marie Mallery and Jake Smith like this.
  2. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706

    Thanks Beth, was worried about him, he gets staples out in two weeks. :)
     
    #632
    Marie Mallery and Beth Gallagher like this.
  3. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706
    Stayed busy all day, but accomplished a lot of stuff. Have two gates up now for the new fence, when it comes. Used one of the posts that was attached to one of the gates, it was hard to get up, because I had concreted it over twenty years ago. Once I had cut the dirt away, from it, and worked it back and forth; I realized I had concreted it, and it wouldn't budge or come up. So I took the other four by four posts, and prided it up with the screw hangers and a rock under the 4x4 . That worked but it was hard too.

    Kept Getty and Maisie in Leo and Foxy's pens, while I did all the work. Maisie seemed to handle it best. Getty wants to get back inside the house, I can tell she was a lap puppy, for whoever had her before us, she's 2 and a half yo, and Maisie only one year old; so no one had very much of a chance to spoil her. They are both out on the porch now; on their heat pads and beds; and beginning to accept it now. They've added quite a lot of work on us; but I don't regret getting them at all; Love them already.

    Marie vacuumed the van out in the back yard, while I worked on gates and posts. She also set us up a table and chairs, so we can spend time with two new dogs, while working. After you add gates and posts work, to trail walk, cleaning, cooking, feeding chickens, dogs, vacuuming, and numerous other things you do in the run of a day; it's not slowing. :)
     
    #633
  4. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    May 29, 2020
    Messages:
    25,642
    Likes Received:
    37,722
    If I had gates set up without the fencing, I'd have to mess with the neighbors. I'd stand on one side and call for help. "Can you go inside and get the key???"
     
    #634
  5. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706

    :D These gates I'm talking about, are on the inside around our house, The outer perimeter is also fenced with gates; neighbors can't see these gates, at all.
     
    #635
    John Brunner likes this.
  6. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    May 29, 2020
    Messages:
    25,642
    Likes Received:
    37,722
    Oh. I could imagine a couple of gates out there in your yard, entering into nothing like some goofy Monty Python skit.
     
    #636
    Jake Smith and Marie Mallery like this.
  7. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706

    LOL, already had gates; the fence will be here Wednesday.
     
    #637
  8. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706
    A long day got a few more things accomplished, dealing with our new dogs adds more to the list, but so far it was worth it, they are very smart and not suffering anymore in the pound. It's a shame more people do not adopt some animals, before they put them down. The pound we adopted these two from, has over eighty dogs and Lord knows how many cats. So many they put a big sign out front saying full, taking no more pets. People are pulling up and dumping cats and dogs and driving off.

    I cut some of the vines sticking up in the new trail, today with bush hog. It's gonna be a nice trail and now I am able to run the new fence on the side of it. Still not sure where all the vines come from; it's "insane" how many there are here. Put a couple new latches on the gate I made on the dog pen, Maisie was about to push her way out of it; at the bottom, so I changed it to two latches, one on the bottom, and one on top. So much to do; will start up again tomorrow. :)
     
    #638
  9. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706
    Busy all day again. Pressure washed porch floors, screens, side walks, and part of the upper front of the house. Looks great and makes me happy; when I look at it. I helped Marie a little, cutting and pulling vines and debris, made another pile. Do any of you have a step counter? We do and I'm hitting seven thousand to eight thousand ,"steps", a day. They say in the instructions five thousand a day is fine and seven thousand is fantastic for staying healthy. I'll post a pick of the kind we have below.

    [​IMG]

    They were $19.99 at Amazon, right now on sale for $12.99. Well worth it, to see how active your walking, "daily", is. :)
     
    #639
    Marie Mallery and Beth Gallagher like this.
  10. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706
    Oh; I forgot to "mention", that before the two new dogs; I was averaging 3 to 5 thousand steps a day, but now I have increased to 7 or 8 thousand, so far. :)
     
    #640
  11. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2021
    Messages:
    12,151
    Likes Received:
    11,856
    Fence was delivered today, 5'x328'. Also ordered 328X4' to lay on ground under the 5', so no digging out. I will help do whatever I can of course. 4' fence will be here late this afternoon.
     
    #641
    Jake Smith and Yvonne Smith like this.
  12. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2021
    Messages:
    12,151
    Likes Received:
    11,856
    I want to start on my van soon as I get the boards to make a stand on its own frame. Not fastened to the van, just leaning.
    I saw this on YouTube, VanLife forum. I took everything out of it yesterday and vacuumed what I could with shop vac, Jake had to help vacuum, too much suction with that thing.
    I'll take pictures later before and when its done after.

    I just took this picture a few minutes ago. It is a 15 passenger 1995 E350 Club Wagon, we owned it since 2003.

    @Yvonne Smith , see picture, any ideas?I don't like all the dark in it.

    [​IMG]
     
    #642
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2024
    Jake Smith and Yvonne Smith like this.
  13. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706
    Up at 3 am, this morning having a coffee. Thought I would drop in a few minutes, and touch on what my busy day will be like. Have everything for the fence except the 4 ft fence that goes on the bottom; was supposed to come yesterday, which they notified me will be here today, "instead". So mostly today, I will be putting up posts, and fences. Dogs are all doing well and are really smart.

    Marie is still sleeping as are the four dogs, hope that "all of you", have a great day. :)
     
    #643
  14. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    May 29, 2020
    Messages:
    25,642
    Likes Received:
    37,722
    So what are you doing, Jake? Are you laying the 4' fence on the ground as a barrier at the bottom of the upright fence so that critters (dogs?) cannot dig under? I've not heard of doing that, but it sounds effective...and it sure beats digging a trench to drop the upright fence into.
     
    #644
  15. Jake Smith

    Jake Smith Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2022
    Messages:
    2,467
    Likes Received:
    4,706
    ]

    Yeah, it works very well; when anything tries digging in or out, they see it doesn't work. We always did this and never regretted it. Even though, I was up at 3 am yesterday, I still laid 160' of fence on the ground, and an up right fence too. It's pulled tight, and done, today I have to twist the tie bottom, with wire; and that much is done, only have 160 to 200' to go. Looks nice. :)
     
    #645

Share This Page