I'm a language and engineering fanatic. Always have been, I was reading real books at age 4. Have been spinning wrenches since I was 4 or 5. At one point I could pull, strip down, rebuild and reinstall a Harley powertrain in under 3 hours. Indian big twin flatties in under 2 hours. Made Eagle Scout at 15, could have been done with all the requirements at age 13 but got bored and slacked off.

I was offered a full ride to Hopkins. Took the SATs in 7th grade. Failed out of the state ag school, I was bored to tears. Knew more than the instructors, proved it a few too many times.

My wife thinks it is absolutely hilarious that I'm nearly computer illiterate. Can't help it, I'm technophobic. Anything more complex than points ignition and I just don't care to learn it.

She handles our finances. I think money is funny colored little bits of paper with no intrinsic value. She also does 90% or better of our four wheel trips. I absolutely hate driving, always have. Funny when you consider we have 6 trucks, 3 cars, 4 motorcycles between the 3 people on this farm. I'll run a tractor all day long.

I'm happiest when I'm filthy from head to toe. Coop me up in an office or research lab and I'll be dead in a year.

Have one, John Deere 5400. Was using the front end loader bucket on it today to snag chunks of oak out of the blowdown. Trying to get photos to the insurance company, car dolly and a bunch of implements got damaged. Micro-burst took the tree down on 4/19.

Let's see:  Trucks you say? 85 C10 Silverado, 4.3 V6/auto, short wide bed. Boring, ugly, shakes like crazy. 92 Ranger longbed (114"wb), 2.3/5spd is wrecked. 94 Ranger shortbed (108"wb) 2.3L 4 banger/5spd. Haunted but I drive it anyway. 85 C60 BIG V8/4spd, utility bucket truck. Squirrels keep snacking on hydraulic hoses. 69 D-100 longbed, 318/727 auto. Runs good after it uses 2 gallons of fuel to start. Not street legal, bad electrical glitches in the rear harness. 49 Dodge 1/2 ton 218 L6 (flathead)/3 spd (on the floor where it belongs). Replacement 230 flathead being prepped for it, I'll drive this one. Been in my family since new. Not sure it counts but, 70ish Ungers Coach motorhome, Dodge 413-3/727 auto.

Cars? 95 Subaru Outback, I don't like it, puts my legs to sleep. Unknown year Pontiac Vibe (don't like Toyotas). 72 VW Super Beetle, father in law grenaded my 2300cc dual Webered engine and replaced it with a 1600cc single carb.

Bikes? 98 Savage (full custom). 96 Intruder 800 (Lisa's). 63 Honda CL72 (in pieces). 70 Honda CL100 (can't find it, think it is at a shop).

Tractors? JD 5400; JD 1020 (3 cylinder gasoline); JD 3020; JD can't remember but it is European and decent sized, pulls a 12' finish mower; Kubota L1510 (everything is in Japanese, gray market tractor); Massey Ferguson 165 with 14' rough cut mower/bush hog; Kubota front mount 6' deck finishing mower.

There are other toys here... But, I hate sailing, so the sailboat is rotting away in the center orchard.  

I'll second that on commercial roofers!

My grandfather was a roofer and tinsmith in Brooklyn -- still climbing ladders well into his 70's, only stopping 'cause of diabetes related blindness.  I don't think he ever used work gloves, or gave up on them because they wore out so quickly.  He had hands like feet.  There were calluses in the palms of his hand at least an inch thick.

I had a few "dirty gigs" in high school and college, but now, I have to keep my hand clean at work.  Still, with motorcycles, bicycles and boats I can get pleasantly dirty on the weekend!

I have to really think on this one as have worked since
I was young. Hmmm ok well as far as dirty, it acutally
could be classified as smelly...Ok here goes..
Back in about 1986, ex hubby worked with the commercial
fishermen on the Columbia River.
He unloaded the boats as they came in with their catch.
Well that year the Salmon showed up in abundance.
The Salmon run had not been like that in years.
Myself along with 2 of the fishermen wives decided to help
out..
The fish were placed into totes on the dock.
Us gals job was to bring the fish up from the lower dock
to the upper continers.
Sounds easy right.. Well it would have been had their been
a conveyor belt.
We were the belt.. We carried 2 fish at a time up the dock.
Not that bad until the tide went out. Then the dock ramp
was like walking up a hill.
Also we worked steady for 14 to 16 hrs. When we were able
to sleep, I would wake up with my hands curved.
Like I had carried fish in my sleep..
The first week we did this for almost 5 days straight.
All in all we worked 3 weeks and then the fish season
was closed. I made some good money. Yet again long
hard hours.
The first couple days we had no rain gear. So our clothes
were literally covered in fish slime...Those clothes
were thrown away..
Yes definetly the smelliest job I ever had..   kim

You'd fit right in at our house... 1840s plantation. Coal forge smithy, double barrel caplock shotgun (carried by Lisa's Confederate great-great grandfather), heirloom garden, heirloom orchards... Adding a chicken yard, heritage breed livestock. Centurion Minimus Maximus (our mini quarter horse, aka Sir S**ts A-Lot, aka Max) has a harness and I'm going to fix the small single bottom plow for him to pull...

I learned how to drive a horse and buggy when I was in grade school, neighbor restored 19th century buggies, wagons, carts, surreys, etc.

Lisa and I are former SCA (pre-1640) re-enactors. Still have all our gear. Her wedding dress was 10th century design. I wore Black Watch kilt, usually wore Royal Ross Hunting kilt/plaid (ancient colors). Her family has been UDC, DAR, SCV for decades.

We are planning on converting the farm into a working Southern heritage farm preserve. With rental garden spots, a healthy u-fish pond full of native species, small camping area (primitive) and a small farm store (all organic). Family friendly naturist beach on the pond, some naturist friendly garden spots.

Guest trailer is ready if/when you need a break from what you are going through. All the modern amenities (right in front of the smithy).

Yep, pulling out dead hogs on the farm to the collection container was bad enough, and that was when they were "fresh".    Sometimes not so fresh, how could you miss a dead 240# hog in the summertime?  For a day or more.....

That also reminded me of a guy I worked with.   Really smart but decided he was going to work rather than college.  His stepdad got him a job at the slaughter house.  Apparently the pranksters there thought it was a real hoot to put cow brains in his coat pocket, or liver chunks in his lunch bag.......
Musta motivated him cuz he ended up with structural engineering degree from the citadel.

WD wrote on 06/04/11 at 06:28:25:


Does "naturist" mean what I thought it means ?  Seems like kind of a wierd farm