Back to WORK

I want to say I’ve not lost my mind…but it’s possible I might have 😁.

I’ve had it in my mind for the last…two? years that I need to go back to work. One (obvious) money, two – truthfully, as hard as I try, I cannot wrap my head around the idea of being satisfied with being a ‘stay at home’ anything. I think – ultimately, I’ve worked for so long (first job in a grocery store at 13), that I missed out on learning to simply be at home and like it. Still, this stint of at home did allow me the chance to be picky. I have turned down two opportunities to go back to rebuilding transmissions (no thanks), and avoid a standing offer to work in another garage.

Was this the right pick? Maybe. Basically I tear down Diesel engines and part them out. There is an incredible demand for parts, injectors, high pressure oil pumps, turbos, anything that comes off the engine, was a part of the engine, including the block itself. Pros…I can set my own hours, work ‘as much or as little’ as I want according to the boss, all the tools and equipment I need are supplied (a bonus as I lost all mine in the fire). I’m also left to my own devices – something I like. Cons…well there aren’t really any…I walk out of there as black as night (there’s nothing in the world as grimy as diesel oil), and I have muscles complaining I forgot I had (but I will get back into shape), and the dirt eventually cleans off.

The puppy has had to adjust. He’s a stickler for routine – most animals are. For the first few weeks he’d give me a rather baffled look when I came home, as if he’d decided I might not be coming back. Couldn’t decide if he should be excited to see me or not. He’s had me to himself for eighteen months.

Last load of wood for the year

Bruce has had his eye on this tree for months – certain somebody would get to it first…I pointed out the size of the thing and the distance from the road made it unlikely. We needed a chance to get the tri-axel trailer up there, and also needed help. One person has to block the road, and Bruce wanted someone else at the base – looking up to watch for errant branches to snap off while he was cutting (one of those can take you out in an instant), and by watching the top you can get a good idea when it’s going to topple.

160 feet of tree hauled alongside the road in four sections – worked out to about three cords of wood. Super dry, splits easy.

Still to do before winter (hopefully)…toss up a lean-to on the back side of the barn – which is a place for the cow/steer/granddaughters horse to get out of the weather and have access to hopefully not frozen water. We have a wood stove in the barn now – to keep our water barrels from freezing. Next year the milk parlour will be set up, hoping this year the feed bunks will be built. We need to get next door to pick up a load of horse manure for the gardens. Put up some fencing to keep the goose compound predator free once the pond is frozen over. Probably a dozen other things I’m not thinking of at the moment. We’ve been fortunate to have an incredible run of good fall-like weather, with any luck we’ll be fine.

Wild rose hips. 🙂

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