Let me start this off by saying I am a simple man and enjoy life's simple pleasures. I don't care if anyone else reads this but me, but I just wanted to record one perfect spring day that's the kind of day I live for.
I had the day off today but instead of staying home with both kids(Anna,4 and Michael, 2 yrs old) my wife, a school teacher, took our daughter to "Take your kid to work day". I'm already ahead of the game when I've just got the boy to look after!
1.) First off after breakfast and bathtime, called a local guy about a Craiglist wood trailer hit. My son and I started our "boys day out" with a $60 4X8 trailer that is way too underbuilt for firewood hauling but hey, for 60 bucks(!) I'll use it for yard duty(see below) and sell it to a family member or friend for the same amount because its a Craiglist Deal! (The details are for another thread).
2.) Stop #2. Glen's Surplus. A store for guys if there ever was one. It's an old warehouse in Shelby, Ohio that is half famous for men because it carries every old hardware, mechanical part, army surplus, doo-dad gadjet you've ever heard of. We picked up a new ignition unit for my old TroyBilt Horse tiller because a blasted mouse decided to chew through the old wire while building a home in the engine shroud this winter. Service tech Bob found my exact part in less than a minute and the cost was 28 bucks(I told you Glen's was great). Also picked up a 7 pin to 4 pin trailer electric connector for 6 bucks. Now we have brake lights for the ride home!
3.) Stop #3. Napa auto parts to pick up a filter and oil for the John Deere mower. In and out because the 2 yr old is trying to singlehandedly reorganize their inventory. But, job done.
4.) Stop #4 for gas and then home for lunchtime and rough housing and then it is glorious NAP TIME. This is where it gets good for a parent.
5.) Without my daughter there making me dress her Barbies, I am able to install my new 1 GB RAM card in the computer that just came in the mail 5 minutes after my son went down(perfect timing because I was bogging down too!) 10 minutes later, speedier computer. Woo Hoo!
6.) During NAPTIME I was able to change the lawnmower's oil, swap out the ignition unit on the wheelhorse and rebuild the great wall of china(at least it felt like it).
7.) As I'm putting the last bolt in the engine shroud I hear my son in his crib wailing "MORRRRNINNNGGGG DADDDAAAEE!" over the baby monitor in the shed. Once again perfect timing. He came out with me just in time to get the tiller and mower VROOM VROOMING again(Boys are awesome!) until my wife and daughter got home.
8.)Swing set time for 45 minutes until wifey takes BOTH kids with her to my daughters dance class(if you can call a bunch of 4 yr old girls skipping around dance). Now its time for the CHAINSAWS!!!
9.) Used the new trailer for yard clean up and it is perfect for that... low to the ground with high sides and not too heavy for the mower to handle. I have 3 Stihl chainsaws and can you believe the one I pulled out today was the mighty craftsmen!? Blasphemy! You say? Not for this job! Cutting up muddy half rotten poplar in the back corner of my property to haul to the woods for worm food. The fresh chains on the Stihls are still too fresh for that duty! And do you know what? The craftsmen started and ran just fine. Naysayers be d@mmed!
10.) As I was finishing that fun chore the wife and kids came home and brought me out dinner BECAUSE I was just dying to work the old Troybilt again after a long cold winter. Done while the wife and kids watched on a picnic blanket and played with the neighbors friendly cat.
11.) So friendly a cat, that as I was cleaning up and putting all the toys away she managed to sneak two of her newborn kittens into my shed! Great! Now how am I supposed to lock everything up! I wanted to give them all the boot because I am a dog kinda guy but when I caught her she was dragging the third one over in her mouth and looking beat down doing it. Like the Grinch my heart grew three sizes and I actually carried the fourth one the rest of the way to her hiding place in MY MANCAVE. Spent the next 2 hours after the kids were in bed with the wife watching mama cat bring 2 more kittens over while I fashioned a cardboard cat door into the auxillary shed door(an old storm door panel I removed.)
12.) That would normally do it but Daggonit, this was the Perfect(have I used that word much?) day to fertilize the front lawn. As any retiree would know(they are the only ones who can find the time to do it) you have to catch an exact window to weed n' feed the lawn. It has to be damp grass to catch the particles, but dry for the next three days, and it can't be windy, AND the weeds have to be actively growing AND you can't mow within the surrounding days, AND it has to be the third quarter moon of the Martian solstice. Tonight at 10 pm, these were all in perfect alignment so I was the crazy guy fertilizing his lawn at 10:30 pm.
13.) Finally, The wife and I sat and talked while we drank a fine pilsner enjoying the warm weather and eventful day. And If I hurry to bed maybe I can cap it off even more perfect(but I'm not counting on it!).
14.) And today I also won the Award for "Longest Post Ever On ArboristSite"
That's alright because next February I'll look this up to remember perfect spring days are coming!
Take care,
Johnnylabguy (Mark)
I had the day off today but instead of staying home with both kids(Anna,4 and Michael, 2 yrs old) my wife, a school teacher, took our daughter to "Take your kid to work day". I'm already ahead of the game when I've just got the boy to look after!
1.) First off after breakfast and bathtime, called a local guy about a Craiglist wood trailer hit. My son and I started our "boys day out" with a $60 4X8 trailer that is way too underbuilt for firewood hauling but hey, for 60 bucks(!) I'll use it for yard duty(see below) and sell it to a family member or friend for the same amount because its a Craiglist Deal! (The details are for another thread).
2.) Stop #2. Glen's Surplus. A store for guys if there ever was one. It's an old warehouse in Shelby, Ohio that is half famous for men because it carries every old hardware, mechanical part, army surplus, doo-dad gadjet you've ever heard of. We picked up a new ignition unit for my old TroyBilt Horse tiller because a blasted mouse decided to chew through the old wire while building a home in the engine shroud this winter. Service tech Bob found my exact part in less than a minute and the cost was 28 bucks(I told you Glen's was great). Also picked up a 7 pin to 4 pin trailer electric connector for 6 bucks. Now we have brake lights for the ride home!
3.) Stop #3. Napa auto parts to pick up a filter and oil for the John Deere mower. In and out because the 2 yr old is trying to singlehandedly reorganize their inventory. But, job done.
4.) Stop #4 for gas and then home for lunchtime and rough housing and then it is glorious NAP TIME. This is where it gets good for a parent.
5.) Without my daughter there making me dress her Barbies, I am able to install my new 1 GB RAM card in the computer that just came in the mail 5 minutes after my son went down(perfect timing because I was bogging down too!) 10 minutes later, speedier computer. Woo Hoo!
6.) During NAPTIME I was able to change the lawnmower's oil, swap out the ignition unit on the wheelhorse and rebuild the great wall of china(at least it felt like it).
7.) As I'm putting the last bolt in the engine shroud I hear my son in his crib wailing "MORRRRNINNNGGGG DADDDAAAEE!" over the baby monitor in the shed. Once again perfect timing. He came out with me just in time to get the tiller and mower VROOM VROOMING again(Boys are awesome!) until my wife and daughter got home.
8.)Swing set time for 45 minutes until wifey takes BOTH kids with her to my daughters dance class(if you can call a bunch of 4 yr old girls skipping around dance). Now its time for the CHAINSAWS!!!
9.) Used the new trailer for yard clean up and it is perfect for that... low to the ground with high sides and not too heavy for the mower to handle. I have 3 Stihl chainsaws and can you believe the one I pulled out today was the mighty craftsmen!? Blasphemy! You say? Not for this job! Cutting up muddy half rotten poplar in the back corner of my property to haul to the woods for worm food. The fresh chains on the Stihls are still too fresh for that duty! And do you know what? The craftsmen started and ran just fine. Naysayers be d@mmed!
10.) As I was finishing that fun chore the wife and kids came home and brought me out dinner BECAUSE I was just dying to work the old Troybilt again after a long cold winter. Done while the wife and kids watched on a picnic blanket and played with the neighbors friendly cat.
11.) So friendly a cat, that as I was cleaning up and putting all the toys away she managed to sneak two of her newborn kittens into my shed! Great! Now how am I supposed to lock everything up! I wanted to give them all the boot because I am a dog kinda guy but when I caught her she was dragging the third one over in her mouth and looking beat down doing it. Like the Grinch my heart grew three sizes and I actually carried the fourth one the rest of the way to her hiding place in MY MANCAVE. Spent the next 2 hours after the kids were in bed with the wife watching mama cat bring 2 more kittens over while I fashioned a cardboard cat door into the auxillary shed door(an old storm door panel I removed.)
12.) That would normally do it but Daggonit, this was the Perfect(have I used that word much?) day to fertilize the front lawn. As any retiree would know(they are the only ones who can find the time to do it) you have to catch an exact window to weed n' feed the lawn. It has to be damp grass to catch the particles, but dry for the next three days, and it can't be windy, AND the weeds have to be actively growing AND you can't mow within the surrounding days, AND it has to be the third quarter moon of the Martian solstice. Tonight at 10 pm, these were all in perfect alignment so I was the crazy guy fertilizing his lawn at 10:30 pm.
13.) Finally, The wife and I sat and talked while we drank a fine pilsner enjoying the warm weather and eventful day. And If I hurry to bed maybe I can cap it off even more perfect(but I'm not counting on it!).
14.) And today I also won the Award for "Longest Post Ever On ArboristSite"
That's alright because next February I'll look this up to remember perfect spring days are coming!
Take care,
Johnnylabguy (Mark)
in 80* weather.
