Our version of retirement: Living a childhood dream
- Thread starter Gary O'
- Start date
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Or the cows standing in the field, one yells "CAR!". They all get down on four legs, then when the car passes they stand up again.
that was the very first one I saw
totally hooked after that
wife shopped
I parked in the books
humor section
feasting on the far side
cows
dogs
even snakes
were his toys
the carload of cows slayed me
winter shows it's little pleasures
always
if you look
fine crystal
a necklace
even the wonderful contrast of a clear day
our winters are, for a good part, spent busy fixing needful things
like replacing bearings
but
outside beckons
irresistibly calls
and, even for just a few moments
it calms the senses
like nothing else
it's why we're here
always
if you look
fine crystal
a necklace
even the wonderful contrast of a clear day
our winters are, for a good part, spent busy fixing needful things
like replacing bearings
but
outside beckons
irresistibly calls
and, even for just a few moments
it calms the senses
like nothing else
it's why we're here
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
P.O.P.
(Picture of Paradise)
(Picture of Paradise)
I gotta remember that
I plan on the following few pages to contain notes, pennings from events of past months, years here at the cabin
not chronological by any means
hopefully entertaining
here's one now;
Moving along
I don’t have cabin fever
w-a-a-a-a-a-y past cabin fever
it rained yesterday
ice, snow, and rain make trekking somewhat entertaining
if one more bird lands on my shoulder while I’m peeing I’m gonna break its tiny neck with my channel locks
got out a bit
helped an ol’ guy fetch his water
since we live among our native American brethren, I’ve been given to naming folks what I think fits their character
this fellow gets around with the help of a putter
calling him Walks With Iron
didn’t know what was involved with fetching water
if I had, I’da just offed Walks With Iron, with a large rock
‘where’s the water?’
‘oh, it’s just up the trail a piece’
‘a piece’ is several hundred paces
‘up the trail’ is up, steep (gravity fed don’tcha know)
turns out I’m in pretty good shape
I can twirl, tumble, scream and flail several times in succession without losing a dogged trudge
He normally does this on his own, but his back is out
His little woman is a little woman
Does art, feathers n’ things
That’s her contribution
I’m going to end her too
He did hand me a pair of snow shoes
I’ve never worn snow shoes
One does not mosey, amble nor stroll in snow shoes
One should stride as though slogging thru deep quicksand when in snow shoes
When turning in snow shoes, one should be aware of what can occur when stepping on the back of the adjacent snow shoe
Snow angels are overrated
When picking one’s self outta four feet of snow, one should remove at least one snow shoe
Walks With Iron now has 77 gallons of brackish brown water in his indoor tanks, 120 lbs of dog food in his feeder (don't recall seeing a dog), and three big wheel cart loads of blood stained wood on his porch
I’m home now
Happier
Relieved
My water is only a hundred paces away
On flat land
That’s my story today
Waltzes In Snow
not chronological by any means
hopefully entertaining
here's one now;
Moving along
I don’t have cabin fever
w-a-a-a-a-a-y past cabin fever
it rained yesterday
ice, snow, and rain make trekking somewhat entertaining
if one more bird lands on my shoulder while I’m peeing I’m gonna break its tiny neck with my channel locks
got out a bit
helped an ol’ guy fetch his water
since we live among our native American brethren, I’ve been given to naming folks what I think fits their character
this fellow gets around with the help of a putter
calling him Walks With Iron
didn’t know what was involved with fetching water
if I had, I’da just offed Walks With Iron, with a large rock
‘where’s the water?’
‘oh, it’s just up the trail a piece’
‘a piece’ is several hundred paces
‘up the trail’ is up, steep (gravity fed don’tcha know)
turns out I’m in pretty good shape
I can twirl, tumble, scream and flail several times in succession without losing a dogged trudge
He normally does this on his own, but his back is out
His little woman is a little woman
Does art, feathers n’ things
That’s her contribution
I’m going to end her too
He did hand me a pair of snow shoes
I’ve never worn snow shoes
One does not mosey, amble nor stroll in snow shoes
One should stride as though slogging thru deep quicksand when in snow shoes
When turning in snow shoes, one should be aware of what can occur when stepping on the back of the adjacent snow shoe
Snow angels are overrated
When picking one’s self outta four feet of snow, one should remove at least one snow shoe
Walks With Iron now has 77 gallons of brackish brown water in his indoor tanks, 120 lbs of dog food in his feeder (don't recall seeing a dog), and three big wheel cart loads of blood stained wood on his porch
I’m home now
Happier
Relieved
My water is only a hundred paces away
On flat land
That’s my story today
Waltzes In Snow
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Ugh.
When the snow is deep enough to need snowshoes, I stay in.
Still ... I'd have paid good money to watch you do the Curly Shuffle.
When the snow is deep enough to need snowshoes, I stay in.
Still ... I'd have paid good money to watch you do the Curly Shuffle.
Ugh.
When the snow is deep enough to need snowshoes, I stay in.
Still ... I'd have paid good money to watch you do the Curly Shuffle.
I'll video the next one
more scattered notes;
I consider myself a pretty good driver.
Andretti, actually.
Ice
Lowest speed in highest gear.
Hands at 10 and 2.
Tight.
Arms fully extended.
Eyes half way outa their sockets.
Goal; remain on the highway, preferably the right side.
Steer into the skid.
Only thing, ice don’t care where yer steering.
Broke the tires three times in 200 yds last night.
Managed to rip the fabric off the driver’s seat with my colon.
I consider myself a pretty good driver.
Andretti, actually.
Ice
Lowest speed in highest gear.
Hands at 10 and 2.
Tight.
Arms fully extended.
Eyes half way outa their sockets.
Goal; remain on the highway, preferably the right side.
Steer into the skid.
Only thing, ice don’t care where yer steering.
Broke the tires three times in 200 yds last night.
Managed to rip the fabric off the driver’s seat with my colon.
'going down'
took most the east side slope of the Cascades sideways
solid ice
the view was spectacular
it's a help
more notes;
Took a whirlwind trip to the big city
An overnighter
Holiday Inn Express knows nice beds
And pillows
Two
One soft
One firm
Needed a ladder to get on the bed
But once there
Lights out
Or just lay there
On a cloud
How mattress techs have figgered out firm yet soft is beyond me
But they got it
Town;
I’d forgot how hectic enjoying ‘the finer things’ of living are
I’d forgot the frenetic rush, the supposed urgencies
To get somewhere
To get some thing
To
Relax
The noise
Was deafening
To the soul
I was not conscious of the din until we got back to our cabin home and got outta the truck
I’m aware again
The avian songs fill this mountain air
The squirrels and chippys have turned from chasing food to chasing each other this time of season
Life goes on
Like it should
Having coffee on the porch this morn, taking it all in
My hands will get dirty today
My soul will remain clean
My inner being is back at rest
Took a whirlwind trip to the big city
An overnighter
Holiday Inn Express knows nice beds
And pillows
Two
One soft
One firm
Needed a ladder to get on the bed
But once there
Lights out
Or just lay there
On a cloud
How mattress techs have figgered out firm yet soft is beyond me
But they got it
Town;
I’d forgot how hectic enjoying ‘the finer things’ of living are
I’d forgot the frenetic rush, the supposed urgencies
To get somewhere
To get some thing
To
Relax
The noise
Was deafening
To the soul
I was not conscious of the din until we got back to our cabin home and got outta the truck
I’m aware again
The avian songs fill this mountain air
The squirrels and chippys have turned from chasing food to chasing each other this time of season
Life goes on
Like it should
Having coffee on the porch this morn, taking it all in
My hands will get dirty today
My soul will remain clean
My inner being is back at rest
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Beautiful.
Seems the critters here have their own winter abodes
We do have our share of spiders
Get a kick outta them seeing me
Then skittering into a tiny hole
They actually have faces
And expressions
About ever few days, I’ll feel one in bed with me
One of us ends up leaving
Saw the web of one span about twenty feet from one tree to the next
Fascinating
Live out long enough, don’t take much to entertain
....seems
We do have our share of spiders
Get a kick outta them seeing me
Then skittering into a tiny hole
They actually have faces
And expressions
About ever few days, I’ll feel one in bed with me
One of us ends up leaving
Saw the web of one span about twenty feet from one tree to the next
Fascinating
Live out long enough, don’t take much to entertain
....seems
Falcon
DV8
- Location
- So. California
Gary O' You did good. Very nice work.
I too just got through reading the entire thread. I'm not sure how I was able to avoid reading this thread for so long, but I feel very fortunate that I finally did stumble upon it.
Gary, I want to say thank you for allowing me/us to have a front row seat into your amazing life off the grid! Your ingenuity and creativity are a sight to behold, you possess skills to make something out of nothing that not many people do. I consider myself to be fairly handy & innovative, but your work puts mine correctly in it's place. I also enjoy your writings and sense of humor along with your beautiful photos. All the while reading your stories I felt like I was there with you, thank you for that escape. I look forward to following this thread in the future and reading more of your adventures. Enjoy the awesome retirement that you and your wife have worked so hard for, you truly deserve it.
Mizzkitt, ma’am, and Jim, sir, if someone can enjoy our story half as much as I do when I write it, well, that’s contentment full circle.
And my intent, to put the reader beside me, I can’t ask for more.
Thank you both, so very much
....and a ‘done good’ from the Falcon…..icing.
Thank you, sir
Last edited:
From time to time I get back spasms
Just seizes up
Sitting, even
been worse the last few days
Hanging on a tree limb helps
Back in the ‘80s, doc noted shrapnel in an x-ray
Been there a while before
I’ve abused my back all my life
Only the last few years spasms have come and gone
Doc offered pain pills and muscle relaxants
Told him I like to feel what I’m feelin’
He said ‘it’s not for you, it’s for your wife, to get some sleep’
He also said they’d help my muscles from remaining so tight, give ‘em a chance to not bunch up so
They did the job
Last week I started putting a patch on my lower back
Absorbine Jr
Read somewhere its glorified horse liniment
Whatever
It works
Just gotta resist the urge to whinny and paw the ground
Having oatmeal for breakfast
Just seizes up
Sitting, even
been worse the last few days
Hanging on a tree limb helps
Back in the ‘80s, doc noted shrapnel in an x-ray
Been there a while before
I’ve abused my back all my life
Only the last few years spasms have come and gone
Doc offered pain pills and muscle relaxants
Told him I like to feel what I’m feelin’
He said ‘it’s not for you, it’s for your wife, to get some sleep’
He also said they’d help my muscles from remaining so tight, give ‘em a chance to not bunch up so
They did the job
Last week I started putting a patch on my lower back
Absorbine Jr
Read somewhere its glorified horse liniment
Whatever
It works
Just gotta resist the urge to whinny and paw the ground
Having oatmeal for breakfast