Our version of retirement: Living a childhood dream

[Gary O']

N-I-C-E!

 

[Gary O']

Well, we're gonna be living back out here in a couple/three months

Doubt the COVID-19 thing is anywhere out here

Heh, those that live at the edge of civilization have enough to be concerned about anyway
What with bear, cougar, wolves, snow, ice, wind, fire
Even mice and hantavirus

One gets used to dealing with things...daily.....by the season
No panic
Just common sense

In the five years we lived out here, we always had three month's supply of most anything.....yeah, even TP
Thing is, if one remains stocked up, rotating inventory, supplies at stores are never impacted

Some, actually most, folks out this way buy land, throw on wunna those little prebuilt sheds, and move in
….then move out in the wee days of winter

Living on land out, away from most anything, brings one to some basic realities
What one is made of
What one is capable of
What one is willing to do to maintain livability

It's a continuous challenge
Our motto and daily saying; 'Well, nobody's gonna do it for us.....best git busy

I'll tell y'all, we do miss that
Never have slept so good

I will miss the hand held shower head

But...

will be working on that

Y'all keep a fire

 

[Gary O']

Jumped into the Jeep and drove up to the cabin yesterday

Expected lots of snow still

Surprisingly, very little (pardon the blurry pic.....dirty lens on the iPhone I guess)





Looks like we'll be moving to the cabin by late April....or sooner

Just had to chop out the ice away from the gate, and we were in



Heh, that....was a job
About three inches of glacier ice clinging to terra firma
Short work for the mattock
Coulda been shorter......I'm pooped

Man, I'm waaay outa shape
Town living was decadent

 

[Meanderer]

Back to the cabin...Chop, Chop!

 

[Gary O']

Brought a few things back up to the cabin today

Warm enough to prime the pump in the wellhouse



Took awhile

while I wait, I always wonder if it's gonna happen

Took three attempts to get a prime

I always get happy when I hear the gurgle and the water bursts thru and flows

So much to do up here

So little to do in town

Guess I had to do a year in town to realize some things


I could sell this water.....and air

 

[Gary O']

aaand, my Wyoming bud just had to send me the new issue of his 'Cabin Monthly' ;

 

[Meanderer]

 

[Gary O']

Another trip to the cabin today

Tightened up the interior of the A frame
Guess my lady doesn't care much for my furry friends getting in and having their way with her kitchen

The shop is a mess
Felt sorta good to happily angrily giddily toss stuff around in disgust, while looking for things

Took several pulls to start the gennys
The big one (8750 watt) was not meant for pull starting
Needed a mule and an ape to pull that crank
Happily I have enough of both left in me to get it goin'
After running a half hour, the battery charged back up
Push button start is rather nice

Next load or two will be just for the shop
Drives me nuts to see it in such poor order
Gonna take a full day or two to set it up the way I like it

Then.....the big (final) move, weather permitting

Next week is gonna big a big one

Forgot what tired was like

Sleep will come easy

 

[Meanderer]

The Cube

 

[Gary O']

The Cube

Oh, I'm savin' me that pic

Many ideas popping into this ol' skull

Ohhhhh, yeaaaahhhhh

 

[Em in Ohio]

clearing the land included tearing down an old camper a previous owner left
took a couple days
used a sawzall and sledge
quite the workout
keeps the body loose
I recommend it

I'm a little old lady who loves her Sawzall! Aside from opening up walls, they are great for cutting underground tree roots! The sunrise pic is awesome, but the snow pics really put me off!

 

[Gary O']

I'm a little old lady who loves her Sawzall! Aside from opening up walls, they are great for cutting underground tree roots!

No argument on that.

I bought a cheap Sawzall from Harbor Freight with the sole purpose of tearing down an old camper left on the property from previous owners.
I just didn't want to waste my good Sawzall.
Bought it to waste/ruin

Shoot, after tearing down the camper, metal and all, I've gone after tree roots, and anything else I didn't care to waste a chain saw blade on.

That was a few years ago
It's still with me....purrin' like a kitten

 

[Em in Ohio]

No argument on that.

I bought a cheap Sawzall from Harbor Freight with the sole purpose of tearing down an old camper left on the property from previous owners.
I just didn't want to waste my good Sawzall.
Bought it to waste/ruin

Shoot, after tearing down the camper, metal and all, I've gone after tree roots, and anything else I didn't care to waste a chain saw blade on.

That was a few years ago
It's still with me....purrin' like a kitten

Yep - mine has the adjustable grip and I beat the heck out of it - The tree roots were a big issue, so I said, hmmm... wonder if this would work. Drove the blades deep into the ground. Fortunately, I have sandy soil. Bent many blades, but got the job done! You are living my old fantasy. Now, I'm a wimp. But, I still long for a cabin uphill from a river - paddle my life away... sigh. Just a dream, but a nice one.

 

[StarSong]

Gary, I thought your son took over the cabin. Did it not work out for him?

 

[Gary O']

Gary, I thought your son took over the cabin. Did it not work out for him?

His daughter has dravet syndrome
Has to be watched day and night
One fall can be the end of her
Not good for out here with all the uneven ground



I gotta hand it to my son
He's a great dad....big time

 

[StarSong]

His daughter has dravet syndrome
Has to be watched day and night
One fall can be the end of her
Not good for out here with all the uneven ground

View attachment 97072

I gotta hand it to my son
He's a great dad....big time

Oh my gosh, @Gary O', what a struggle that must be for all concerned. Sending a prayer to your family. ♥

 

[Gary O']

what a struggle that must be for all concerned.

Yeah, she's a real trooper about it all.
She zones out every few minutes when she gets excited
Then, when she comes to, she says 'Hi'

My son has been remarkable thru this
He says, 'I don't know how long we'll have her, but while she's alive we'll enjoy every minute'

Sending a prayer to your family.

Thanks, Starry
There's been a lot of praying
That little lady can always use more

 

[RadishRose]

 

[Gary O']

Oh my gosh, @Gary O', what a struggle that must be for all concerned

Y'know, ever so often I write a bit on life's difficulties/maladies
But not all that much
We've all had our share
Doubt anyone comes out unscathed
Especially if yer lucky enough to get us guy's age here in this magnificent forum
Bet there's enough horrible stuff in us geezer's lives to circle the globe a few times
No, I go light
And many a folk here do the same

It's very refreshing....strengthening

It's quite difficult to be sad or angry when laughing

My lady can attest to this

My attempts at humor has saved my bacon more than a few times
(she still pummels me on the arm and chest in frustration.....troublesome to waste a good mad, but I consider 'em love pats)

 

[Gary O']

Took another load to the cabin today
Had to be quick about it between snows
Loading and unloading the snow blower is rather ungainly
It's heavy in all the wrong places
My lady and I got it on and off the pickup without harm to body or machine

Quite gusty up there today
forgot about that
A snowstorm can get blown in in minutes

My shop is still a mess, but put the roll top desk in it's corner where it belongs

I've gotta get creative when building a place for the 49" TV we bought in town
It'll be positioned to view in bed


Hey, we may live in a cabin, but we're not heathens




usually

 

[Gary O']

Glad we went when we did

Gonna get three days of this up there;

 

[Aunt Bea]

 

[Meanderer]

Gary, you could'a had a V-8!

 

[RadishRose]

Gary, what about food? Did you bring up supplies too?

 

[Gary O']

Gary, what about food? Did you bring up supplies too?

Yeah, we're well stocked

Once moved, staying with one 50 mi trip to town a month