How'd it go today?

Now there is an idea I've never seen.:thumbup:

Comm systems rock. Wish could get everyone I work with to use them.

August, I take the Winter off in recent years and am pretty non-physical. concentrating more on musical exploration, reading, etc. I've already sold off most of my equipment and quit bidding/taking jobs of my own, pretty much. I've lost a lot of my drive I got , and miss the organization. from running my own show. Last year I came close to walking out on everyone I worked for except Timbertramp (Nic) because of safety issues, people issues, or disorganization. I'm just not in a rush to get back into it. I still love the industry, just getting older and it gets harder to start up each year.
 
1977 F150 Ranger XLT
Came stock with air-conditioning, 8 track deck with state of the art built in CB radio.
I've been driving it for 16 years.
A local truck bought from the Ford dealership about six blocks from my house.
Two owners prior to me.
Very well cared for both of them and then I also have shown it lots of love.
 
I looked all over the country for mine. Half of the ones I found were in Oregon or Washington. Mine was kind of rare. I found out after I bought it that it was a Snowfighter package. Heavy duty cooling with a thicker radiator, heavy duty charging system and most importantly a high pinion Dana 60 front end. They were built for plowing snow. The front axle is pretty sought after for pulling trucks. I shoulda kept it, but it was actually a little TOO nice. I felt bad taking it off road to get the dredge down to the creeks. I sold it and got an 82 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler. I don't mind beating it up a little...
 
That widening crease in the side body as it goes from the front grill to the rear reflector, is really nice.

I love the look of them. I started driving in a 73 1 ton Ford. 390 four speed. 12 mpg, always. Empty bed or 32' slant load gooseneck horse trailer. 12 mpg. A close second would be the early Broncos. Those are pretty sharp too.
 
I had a pretty good day today. Talked to a guy my nephew works for that owns his own tree care business. He offered me the opportunity to learn in exchange for free ground work. Luckily my work schedule allows me the freedom to do this. He was pretty impressed that I could tie a running bowline and rig up a 3 to 1 pulley system. Apparently that's something no one applying for a job cares about. He's going to teach me tree work in his spare time. Hopefully it works out because it really fascinates me especially the rigging. He talks like it may become mmonotonous to me doing it as a job. I don't know. Hope not.
 
The 'ole (but still new to me) F450 finally got out of the garage and back on the road today. We fired it up yesterday just to make sure it wasn't going bend another batch of pushrods, then finished putting all the odds and ends back together today. Runs strong, smooth, way quieter than before. We were discussing how long it might have been since that truck ran that smooth. We also gave the lift gate a little more tlc, I think it mainly just needed to be cycled a bunch of times, but the extra grease we threw at it can't hurt.
A repeat custy with several trees to trim along with several other jobs told me he wants to hold off a bit on the trimmings, I think he's having some cashflow issues. Kinda bummed as I was counting on the money from his jobs, but I have a trimming job to do tomorrow and something more will come up - they always do.
 
I still like it… I was so happy today at work with the guys.
Probably because I was getting out of boss man type stuff that I should've been doing.
 
My guys are hedging in the rain today. Just looked at this job, they'd probably be happy to pull off that one and come work on this one if I get it in a minute…
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It ruptured a gas line as it went over…
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Sure enough, went back and bang that out. Their insurance company said they would not pay anything for debris.
I had written it up as $750 to clear the structures and $500 to haul debris. Sudden service.
The insurance guy said no on the debris and so they were kind of bummed that they were going to be stuck with it and asked me if they could pay me a reduced rate for the debris. I said OK I will take $300 off and chip it for $200.
Told the guys to do it. They had to go dump the truck first to have room otherwise they would have just come straight over and thrown into a pile. I roll up as it's about completed and ask him for the 200. He says we have no written agreement. Let me see what the paperwork says.
The argument ensued, I said OK you have me there on the paperwork but, I looked him in the eye, "we had an agreement, I stood right here and talked to you about this."
He told me the guys had it done before he can OK it with them. I said,
"OK then let me just be at your mercy for any amount of compensation for doing free work for you." he talked about his mom having Alzheimer's and him not having anyone to squeeze for the money.
I said, "OK then I guess you'll just squeeze me then huh?"
I left there not respecting that dirtbag and as I pulled away, he pulled away in a late model Jag.
 
Started trimming a large spreading maple today, it was done about 7 years ago so I'm mainly just finding the old cuts and repeating them. I got about half of it done today while Jax was in preschool, I'll finish it up tomorrow. Then Jax and I set up camp in our backyard, He's out there with Julia going to bed now. While cooking hot dogs and Brauts on the fire I got a call from Dad, his landscaper neighbor has 2 clients needing tree work. 1 with a large tree to remove and another with a tree line to clean up. Every time I empty out my upcoming jobs list, a few more roll in. :D
 
That's how it works Chris. Just when you think you're caught up, more roll in.

August I've received phone calls from irate non paying customers about a load of wood chips dumped blocking their garage doors. I wonder why they would call me?
 
I can think of lots of dumb things to do in response, non of which would do much good in the long run.
 
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