How'd it go today?

[lxskllr]

Holy hell those are some big cones! Super cool looking tree though...

 

[FireFighterZero]

We needed to move cows but the hydrant was frozen.

Tried to heat it from the surface but it was frozen all the way down.

The coulees are still dry so we needed the water.

Dug it up with the excavator and used a torch to warm it.

Water lines are all 6 feet deep here.

 

[flushcut]

I am sure Kyle or Bob or Al can tell you how to rig a welder to thaw pipes.

Took the family to a water park for two days, splish splash I got chlorine in my eyes.

 

[lxskllr]

Didn't do a thing today. Stayed home and listened to music. I did just have a revelation on making the milling of stakes easier. Instead of cutting off live edge slabs, and lining them up sideways to make the other cuts, I'll leave them attached on the end, roll the log, then make the cuts. When it's finished, I can cut off the attachment tab. Should make it a lot easier.

 

[Tree09]

Well somehow I'm still sick, and my sciatic is really acting up. The kids and the wife are still varying levels of sick too. In other news I'm starting 6 10s on Monday, guess we're gonna have a very busy year.

 

[flushcut]

Stretch. And stretch some more.

 

[Tree09]

I'm honestly trying to, even at work in between welds. There's no shame in my game i get in with my chiropractor Monday so that should help things along. We'll see how the increased workload treats me, I'm gonna be welding pretty much the whole time, stainless tig for days. That'll be the big test of how I'm doing since chemo, didn't work much overtime this last year.

 

[Burnham]

M and I cut, split, loaded, and stacked into one of our woodsheds a little over half a cord of firewood (well, split small enough to load and stack ). Same on tap for tomorrow.

My arthritic hands are bitchin' tonight .

 

[BlackSmith]

Stay on top of that sciatica Kyle. I never knew a person could be in so much pain and not pass out. Got to the point I wanted to chew my leg off.

 

[stikine]

Yup, sciatica is a real bitch. Herniated L4, L5 some dark times for me. Lucky to avoid surgery so far but had to get some cortisone shots to manage and heal. I stretch every morning and try not to do stupid stuff like lifting too much and when I do need to lift something heavy, I put on my weight belt.

 

[Mellow]

I finally scheduled my BCMA Exam. I've got about six weeks to hit the books and prepare. I've been a Certified Arborist for 30 years. I should know all this stuff.

 

[SeanKroll]

Have you tried Voltaren, @Burnham ?

 

[Treeaddict]

You got me wanting to plant a monkey puzzle!! Very unique design

 

[flushcut]

You sir are a very sick man! Nobody in the tree biz deliberately plants a monkey puzzle on their own property. I have a Washington hawthorn I so very want to destroy but my wife won’t let me. I didn’t plant it, it came with the house .

 

[treebilly]

I have one of those god awful locust trees with the huge spikes. Wife wants it gone. I think I’ll hire the competition to remove it😆

my easy crane day got real busy today. Job went smooth but I received two phone calls that made a long day. First was about some firewood totes. Talked to the lady earlier in the week and agreed Sunday would be fine to pick them up. She called today and wanted them gone today and cut the price a good amount to have it be so. Then the trailer I ordered two weeks ago that was supposed to be delivered at the end of April showed up today. Finished work and went to the bank, drove 1&1/2 hours east to pick up the trailer, headed 2 hours south west to get the totes, and finally an hour north to get home. My wife was a bit upset but got over it quickly since I’ll be home most of the day tomorrow and all day Sunday. I’m just going n tomorrow long enough to unload mats and lube the crane boom and cable. That’s only if it’s not raining so it’s looking like she gets to have me home all weekend

 

[Treeaddict]

I’m not gonna deny my sickness but whats wrong with the Hawthorn or Monkey Puzzle??!!

 

[lxskllr]

Hawthorn has a powerful bite...

Doesn't bother me, but I wouldn't want to work in it. I like plants with a sharp edge. My favorite flower is bull thistle. I might try to transplant some trifoliate orange to my property.

 

[SkwerI]

I’m not gonna deny my sickness but whats wrong with the Hawthorn or Monkey Puzzle??!!

It's a very dense, sappy pine except every 'needle' is a leaf with 5 sharp points. Millions and millions of sticky, sappy, pokey, sharp needle points to stab you and stick to you. And it is so dense there's no way to avoid getting stabbed as you work through it. Best bet is to flop it and cut it up with a pole pruner.

This tree is God's punishment to tree climbers. Or a sick joke, take your pick.

 

[Treeaddict]

It’s beautiful though🤪. I was wondering if those points contained a spine! Sap it bad, getting piled is worse. I’ll plant it and just let it grow wild. It will outlive me anyway. Funny thing though- it’s endangered due to previous heavy logging as well as fires and other threats. With your description of that tree, I feel sorry for the poor guy who had to fell and limb them!!

 

[Burnham]

Have you tried Voltaren, @Burnham ?

No sir, Sean. I don't try any drugs for anything, for the most part . Unless I absolutely cannot avoid it. Too many side effects associated with almost all drugs, so far as I'm concerned.

For the record, I know nothing of the one you referenced, never heard of it. It might be a great thing...

 

[Treeaddict]

The coffee table finally grew legs. Glue is currently drying. A little more oil and she’s a piece of furniture

 

[Burnham]

Very handsome.

 

[Burnham]

Got another load of firewood put up today, per the plan. Body is less achy today. Hands not too bad. There's a lesson in that, I'm sure .

 

[Jonny]

Got another load of firewood put up today, per the plan. Body is less achy today. Hands not too bad. There's a lesson in that, I'm sure .

Better to wear out than rust out.
- Jack Lalanne

Along the same vibe, I started lifting weights again last Monday, first time since COVID protocol closed the gym at work. Went easy, knowing that sore muscles would be certain, but the severity of the soreness was up to me. All better after a couple days, but I’m going to go a little harder with lower back and legs, and try some rear lunges, and once those sore muscles are better, rear lunges with light dumbbells. Once upon a time, a cruel and angry drill sergeant knocked me on my ass with that exercise. Seemed easy at the time, but the next couple days HURT.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Yeah, stressing those unused muscles can bite you. I helped bend snow plows on a manual metal brake once. Couldn't walk downhill for two days.