Manual Labor

Nope, not talking a poor Mexican guy toiling away in a field of cabbage – or what ever they toil away in fields of down there….. I’m talking about that curse that many folks in the world contend with to get by everyday to earn the things in life they are after. Something that I learned early in my life. Dad had me working at a steady clip from the time I was 13. I’m not talking about shoveling snow or mowing they yard (I did those on my ‘off’ time) I mean real labor. If you’ve ever torn off a roof, packed bundles of the old 80lb asphalt shingles 20′, 30′ 40′ or higher up a ladder all day long, drug 3′ x 10′ sheets of galvanized corrugated metal 60′ or so up onto the top of a massive old barn, dropped 100lb drums of solid asphalt in an asphalt kettle (without scalding yourself) or swung a 50lb asphalt mop over a 5000 sq. ft. roof in 90° heat in Southern Indiana – then you’ve got an idea the kind of manual labor I grew up doing. That don’t count bucking hay and de-tasseling corn for ‘side’ money….. I did all of those things on Summer vacations, Spring vacations, Christmas vacations and weekends from the time I left Jr. High until well after I graduation high school and joined the USAF. I know what manual labor is. I Have never been afraid of it and learned to embrace a good work ethic. I did it for 47 years before finally retiring. While the last 17 years of employment wasn’t so much physical – the stress and the need to push yourself long ridiculous hours was off the charts. This past week, I revisited some of that experience. I wrote about some of it already – the past 2 days, was an effort by my Queen and I to complete a project we have been ‘working on’ for the past several months. Getting the fence up at Blues painted and re-meshed. I wanted to get it finally done before Jim and Deb got back from vacation this evening. For the past 2 days we have been working diligently to finish the fence. I am happy and proud to say we did it. May have pushed ourselves a tad to hard for our advancing age, but we got ‘er boy~! I am super proud of my Queen – she hung in there like a trooper and gave it her best these last 2 days. We were so happy so be done today – I ran off without taking any pictures……. now ain’t that some horse cookies…?

This past week has brought me to a sad realization though….. In my mind I am still the ‘charge into thunderstorms’ kind of guy I always remember being. This past week, “LIFE” has reached out/down and smacked me upside the head and said ‘cool your jets old-timer’ – you’re not 25 any more. Kinda scary to hurt in as many places as I do and realize that is probably my future now – however long that manages to be. Not 100% sure I’m gonna tolerate that – but also not 100% sure what I aim to do about it………………..

Good Night Ya’ll > > > > > >> > >> Thankx for stopping in~!

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Bill

Born in Germany as an Army brat - I moved permanently to the United States about the time I was ready to start school - Dad put to me to work when I turned 13 tearing off roofs and packing shingles.. I did that, DE tasseled corn and bucked hay all the way through high school. After graduation, moved down South for a year or so trying to figure what I wanted to do. Finally came home and joined the Air Force serving almost 5 years - which included a 3 year tour in Germany, where I met my Queen. Came home and started working as a roofer. Economy went to crap and I knew I would not be able to support my growing family the way I wanted to, so I pestered the HR department at General Electric until they hired me. A very quick almost 34 years, 4 Daughters and 9 Grandkids later - here I am .... waiting as patiently as I can, to start the next chapter of our life - romping around in the Caribbean Sea checking out the various islands that we have not been to yet. Holy $hit what a ride~!!!! ;-)

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