Now what's broke?

[Yander]

Living in the country on 5 acres and maintaining 5 acres of our own, my MILs 3 acres, and also maintaining the wife's family farm's waterways, ditches, driveways etc. My FIL passed away on 2020 so it is pretty much all on me and my wife. I feel like something is always needing serviced or fixed, ALWAYS! It just never lets up. I also help service my younger son's vehicles, he helps but I've always got a project going on and sometimes it would be nice to just sit back and say nothing is broken or needing serviced!

That will never happen as long as you have stuff! Our stuff isn't even that old and none of it is abused but I just don't think they make crap to hold up any more. I sent the Gravely Atlas side by side and the Grasshopper 725D off in a service truck yesterday, both have something going on and I'm needing a little help.

Currently I have my son's girlfriends car on the lift and I'm about to go put a set of front pads and rotors on it. Yesterday was doing oil changes on it and the big tractor before winter. Last week was doing transmission fluid vac and replace and oil change on my car and the wife's car. Next week, bushhog the waterways one last time and probably clean out the chicken shed for the winter and who knows what else. Not complaining at all. But, people who say they wish they could have a place in the country with land, have no idea what they are asking for.

I wouldn't trade having land and room but sometimes it is a bit daunting when you work 5 days a week. I will say, you can't be afraid to tear into something you know nothing about or you had better have a lot of $$$ to pay for people to fix your stuff. I'm not broke but I'm also not made of $$$. I try and service or maintain 70% of my stuff and the other 30% I'm calling someone.

What are you fixing now?

 

[scootr]

I concur. 25 yrs on this place. I thought I had fixed everything but now I'm seeing things I fixed 25 yrs ago needing to be redone. Ugh.

 

[ponytug]

Fuel solenoid for the tractor, tree trimming and chipping, and before that the full cycle of fluids for the vehicles, just like you. Fixing an oil leak that the dealer couldn't find.

Along the way, re-caulking a bathroom, fixing our fire hydrant and piping, dealing with a wildfire caused by an arsonist, climbing the 30' tower our weather station is on, removing it and sending it out for repair, then putting it back up, fixing three out of five water troughs, with one more to go...

I love that there is always something, but I admit to being behind after a couple of years where things just plain got ahead of me (work, life events, etc.). At least the list is now shrinking. A bit. And I'm seeing things crop up again after twenty years, so now I get to fix them "right".

I wish that I had a better way to deal with or stock fasteners. It just seems that there is always something. Dropping a non-magnetic 1/4 stainless lock washer in the leaf litter going to put up the weather station means running out to get some lock washers.

All the best,

Peter

 

[kozal01]

Thankfully nothing of mine is broken at the moment. I do have some fall maintenance to get done, my trucks frame needs to be fluid filmed before winter and the mice built another damn nest on the engine of my snowblower. I guess I do have some fixing to do.

 

[Roadworthy]

I'll agree there's always something broken or something needing done. I thought when I retired I'd have more time to do stuff. Sadly that's not the case, you just have more time to see stuff needing done. Then old age kicks in, the wife gets cancer, and my time is no longer my own. I just do what I can and be thankful we're still on top of the grass.

 

[2manyrocks]

I changed the lower radiator hose on my wife's car she needed to drive to visit family in another state. Constant tension clamp jumped off at last second during the install and ended up in position I couldn't access. Local car mechanic took pity on me and fixed it. In the process while the car was on the hoist, noticed a cut in one of the rear tires and had to have two new ones installed. If there's anything in the road, she'll find a way to run over it, especially if the tires are new.

 

[2manyrocks]

Wife called a few minutes ago to report one of the new tires was flat this morning............

 

[Carl_NH]

Finally got around to working on my 15 YO leaking Emglo dual tank air compressor - it was the drain valve sticking - a simple fix. Then it would not shut off and had a bad gauge, replaced gauge and it would build pressure slowly - hmm. Took the switch cover off and switch was arcing when running so sanded points, still arcs. Slightly bent the copper arm and success! Now unit runs and turns off in 30 seconds. While i was at it, drained and replaced the oil too - runs great now.

Now rearranging things for winter - getting the backhoe dolly out, snowblower oil change, check belts, new gas and stabil. Then next will be oil change in mower and grease once leaf clean up is done. I'm still working but taking every Friday off for the rest of the year to get "stuff" done.

 

[scootr]

I spent a little time today fixing my giant scale RC ugly stik airplane. I let it sit for 2 yrs while I drug my feet on cataract surgery. Well the fuel line went to hell.
So I had to change them all out including the pickup line inside the tank. She's fun when she runs right. 80 inch wing 36 cc 2 stroke.

 

[workinonit]

It never ends until you sell it.

 

[Thomas]

Trying to find time reenforcing snowplow for the tractor...tic..tic.

 

[garry1p]

If something around here doesn't require repairing or painting then my wife will start a new project.

I always said there is no limit to my wife's energy, as long as I'm doing the work.

 

[scootr]

If something around here doesn't require repairing or painting then my wife will start a new project.

I always said there is no limit to my wife's energy, as long as I'm doing the work.

I think I married her sister

 

[garry1p]

I think they all grew up and went to different schools together.

 

[Yander]

I changed the lower radiator hose on my wife's car she needed to drive to visit family in another state. Constant tension clamp jumped off at last second during the install and ended up in position I couldn't access. Local car mechanic took pity on me and fixed it. In the process while the car was on the hoist, noticed a cut in one of the rear tires and had to have two new ones installed. If there's anything in the road, she'll find a way to run over it, especially if the tires are new.

I think i married your wife's sister. If one of the mowers is about to bite the dust with an issue, I need only to let my wife mow with it for the issue to manifest. She has a knack!

She loves to mow, and there was once a time when I thought about saying, your not mowing this week, I don't need another mower repair; but I value my life..

 

[BravoXray]

If it's got t*ts or tires, you're gonna have problems with it.

 

[ultrarunner]

Fuel solenoid for the tractor, tree trimming and chipping, and before that the full cycle of fluids for the vehicles, just like you. Fixing an oil leak that the dealer couldn't find.

Along the way, re-caulking a bathroom, fixing our fire hydrant and piping, dealing with a wildfire caused by an arsonist, climbing the 30' tower our weather station is on, removing it and sending it out for repair, then putting it back up, fixing three out of five water troughs, with one more to go...

I love that there is always something, but I admit to being behind after a couple of years where things just plain got ahead of me (work, life events, etc.). At least the list is now shrinking. A bit. And I'm seeing things crop up again after twenty years, so now I get to fix them "right".

I wish that I had a better way to deal with or stock fasteners. It just seems that there is always something. Dropping a non-magnetic 1/4 stainless lock washer in the leaf litter going to put up the weather station means running out to get some lock washers.

All the best,

Peter

One of my best buys and one that brings a smile is the Rockford bolt cabinet I bought from the auto parts going out if business sale...

 

[scootr]

It never ends until you sell it.

Or you die, right? If I die I can quit mowing? I'm asking for a friend.

 

[sd455dan]

I think my big toe.

Safety tip- don't miss the top mount and then drop a skid steer QA fork after using the QA mount to move a trailer.

Dropping it on your big toe -especially wearing sneakers instead of the steel toed boots I should have worn makes it hard to walk or sleep.

Should apologize to the wife first thing every morning,... Cause I Know I am going to do something stupid today.

 

[RSKY]

Last parents passed away in 2021. My mother and my wife's father. We sold FIL's 29 acre place early in 2022. Sold my mother's house and 69 acres mid year 2022. Sold her other 80 acre farm later in 2022. I thought I would have nothing to do.

Wrong!

Youngest daughter had a surprise child. Well, a surprise to us, planned by them. Now we are babysitting two to four days a week. Not quite a year and a half old but has to have a 'granddaddy adventure' every day. Different job but still enjoyable.

There is always something to do. And I cannot get caught up.

RSKY