Breaking in my new toys... from Yeehaw! to Uh oh!

[Spiveyman]

Greetings all. I don't know how many folks will notice my little thread popping back up. I kind of disappeared a little over a year ago. I fell on some tough times in pretty much every area of my life. First I want to just say thanks to the faithful TBN'ers out there. It amazing what a little web site about tractoring and stuff can bring about in this world. There have been some friends out there who have kept in touch with me to encourage me and pray for me, and that has meant a lot given that they didn't have to reach out. It kind of restored some of my hope for humanity. Thanks to those who might have said a prayer for me without even knowing, but especially to 3RRL and Sandman.

Well, here's where the pieces landed... my shoulder healed up real well, then I re-injured it. I'll probably have to have it repaired in the future, but not any time soon.

We found the culpret with the cattle, and stopped the losses, but I wound up having to sell the herd in August. That was sad because I had one young bull that was going to be a super star. This is all I have left of the herd:

She was the last one to pass away, and had such a pretty set of horns I had to keep them.

This was her with her calf late 2007:


By the way, I learned a few tricks from a taxidermist, if anyone wants to hear them, about cleaning up a skull like this.

I had to close the beef business as well, but some day in the future as I build my life back I'll rebuild the herd and maybe even start back with the beef.

I changed "day" jobs, which has been a very good thing for me personally. I started my own business and it's been tough in this economy. I don't have time to work on the farm right now, so it is being neglected, or maybe you could say it's resting. I look forward to getting back out there on Sandman's tractor and picking up where I left off. All in time...

The biggest thing, and many of you have been there, I am now divorced. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn this thread into a "Jerry Springer" thread. Ultimately it was a good thing for me and my children, but it's still a tough process. I managed to keep the farm because it was family land before I bought it, so I'll still have that as I begin to build my new life. I didn't have to give up the 6610 either. I'm going to take notes on 3RRL's log home and maybe I'll be able to build something like that out there. Should be a fun project. Then I'll have to tackle that pond/lake project. Lots to keep me busy for sure.

In the mean time though... I'm back!

 

[JC-jetro]

It is a pleasure to see you back spive, I appreciate you as a good decent and honest person and quite saddened by your misfortunes lately. I wish you all the very best and with a such a good attitude you have for life, I'm sure you'll bounce back into groove of things soon.

Take care and be a bit more careful out there

JC,

 

[Danno1]

.

Hey, welcome back. I really was enjoying this thread back when it was active, so I did notice it right away! Anyway, good luck for the future.

.

 

[GreenWannabe]

Hi, Spivey, and welcome back! I have just finished reading all 280 + posts in this thread, I apparently missed it the first time around! I'm sorry to hear of your misadventures, and am hoping that things will now begin to turn around for you and continue in a positive direction! I wish you good fortune, and will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Regards

Fred

 

[3RRL]

Welcome back Tim !!
You are my good buddy and I'm so glad you are OK now. I've been thinking about you and tried to keep in touch from time to time. Now it looks like you can get on with the rest of your precious life.
Keep us entertained with your outstanding thread.
A revival for sure...
Thanks,
Rob-

 

[scott_vt]

Hey Spivey,
Welcome back aboard !

We will keep an eye on the thread now, for any new adventures !

 

[radioman]

welcome back. Sorry to hear about your misfortunes. Good to hear you still have farm and your injury is now healed. I have a question, what is a 6610 ?

 

[ChuckinNH]

Life sure does have it's up's and downs, and most of them are not what we expect. Still, life is very good indeed, and they say that the times we are between feeling comfortable are the best in the end. Happy folks make choices, and if they don't work, they make other choices until they do work out right. It looks like that is what you do in life, and I think that happiness will follow. Take good care, and welcome back!

 

[Spiveyman]

Wow! Thanks everyone. I didn't expect to see much when I checked back here tonight. Thanks for being nuts about tractors. And for being such great people to take a moment to encourage someone across the country. OK, now I'm inspired. I want to get back in the seat and get up to my ears in some project that I will have no idea how to complete and start breaking Sandman's tractor again! HA!

...what is a 6610 ?

Since you asked... I'm a Ford man, from a Ford family, drive a Ford truck, and for me, there's no other color than blue for a tractor. I'm not saying that blue is better than green, red... etc. just that for me it's the only tractor. And of course the reason why is my Papaw has had a Ford tractor as long as I can remember, and my uncle, and... you get the idea. A 6610 is a Ford 6610. It's pretty much a hoss of a tractor - please correct me if I'm wrong all you tractor enthusiasts. It's a rather large 70+ HP tractor. Here's a couple pictures of it:



I do have some projects to get started on at the farm... just have to find the time. I'll get to work on that so that I have some fun stories to amuse y'all with of new and inventive ways to break my stuff!

 

[EddieWalker]

WELCOME BACK !!!!

Sorry to hear about the divorce. Been there, done that. It's a terrible thing to go through, but you learn from it and next time, it will be allot better.

Eddie

 

[texasjohn]

Welcome back!!! I missed you!!

Soooo good to hear from you again, sounds like tough times, but you are a tough fellow and clearly on the mend, physically and emotionally.... sure, some more to go, but then, so do we all And, we're all pulling for you!

Glad you have the land and tractor.... with that, you are in a good position to rebuild... and, resting the land is a reasonable thing to do!

 

[sandman2234]

Been waiting on the day when we could hear that tone in your voice again!! Just glad your back, and I really need to straigten you out already. That isn't my tractor, as lord knows I have enough tractors for my little spread. However, you better take good care of that FEL (you do remember what that FEL stands for, don't you) cause that is the piece of YOUR tractor that I put claim to when you first bought it.
Did you mention what your new business is? Somebody might have a need for whatever it is, provided mentioning it isn't against the rules.
Welcome back,
David from jax

 

[Spiveyman]

Been waiting on the day when we could hear that tone in your voice again!! Just glad your back, and I really need to straigten you out already. That isn't my tractor, as lord knows I have enough tractors for my little spread. However, you better take good care of that FEL (you do remember what that FEL stands for, don't you) cause that is the piece of YOUR tractor that I put claim to when you first bought it.
Did you mention what your new business is? Somebody might have a need for whatever it is, provided mentioning it isn't against the rules.
Welcome back,
David from jax

Thanks for setting me straight on the FEL. The last couple of years of my life are a bit of a blur right now, so I'm kind of fuzzy on some of the details. I'll try to be more precise when referring to your FEL now. By the way, sorry about those two broken digging teeth. Guess I've been using it as an FED (Front End Digger) or FETPO (Front End Tree Pusher Over). When I was out there I remembered reading something in that huge thread about the benefits of using a back hoe to take out trees rather than chain saw and then dig out the stump. In that thread someone made a comment about there being a sweet spot on some trees where you can push on the tree and have it plop right over. So, I tried it. I actually got the first two to do just that. They plopped over and the roots even popped out of the ground. Very easy clean up. Then I tried it on a little bit bigger maple tree and the only thing that popped was one of the teeth on the FETPO.

Oh well, you live, you learn, you fix what you broke learning, and then you start the cycle over again living.

I don't know what the protocol is for mentioning what my new business is, but I updated my profile for those who are curious, and of course I'd be happy to share with anyone. This is the best job (for me) in the whole world. Not that everyone is cut out for it, but this is my calling. I get to help people when they are in need, and that is awesome. But, more than that, it's not just what I get to do in this job, it's who I get to do it with. I am working with a partner who got me into this business. This is Lindsey:

She's the most amazing gift in my life. I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful she has been to me. We've been working together since November and are now dating. She will be a very vital part of that rebuilding plan in my life.

and next time, it will be allot better...

It already is! I am a lot wiser on this side of things and probably a much better person than I was. God has been working overtime in my life to help make me better. He's used the tragedies in my life these last couple of years to change me and how I view life in general and certainly how view I the people I come in contact with. That's part of why I'm in a new career, I want to be able to help people, to serve them, to give of myself, and I've found a way to make a living doing just that.

Thanks again to everyone for chiming in here. I am so happy to be back on TBN and am looking forward to being back on my 6610, using sandman's FETPO to start back on those projects that lie in wait.

 

[JC-jetro]

Spive,

Can not emphasize enough the value of good woman to complete a man (steering the guy in the right direction). Lindsy certainly has a contagious pretty smile. Wish you all the best.


JC,

 

[slewisma]

Though I did not know you when last you were here, welcome back anyway!

It seems to me that you've begun a wonderful new chapter in your life. I think it'd be symbolic to start a new thread for that chapter. You'll always have the old thread here to remember the good, the bad and the lessons learned from where you came. And the new thread will be the tale of what comes next. Whatever that is, best of luck with it!

Of course this is just my opinion and you're welcome to keep updating this thread if that feels best to you.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi Spiveyman.

I am pretty new to TBN and just read your thread. It's amazing how a person can feel like they can sort of "know" somebody just through a computer site. Interesting thread and lots of ups and downs just like "real life"!

Congrats on getting through the tough times, it sure sounds like you are back in the saddle and ready to ride with Lindsey at your side! I look forward to reading your posts in the future.

Jim

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't know what the protocol is for mentioning what my new business is, but I updated my profile for those who are curious, and of course I'd be happy to share with anyone.

I was curious, so I read your bio, and now I'm both curious and confused. Your a duck?

Eddie

 

[silverdollar6]

Are you saying that you are now an insurance salesman?

 

[sunspot]

Hello Tom and welcome back. I had thought of you in the past few months. I knew from your last posts that there was something wrong in your life and you said you would post back later. Well, this is a lot later but better later than never.

You seem like a hard working guy so I know you will have the farm back to running again.

 

[RollTideRam]

I am also glad you are back. I saw a few of your post on other threads and could not believe you were posting again. I am glad you made it through your storm, keep your eyes open for the next one. I look forward to your adventures again. JC