Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT A trip back from the edge.

[xtremek]

Your S-dime, my dump truck, two peas in a pod.

 

[xtremek]

Saturday was a little chilly, especially in the morning, so I didn’t finish stripping the Organ Donor (’03 D3500). Instead I did a little project for my wife, knocking down a bunch of trees (12ish) that shade her garden. It was early in the evening and I was getting tired, but I had one more to drop and one that was held 5’ off the ground by branches. As I’m cleaning up the one that was off the ground, I was tired and got a little careless and bounced the saw off my knee cap. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Next time, I’m quitting a lot earlier.

 

[Strouty]

Trying to reenact horror movies is never a good idea, glad you are ok, must have been a quick shot of adrenaline.

 

[xtremek]

Yeah, I know better. I was more pissed at myself for being stupid. One of my family's oldest friends lost his right forearm due to a chainsaw. As a little kid, that imprints on your brain.

 

[Strouty]

Or knee

 

[cbacres]

I have a exposed steel toe cap in my boots from a chainsaw.

Sometime glad the little things happen, makes me pay attention to all the tasks with a saw.

 

[xtremek]

I grew up around the farm and my old man made sure I heard some horror stories so I would learn to respect stuff.

 

[Bob Heine]

So far my chainsaw juggling act has only harmed some yard wagons. In my youth I quit working after "second blood" because it always ended with an ER visit or a "honey, do you have a tourniquet" when I soldiered on. Now I quit after "first blood."

I thought I was a good driver when I was a teenager. Scrounging for parts in the local junkyard provided a good re-set. The owner was happy to share the backstories of the totaled and blood-stained wrecks. Some of the bloodiest ones had only minor damage (but no seat belts). They were the final resting places for a lot of "good drivers." I still pause and look both ways when stoplights go green.

Have to work on my train-boarding technique.

 

[xtremek]

S............I thought I was a good driver when I was a teenager................The owner was happy to share the backstories of the totaled and blood-stained wrecks. Some of the bloodiest ones had only minor damage (but no seat belts). They were the final resting places for a lot of "good drivers." I still pause and look both ways when stoplights go green.

Have to work on my train-boarding technique.

Watching the videos of the Russian or snowing accidents have made me a little more observant. I'm just glad I still have both knees. I think I need to resharpen my chainsaw.

 

[Strouty]

Have to work on my train-boarding technique.

SO I know that isn't funny, but it is, only because I know enough about you.

 

[Bob Heine]

SO I know that isn't funny, but it is, only because I know enough about you.

Strouty, I live my life in a good place, count my blessings and laugh at my faults. And I find humor in a lot of dark places.

 

[1/2 Cup]

xtremek real lucky..

 

[rixtrix1]

Pretty lucky, x, but I think I see a little dark red behind that middle tear! Luck be damned; be careful, jeans are expensive!

 

[xtremek]

xtremek real lucky..

Thanks Steve. You're preaching to the choir. I'm really thankful I still have both legs. And I'm still a little pissed at myself for being sloppy. In hindsight, I should have sharpened the chain after I cut through the dirt filled split in the maple, I should have quit about an hour earlier. I guess subconsciously I still think I'm 40 and can pull long days without any consequence.

 

[1/2 Cup]

xtremek I am hearing you loud and clear..

 

[sublime68charger]

xtremek real lucky..

X2 on that front!

Glad it's just your jeans that tangled with the saw!

 

[mwbailey]

My knees get weak just thinking about your knee. Glad you're (reasonably) OK!

 

[Strouty]

Now you can sell that pair of jeans on eBay to the hipsters for $200.

 

[xtremek]

X2 on that front!

Glad it's just your jeans that tangled with the saw!

My knees get weak just thinking about your knee. Glad you're (reasonably) OK!

Thanks guys for your concern. I know better. I've been making changes in my driving style since I've started to notice I'm slowing down. I guess I need to make those changes elsewhere.

Now you can sell that pair of jeans on eBay to the hipsters for $200.

DUDE!!! I love that idea.

 

[dchance]

Glad that it was just the jeans. But it is a good reminder to me to take it easy, accidents can happen.

Dwight

 

[xtremek]

Dwight, better the jeans than my knee, for sure.

 

[Kev442]

I decided a few years back that I was on borrowed time in the chainsaw department, so I bought the protective chaps at HF. I'll probably end up cutting my jugular instead...

 

[xtremek]

I decided a few years back that I was on borrowed time in the chainsaw department, so I bought the protective chaps at HF. I'll probably end up cutting my jugular instead...

lol, I doubt that Kev. I don't usually use the chainsaw very often, but when I do, it's usually like this where I end up cutting down a ton of small trees. This time it'll be about 17 trees, including 2 big maples.

 

[Toothaker]

I'm glad you're ok, Kirk.

 

[xtremek]

I'm glad you're ok, Kirk.

Thanks Tooth. I'm mostly Irish, so we're almost impossible to hurt or kill.

Some more pics of where I cleared out. If Friday is decent, I'll drop the big maple at the corner of the garden. I hate doing it, but late last summer I noticed a lot of sawdust around the base, and this year the woodpecker has been pounding on it heavy. It's better to bring it down, than to have it come down

 

[MrQuinn]

Just so you don't forget next time, It always feels better when it quits hurting... Take care of them appendages! They're a matches set!

 

[xtremek]

Just so you don't forget next time, It always feels better when it quits hurting... Take care of them appendages! They're a matches set!

It would have been hard to drive a stick if I hadn't been so lucky.

Anyway, I finished dropping the trees my wife wanted cleared out around her garden. I still have a bunch to block. Anybody want some soft maple and box elder? And if you look at the 4th pic, you'll see that the 55' tall trunk is leaning over my wife's garden shed, but in the 3rd picture it's laying in the opposite direction. The Old Mule continues to earn her keep.

 

[xtremek]

The Dawg (dump truck) had a huge hole worn in the seat. Some leftover foam from my mom and some spray adhesive, we're back to normal. While the BiL was over for Easter I had him help me diagnose a shifter issue with it as well. If you look real close, the roll pin is loose in the shifter and the pawel (?) is sloppy in its hole. A piece of 3/16" rod and copper sheeting I had laying around, and we're rocking. You have to look really hard though.

 

[Arkansas COB]

Well Kirk
After this post and really many of your post I'd say you are defiantly going to have to put COB somewhere in your handle.
Thats Cheap Old *******.

Nice fix on the shifter pawl.


COB

 

[rmalkow2]

Some good fixes to I'm sure were nagging issues. I love being able to use materials at hand for a good purpose. Nice job!

 

[xtremek]

Thanks guys. I'm not about to put big money into a ride I'm going to tear apart in 3-4 months, so maybe I am cheap, but this time I'm going with "practical".

 

[Strouty]

Yup, pratical, practically a COB.

 

[sublime68charger]

I'm just glad your Jean made it through your last weekend adventure!

Keep up the great work!

 

[Strouty]

Updates?

 

[xtremek]

Been doing little fixes on the DD's and dance recital/commencement/year-end school activities, so shop time is minimal. 2 more weeks then the girls are out of school. Thanks for checking in, I appreciate it.

 

[Strouty]

Just wanted to make sure there were no more chainsaw incidents......

Fingers crossed we both get some shop time!

 

[xtremek]

Yesterday was a red letter day. Found out a couple of weeks ago my cousin's daughter moved into the area (anything less than an hour away is "in the area" in my book). So they had a baby dedication yesterday and my cousin came up to do the dedication. So my wife went with me and we ended up with a mini family reunion. I got to see my cousin (I hadn't seen him in 40 years), meet his wife of 35+ years, hang with their kids, chat with my parents, and shoot the breeze with another cuz. Then my oldest daughter and her boyfriend dropped by. We put in both lower control arms and sway bar links on her Escape. All in all, a very fine day indeed.

 

[xtremek]

On a solemn note, in all of our endeavours today, let's remember what we're supposed to be celebrating today. For those who didn't make it home, and the loved ones they left behind, you have my utmost thanks for your sacrifice.

 

[jon72vega]

Yesterday was a red letter day. Found out a couple of weeks ago my cousin's daughter moved into the area (anything less than an hour away is "in the area" in my book). So they had a baby dedication yesterday and my cousin came up to do the dedication. So my wife went with me and we ended up with a mini family reunion. I got to see my cousin (I hadn't seen him in 40 years), meet his wife of 35+ years, hang with their kids, chat with my parents, and shoot the breeze with another cuz. Then my oldest daughter and her boyfriend dropped by. We put in both lower control arms and sway bar links on her Escape. All in all, a very fine day indeed.

Kirk,
I'm glad your reunion was enjoyable! It sounds like 40 years of catching up with your cousin was a great time.

Family get-togethers are a mixed bag for me.
Years ago they were alot of fun. Now, not so much.

 

[rixtrix1]

On a solemn note, in all of our endeavours today, let's remember what we're supposed to be celebrating today. For those who didn't make it home, and the loved ones they left behind, you have my utmost thanks for your sacrifice.

Well said, Kirk!