I am often impressed by the continuing amount of work you put in on your place. You obviously have a high threshold of pain tolerance.
We share some of the same critter problems.
I've been doing a little backyard critter patrol this evening. Armadillo invasion is prime after a good rain. Woodpeckers are not on the hit list unless it is self defense.
Oh WOW I didn't even bring up ARMIDILOS yet. we are loaded with them. I have to get my NV and Thermal out. The thing is the Armadillos come out around 2-3 o'clock in the morning and rip the yard and shrub beds up. My neighbor that is not too far away is accustomed to getting up at 3-4 from his old job and walks his dog at that time. He shoots the Armadillos with a .410 single shot that is over 100 years old. We could not find 2 3/4" shells for it and AMU Shooter (LRH) sent us a half dozen boxes for free. So can shoot a lot of them now.
As far as working. I have always refused to have a contractor work on my property or a mechanic work on my vehicles. About 6 years ago I had the spinal cord surgeries. I still took the entire exhaust system out from the headers off of the block to the tail pipes on our 2005 Nissan Frontier LE 4x4. Rebuilt and extended the front and back decks on our house. Cut down several 100' trees. Moved our entire GS Shop from our garage to the 2,500 sqft Basement. Doing almost everything by myself and with Jill helping.
I AM SLOWING DOWN ALOT NOW!
I have many years of experience on just about everything and can't see paying someone else to do the work I can. Over the past few years I contacted several contractors to do some work and the COST$$$ were outrageous. I recently had our Water Well Fracked, because I don't have the equipment. They Fracked it and I did all the work from the pipe coming out of the ground to the house and electrical Panel. The owner of the Well Company gave us about a few K$$$$ off because I am a Marine Vet.
If it was not for my spinal cord operations and total titanium C-1 to C7 in my neck I would do a lot more. Since we now have water I can pressure wash 1,600' feet of Five Rai Fence and Stain it. I also have to replace about 100' of the fence due to a vehicle hitting a deer and then rolling over in our field taking out 50' of fence and then the Well Fracking Trucks - I had to take out 42' to get them in the field and woods to Frack the Well.
We had Home Depot drop off a tractor trailer load of materials last week.
We have a list of things we need to get done and the younger people just understand how to do thing. we have a mentoring program for GS, but then to have them do "labor yard work "I try to pay them and put their earnings towards a Rifle Build.
As far as getting older "You can't STOP MOVING" even if it is for one hour a day. Do Something!
You have FAITH. I believe that Jesus is with me every step of my life, then to have a great partner and respect them to help you out. Jill is an Angle from the heavens loving and helping me every second of my life. Also have lots of animals. The animals give you unconditional LOVE.
Give more than you receive and "Pay it Forward". You will receive tenfold in the long run.
We are trying to get out shooting more but the GA weather is getting in the mid to high 90s. We went to the range for several days and Jill was doing better than me. She was hitting 6" steel at 600 yds.
