NY chicken lover!!!!

[stonykill]

Simply put, over my 46 years I have slowly watch society devolve. No one can do anything for themselves. They hire people to do basic stuff that there is no excuse for not doing yourself. All of the stuff our grandparents did themselves.... today's society hires out.... then complains they have no money. Simply insane....

 

[Metella]

Yeah but ...... I've got no one to show me this stuff ! I don't live where I went to school - so no chums around - family all gone but old mother who is not helpful except for kitchen stuff.

I am going to stone mason all by myself with no apprenticeship or big brother to help or even show me or give me the basic of tips. I will be like this:

I did the animals and the orchard on my own as I have a "feel" for that ... but the rest that I am wanting to do on my own .... well, sheesh - a little bit of a push in the right direction would be nice ....

So yes, I agree that 90% of society is really on their own bubble of helplessness, at the mercy of a friggin ice covered road ! ... but for me - I wanna learn and do it (I do have a chimney brush - but no idea how to get up there!) but I can't learn everything at once and therefore some of it will be dangerous if I just jump in on everything.

 

[stonykill]

Yeah but ...... I've got no one to show me this stuff ! I don't live where I went to school - so no chums around - family all gone but old mother who is not helpful except for kitchen stuff.

I am going to stone mason all by myself with no apprenticeship or big brother to help or even show me or give me the basic of tips. I will be like this:

I did the animals and the orchard on my own as I have a "feel" for that ... but the rest that I am wanting to do on my own .... well, sheesh - a little bit of a push in the right direction would be nice ....

So yes, I agree that 90% of society is really on their own bubble of helplessness, at the mercy of a friggin ice covered road ! ... but for me - I wanna learn and do it (I do have a chimney brush - but no idea how to get up there!) but I can't learn everything at once and therefore some of it will be dangerous if I just jump in on everything.

you only have yourself to blame for not knowing how to do this stuff

. Where there is a will there is a way

you don't know how to get up there?????????????????????? Really????????????? A LADDER

I'm not big on excuses

 

[Metella]

I'm talking putting a ladder on a slate roof that also needs attention ..... aren't there things you can do to the end of the ladder? ways to walk on the roof - safety issues ..... Of course in a life and death emergency I can get on my roof ... but I may inadvertently do some damage - in an emergency - that is ok. for routine cleaning - that is not acceptable.

Nope - not taking the blame

My parents fault for not teaching me some things, society's for forcing me to prioritize things like taxes (thereby forcing me to work at stupid jobs rather than practical ones)

and in my spare time I have learned a ton all on my little own. ha ha ha ha

But seriously - there are some real gems I would like to get from people with experience that due to my father being in the air force and moving around - I don't have a support system. I can do a lot on my own - but can't learn it all - I am learning about chainsaw usage and masonry right now ..... Can't take it all on from nothing - but if someone one came over for dinner and talked about chimney cleaning and roof access - that would help.

 

[stonykill]

I'm talking putting a ladder on a slate roof that also needs attention ..... aren't there things you can do to the end of the ladder? ways to walk on the roof - safety issues ..... Of course in a life and death emergency I can get on my roof ... but I may inadvertently do some damage - in an emergency - that is ok. for routine cleaning - that is not acceptable.

Nope - not taking the blame

My parents fault for not teaching me some things, society's for forcing me to prioritize things like taxes (thereby forcing me to work at stupid jobs rather than practical ones)

and in my spare time I have learned a ton all on my little own. ha ha ha ha

But seriously - there are some real gems I would like to get from people with experience that due to my father being in the air force and moving around - I don't have a support system. I can do a lot on my own - but can't learn it all - I am learning about chainsaw usage and masonry right now ..... Can't take it all on from nothing - but if someone one came over for dinner and talked about chimney cleaning and roof access - that would help.

when I don't know how to do something... I look it up. Al Gore invented this new fangled thing called the interweb

. Amazing what is on it. There are forums and you tube video's on everything imaginable.


And the rest of it is simply on taking personal responsibility. Back when our now 21 year old son was 9 or 10 he wrote a paper for school...about me. on how he looked up to me because I COULD FIX ANYTHING! Didn't matter what it was, if I knew already how to do it or not, I either looked it up or figured it out through simple deductions and logic.
Excuses are not allowed

Not for age either. My dad is 72. He worked on the local police dept and the Sheriffs dept until he was 70-1/2. At 72 he works part time. Splits wood, fixes whatever needs fixing.
My grandfather died at 72. Cancer. He worked up until 2 months of dieing. And he only stopped because he no longer could. BUT he knew he was dieing, so he spent his last year fixing every last thing around their trailer in FLA. Including putting on and finishing a front sun room.
Excuses are simply unacceptable.

 

[armorfirelady]

Simply put, over my 46 years I have slowly watch society devolve. No one can do anything for themselves. They hire people to do basic stuff that there is no excuse for not doing yourself. All of the stuff our grandparents did themselves.... today's society hires out.... then complains they have no money. Simply insane....

Stony and Armorfire - true true ..... but what about budget ? Stoney seems pretty frugal ... how do you insure a healthy chimney when you can not afford a cleaning of that and furnace each year ?

Quote: I do everything I can myself. I've learned a lot by just trying it. I use the web when I want to try something new. My best friend knows how to do almost anything & has the patience to show me.

But there are some things I choose not to do. Electrical & cleaning a chimney is def at the top of the list. I don't mind going on the roof but its still something I rather pay to have done. Heck I used to help others put new roofs on. But when mine needed to be done I paid someone to do it. I am older & some medical problems make doing certain things impossible or to time consuming.

There are very few things I pay others to do. Now if I could figure out how to get all those cool cable channels cheaper and the internet for free I would be golden

ETA and as a one person show sometimes its just easier to have someone else do it. I would still be working to put shingles on my roof if I did it solo lol

 

[rancher hicks]

Lol when it costs 600 to heat one floor to 65 for a month and half or so. No water no heat atm. Sorry but house needs to burn down.

Here is short list of whats bad. All electric lines need redone, no insulation in any walls, air moves through wlls into house, plaster falling apart behind wall paper, all floors/carpet need redone, all floors un even or bowed, all but 6 windows need replaced, foundation needs redone, well needs redone, there is more. So yeah house needs rebuilt or burned.

Weve done electric box, roof, 6 windows, repaired water lines and boiler, replaced water heater, redid drain lines in kitchen, side door. Everytume something gets fixed another bill comes up or car breaks or appliance breaks. I'm ready to let the bank have this house cause we will never get ahead while we own it.

Do you own this house?

Recently I've been going round and round with a friend who bemoans the frozen pipes and cracks between her rock foundation and the cold air that gets in. Yesterday I offered her some aluminum covered foam board and even offered to come and install it in her crawl space since I'm not a big person and it would be easier for me. She does have a husband who is neither handsome nor handy, but they are my friends. She hems and haws and makes excuses so I won't be doing it. Mind you they take a yearly trip to Ochrecoke but that is beside the point. She doesn't work outside the home but she does volunteer work at the school 5 days a week and it's an important job.

Now back to you. When you consider the cost of replacing that house you can not afford for it to burn down. Insurance or not the trouble you'd and yours would go through has a price tag.

So what to do? Get some advice both financial and home repair wise. . Bring in some one and prioritize what to do first. Every house needs maintenance. Even new ones.

Take stock of what you owe. What you need and what you want.

Special chickens are a want not a need. Lord have mercy I've given away chicks and chickens. Anyone who knows me and is buying chicks or chickens needs a good kick in the keester.

Keep files on your bills. I bought a cheap file cabinet off CL. Remember used works just fine.

This year I made some really good apple sauce with FREE apples. I got FREE pears from my neighbor too.

You know folks I grew up poor and around the poor and pride can be their biggest liability. Like my friend who could have her basement crawl space done and water on, pride is in the way. I've learned to ask for advice and surprisingly I didn't die but my life improved.

So here's some free advice that I got and pass along regularly. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOOD DEBT! Anyone who tell you otherwise is a big fat liar. We should all make debt our enemy.

For me I've regrets chicken wise. I've been down sizing and keeping track of what I'm spending each month. I've bought chickens I can't afford wish I hadn't. Those pretty chickens suck. They're not the best layers and expensive. Everyone knows I'm not fond of silkies and two of the reasons why is they need heat, extra cleaning and don't lay enough. If you need or want eggs they are not for you.

So Jlaw, get some advice. What to fix first, learn to do things yourself and how to spend wisely. (I learned to take out the old cabinet and install a dishwasher watching a video over and over again).

Slow and steady wins the race,

Rancher.

 

[rancher hicks]

I keep at least a dozen in the back of the fridge just to hard boil.

JLaw you sound like you are talking about my house before we moved in. The place had been empty for 3 years and it was in bad shape. I can't even begin to think about how much money we have put into the house All windows and doors, all floors, furnace & duct work, hot water heater, a whole kitchen cause there wasn't any literally and we are still working on the electrical and the basement . Luckily we have some great contractor friends that cut us a break on labor but it was still a money pit. It is nice that we are finally feeling like we are getting somewhere with it. Last spring DH and I finally got our own room! It was the 4 of us in a tiny room up till then. New room had to be gutted ceiling beams had to be cut out and replaced cause of a fire from long ago and needed all new electrical. I kept hearing $ cha ching $ every time the came down.


Good Luck...
PS...Love the beard!

One thing about diy, is you get to do it they way YOU want and suited to YOUR needs. Plus you can spread the cost over a period of time, not pay interest on loans and in general save money.

There is such a things as "sweat equity".

I must confess that in installing the dish washer, I have a friend who came and did the electrical hookup. BUT I pulled the cabinet, drilled the hole, and ran the wire. Crawling through the crawl space so the electrician didn't have too. Which by the way we had left over from some work that was done on your old house. That cut the cost to an affordable price.

Another friend came and redid the light in our bathroom so I didn't have to buy special bulbs, in trade DW hems his wife's dresses for the weddings she is in. There is one hanging in the dinning room right now.

On occasion I give them eggs or applesauce. We don't keep score. Oh and he gave me some chicken wire that got left in the house they bought too.

I watch every home improvement show too. You'd be surprised what you can learn to do for yourself if you really want too. Of course it takes wisdom to know when to hire someone too. Won't do electrical or furnace installs.

Barter is a good thing.

 

[miquwid]

Interesting! I try to learn as much as possible to do myself. The self sufficient i am the better. Anywho enjoying lunch back to work soon.

Chickens are probably running a muck right now!

 

[JLaw]

Ok a few things.

First airing dirty laundry but, I have a drinking problem and that's part of not having money to fix stuff. I've finally admitted it and going to stop one way or another. Yesterday was b-day and drink a lot last night at my comp. Today I don't know if I even woke up with the kids or not. I've never done that and its my wake up call. I've laid around while they get ready and that hung over but never not knowing anything or wakeing up at all. I figure I've been spending about 25-50 a week on beer. I feel like **** for not knowing if they was even ok getting on bus or anything. I've dumped what i have left out this morning. I've known I have a problem but haven't wanted to admit it. I felt that I handled everything ok. I didn't miss work or drink and drive I drank at home and kept to cheap beer to save. Sorry for bringing this up just ya'll are probably closest thing to friends I have any more. I don't go out and see people the people I work with is just work nothing out side work and I don't talk to them much at all if I don't have to. Guess first step is admitting you have a problem not to just your self but others.

Ok now that that's off my chest....

Wood burning stoves is there better ones or anything I should look for in one? Should I get one for basement,1st floor, and 2nd floor? We have thought of them before but no trees to cut down so would have to pay for wood. I think I've seen it like 45 a cord but have no idea how bid a cord is besides my telephone cord lol. Also would wood pallets be ok to burn? Not the red or blue but the straight wood ones? I know wouldn't burn long but if I can get for free and they are ok to burn I might be able to do that also.

I've been slowly learning how to fix stuff myself around the house problem is I like to put stuff off and off and off..... Hoping to do a 180 and start doing more and less time at computer. As of right now the problem is money it's like 300 in parts to fix my boiler atm. I've priced wood stoves and looked like 175 I think it was for one not to mention the pipe.

As for the chicken costs we aint buying any more really. I know it's put us in the hole a lot but slowly making money back on it. I need to get it out there that I will hatch chicks cause I don't see it out this way very much. I fired the bator up again cause someone wants 20 chicks easy 45 dollars next month. Plus any extra I manage to hatch and sell. Don't get me wrong I don't think it will ever pay for all the cost of what I have put into it so far or the upkeep but I think I can get close to the upkeep costs if I do it right.