So, this conversation has happened at least five times in the past two weeks including yesterday (Sunday). I’ll be building something and then I come into the house to pee or get a drink of water and then The Wife sees me:
- Mindy: Is that blood on your <insert one or more: lip, arm, leg, knee, butt>?
- Me: ** looks at <insert one or more: lip, arm, leg, knee, butt> **
- Me: Oh yeah, I guess I’m bleeding. At least I have a tetanus shot. ** shrugs shoulders **
- Mindy: Ewwwww! Let me get the alcohol and a band-aid.
- Me: I’m going back to work.
Today, I came in the house after finishing up work on our pergola and my lip was spurting blood. I don’t know how it happened and didn’t even feel it. I only knew it was happening because Mindy pointed it out. And, it was still better than the time I almost lost an eye:
Despite all of the puncture wounds and blood loss, life is A-OK. I thrive on the sense of accomplishment I get from building random things around my house and now that the girls are back in school, I’m back to swinging the hammer. I just finished building my fancy pergola. And I still have two functioning eyeballs.
The list of other nonsense I’m planning to build around my home is excessive and ridiculous. It includes:
- an outdoor pizza oven
- a zip-line over the pool
- a loft reading nook for the girls
Happiness is different for all of us. For me, it comes from building stuff. And better if it’s collaborating with friends:
But, life hasn’t been easy lately for many of us. Someone I know lost his job a couple of weeks ago. Another friend may lose his any day. 2020 hasn’t been a happy year for me, but it could be much worse. I don’t have to worry about money and that is huge:
- We’ll always have good food on the dinner table.
- We’ll never have to put $5 in the gas tank because money is tight (been there, done that).
- We’ll never have to worry about losing our home or getting our vehicles repossessed.
It’s easy to take food and shelter for granted.
Right now, the disparity is crazy. The stock market is at all-time highs, but many who had stable jobs just 6 months ago are struggling. It’s hard to make sense of the world sometimes.
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“Ridiculous” is an excellent word for your backyard. The pergola looks great! Are mosquitoes a problem out your way? Those little #!@&ers have been particularly nasty this season, preventing us from really enjoying our little fifth of an acre. It’s either assemble a multi-pronged plan of attack involving chemicals and fans and serious yard maintenance or just stay inside.
Pretty sure my job is evaporating at the end of the year. My boss is in my corner about something else within the company, but suitable positions aren’t popping up as expected. We could get by easily enough on just my wife’s salary but that is far from ideal. On the bright side, we could not put another cent toward retirement and 6% compounding would get us to $2m at age 65.
There’s nothing like wood-fired pie. Please keep us all in the loop on that pizza oven!
Mosquitos! We have them, but they aren’t bad. Back in Wisconsin, those things could drain your body in 3 seconds!
I’m sorry to hear about your job! 65 is too late! I hope you bail before then.
Pizza! Next time you’re in Colorado, let me know what toppings you like. See you in the backyard!
Never been better! Life has been full of tennis, running and road trips. Our grown kids are doing great, even the two front line medical doctors. I did kind of blow out my knee yesterday beating a very good opponent at singles during an extreme hot weather event. Hopefully it will fix itself and not require another surgery. Since we are retired and have no kids at home we have barely noticed covid, only know one person who actually tested positive in this area. Schools are back in session with the kids in the classroom. Most of the jobs never went remote here. My consulting lens itself well to emails and Zoom. Just waiting for the fishing to pick back up again.
Killing it!
Looks like the project finished up well! Looking forward to the midday shots. Good work.
I’d be tempted to screen it in around here, bugs are crazy in Virginia during these summer/fall months. Glad you’ve kept all the bodily attachments together! Stay safe.
We’re currently working on our backyard brick patio, re-grading it. So far, the only injury is a few dozen mosquito bites on Jenni’s rear. Ha!
Chris@TTL recently posted…From Hobby to Business: Making What’s Fun Into a Job
Bites on the butt! Oof!
PS: I was in pharmacy school, but quit to pursue computers.
You don’t need a BB gun to almost poke your eye out! Any material will do ha. 2020 has been good to me other than the pandemic. I’m hitting new net worth highs, my new relationship isn’t so new anymore and is still going strong, and I’ve settled into my new job. Sure wish I could see friends, though.
I miss you too Gwen, but it makes me happy that you’re doing well!
I was laid off at the end of July after 19 years at the same company. Thankfully I discovered several FIRE blogs (this one, MMM, Frugalwoods, POP, among others) about 5 years ago that helped me realize that I didn’t have to work at a miserable job until I turned 65. My personal net worth (not counting the wife’s) has grown from 400k to almost 1.25m in that time. While I don’t feel 100% comfortable with not going back to traditional employment, I’m content with taking time off to figure out what I want to do next, while also working a little side hustle at the same time. So thank you to you and others who have been an inspiration to put my money to work for me so I can find some true enjoyment in life.
Nick!
I assume that this is your side-hustle?: https://www.klenkewoodshop.com/
That is some cool work! I play Kubb too!
It is! Making and building has always been my escape. Along with the games and furniture, I also added a bedroom and bathroom to our house and a storage shed in the backyard.
Isn’t Kubb the best game? Not many people around me have heard of it but I’m trying to change that!
Molkky is great too!
Awesome! I’m going to purchase a Kubb set as a giveaway for a reader soon…
I had to laugh at the start of this post becaused darned if I didn’t take a ding out of my finger drilling Hardiebacker onto studs in my bathroom. Yes, the walls are finally going up! Fortunately (or unfortunately, for medical attention’s sake), my ladyfriend lives in her own place and my own concern mirrors yours. Eh, tape it up and keep going.
I’m excited on your behalf for the pizza oven. A friend of mine is renown around town for his sourdoughs made in his wood-fired backyard oven. It is the best bread I’ve ever had, and there are a lot of artisan bread businesses around. We also have an organic farm outside of town that, no shit, makes more than half its income from its wood-fired pizza nights. They’re only Fridays and Saturdays. It’s pretty wild.
OMG, sourdough is THE BEST! You’re fortunate to have a friend like that! 🙂
I must make it back to Wisconsin soon…
I am worried that Trump’s blatant lies will seduce the USA into a full blown kakistocracy from whence there is no return.
Two more months until the election…
I am doing alright. I’ve been writing up some drafts for new blog posts and educating myself more and more everyday. Becoming a successful blogger is a never-ending learning experience.
But I am keen for these lockdowns to end.
P.S I love the pizza oven idea. I would love to buy one one day!
Jasper Stojanovski recently posted…10 Smart Ways to Invest $1000 (And Grow it in 2020)
I must agree that that lockdowns have been painful. Come on vaccine!
Ow, from the look of it you need to take some of those millions and invest in some eye protection.
Seriously… it’s a worthwhile investment. Better than losing an eye.
Mr. Tako recently posted…Escaping The Summer Heat
Still FIRE and fat and happy with emphasis on the FAT. My gym closed down with the corona shutdown and is never coming back. I haven’t lifted in 6 months and it has caused 20 pounds in weight gain. And I wasn’t even down to my fighting weight yet.
But no money woes. Family is retired or secure and getting raises (probably). It’s too hot for my tomatoes to set but the red bell peppers are still producing. Houston is HOT but we have a/c.
Life is good.
Financial Velociraptor recently posted…Financial Transparency as of 31AUG2020
Love reading everyone’s comments.
I got c19 the day before I was laid off. It was mild case, unlike my ex who developed pneumonia and recovered, but it took several weeks for my headaches to go away. Small house so kids got it too. Getting sick made me realize I needed to focus on optimizing health cuz this disease isn’t going away. Started swimming daily for 1.25 hours and 30 mins of yoga a day in addition to weights. Tricked out my gazebo with solar lights, mosquito netting and new handmade patchwork pillows made from old clothes. Have heavyweight clear vinyl windbreak curtains to use as season extender. Veg garden is rocking this year with organic veg overload. 1 kid started college remote with enough AP and online college summer school credits to be a sophomore. 2nd kid summer job was making gamer profiles, playing them up to high levels and selling online.
We are all healthy now so I’m optimistic the rest of the year will be stable.
“We are all healthy now so I’m optimistic the rest of the year will be stable.”
The rest of the year will be interesting… The virus may spike and the elections… But, life will move on.
Your pergola looks fantastic! By the time our border opens up from Canada and I see you next, your house will have completely transformed! Personally, I am still hanging in there – but I am growing impatient with sticking so close to home. Small problems in the grand scheme! Miss you guys!
We miss you too! I won’t wish my days away, but I will be VERY HAPPY once the virus is vanquished.
Ouch! I built a pergola with my dad. No bleeding faces, but lots of bruises and close calls with falling off ladders. But the project turned out great!
What is it about building large objects that is so damn satisfying!?
Love the lights you hung, very festive!
-TDD
The Darwinian Doctor recently posted…The real estate empire has grown! Anno Darwinii 1.0
Yes, building big things is the best!
Tossing in my vote for doing so-so. Current economy has made my job sitch feel precarious. Although I’m consistently declared a “top performer” I am keenly aware of the company financials and have no illusions that my head means $$$ to the bottom line. As a single Mom, I don’t have the flexibility that comes with another adult in the household bringing in some bucks. I am thankful that MMM practices have given me some safety nets, but realistically I am at least 3 years away (absolute minimum) from FI. Needless to say, this is an ongoing cloud of stress, especially during these times. I also happened to go through a romantic relationship breakup shortly before the pandemic (final FINAL in Feb). I am entirely good with this split, but timing sux as I don’t have the level of companionship I would like and am challenged to seek it out right now ?
(also, orange leaders of the free world don’t really positively influence my mental health. Anxious for November ✌️)
Michelle-
I’m sorry to hear about the potential job loss. Take it day by day. I used to worry about losing my job too, but it never happened. All of that mental torture was for nothing. And, if you’re 3 years from FI, you must have good reserves.
Hang in there!
The pergola looks great and, yes, it is easy to take housing, food, and eyeballs for granted.
Things are a weird mix for us. Financially, things are very good. Stress-wise, they are very bad.
As always, I need to remind myself that this, too, shall pass.
I’m really sorry to hear about your stress. I’m not sure if it’s related to COVID life, but the virus is sure presenting us all with some challenges.