Sanding, power washing and re-staining our back deck in the hot sun. Ugh. My saving grace is wifey doesn't think I do a good enough job at any of these, so I have a lot of help. 
Summer Projects?
- Thread starter turd
- Start date
My summer projects seem to last for 12 months...
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 10,877
Still working on last summer’s project. my son is home from college the old truck needs new front fenders and shocks.
I always wanted an antique pickup truck, I didn’t realize it would be the one I bought brand new. 94 DODGE 12 valve Cummins Turbo diesel.
I always wanted an antique pickup truck, I didn’t realize it would be the one I bought brand new. 94 DODGE 12 valve Cummins Turbo diesel.
Summer Projects?
Short term, Son started mowing hay this afternoon. That's 2 weeks unless the weather is perfect.
Longer term, we just ordered 1/3 of a mile of 8" field drain tile. Trenching and burying that is a solid week even if weather is perfect.
Somewhere amongst all that, the last of the fire damage gets cleared and a new garage/shop building gets erected.
Both Son's and my work picks up mid-July through mid-October and I'm retiring AGAIN in late October.
GAWD, how I look forward to November.
Short term, Son started mowing hay this afternoon. That's 2 weeks unless the weather is perfect.
Longer term, we just ordered 1/3 of a mile of 8" field drain tile. Trenching and burying that is a solid week even if weather is perfect.
Somewhere amongst all that, the last of the fire damage gets cleared and a new garage/shop building gets erected.
Both Son's and my work picks up mid-July through mid-October and I'm retiring AGAIN in late October.
GAWD, how I look forward to November.
protoolman
Service-Sixer
New aluminum soffit to install on the house. Replace one whirlybird vent. Fix carburetor on 20 year old lawn tractor. Re-side shed. Replace bad roof with metal on shed. Buy chainsaw for clearing 1/2 acre of overgrown trees. Plant new apple tree.
Do something fun if I ever have time.
Do something fun if I ever have time.
I’m building some awnings for the west side windows on my hovel.
GasGuzzler
Hawkeye
Major exterior renovation on my house and fixing my wrecked truck.
Expensive summer.
Expensive summer.
gjgalligan
Blackhawk
Survive until fall.....
coach
Hunter
I’ve got a ton of them. Of course the reason I have so many is that I never quite get to them all and more always crop up. Now that I’m retiring, we’ll see. 
ronto
Hunter
I'll put it off until the Fall and then I'll put it off until the Spring, and so on and so forth.
We must be married to the same woman....Sanding, power washing and re-staining our back deck in the hot sun. Ugh. My saving grace is wifey doesn't think I do a good enough job at any of these, so I have a lot of help.
The good news is that I get outta doing everything (except paying the bills).
J.
contender
Ruger Guru
If you own a home,, or property,, projects never get completely done. No matter how many you do,, others always come along.
At least,, if you care about your home or property.
Miss Penny has a "running list" of things she wants done. Bigger projects,, she only expects (1) a year. And she often thinks; "It shouldn't take more than 1-2 days!" She sees stuff on the dern TV about renovation projects that the TV make look EASY,, and figures it won't be "that hard to do." She's finally coming to realize that when you have an existing home,, and you tear something apart,, it's OFTEN got other hidden issues,, or you run into problems that were not planned for. (But expected by me.)
Then I have MY list of projects I want to get done as well.
It never ends.
At least,, if you care about your home or property.
Miss Penny has a "running list" of things she wants done. Bigger projects,, she only expects (1) a year. And she often thinks; "It shouldn't take more than 1-2 days!" She sees stuff on the dern TV about renovation projects that the TV make look EASY,, and figures it won't be "that hard to do." She's finally coming to realize that when you have an existing home,, and you tear something apart,, it's OFTEN got other hidden issues,, or you run into problems that were not planned for. (But expected by me.)
Then I have MY list of projects I want to get done as well.
It never ends.
The list of potential projects is way longer than summer, probably longer than my remaining lifespan.
Some will never make it to the top of the ever changing list.
Option is to hire people to do the easy time eating stuff that they're not likely to figure out a way
to screw up. It's personally painful to hire people to do things you can do yourself, just goes against
my upbringing.
Some will never make it to the top of the ever changing list.
Option is to hire people to do the easy time eating stuff that they're not likely to figure out a way
to screw up. It's personally painful to hire people to do things you can do yourself, just goes against
my upbringing.
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
The only projects I have during the summer are mowing and edging the yard and trimming a few bushes and trees, The dang things never stop growing and it is too hot for anything else.
New expanded blacktop driveway (less grass to mow), new windows in the kitchen and living room, a new oil furnace, extended front entrance with a better door, new roof on the garage.... Plenty of money being spent this year but if you don't do the projects they will never be done. You might as well make your home the best it can be especially if you plan on staying in it
I live in a1896 farmhouse with an attached 72'x42' attached barn with clapboard siding. Every year includes scraping and painting at least one section of it. It usually includes replacing some clapboards and or trip. Of course when you remove anything if usually means finding some thing else that needs repair or replacing. This can lead to some big project. Luckily my wife likes to scrape and paint. I set up ladders and staging and provide other technical support. I'm 74 and Amy is 68 so we try to cut back a little. A couple of years ago she was up painting the copula on the barn, I set up the scaffolding around it, and decide this might be the last time we do it. The next time I would be 80 and I don't think I want to working up there then.
I also have 3 acres of lawn to mow, 12 acres of fields to keep mowed so they don't get over grown (not all mine), big veggie garden, Grand Kids to watch, guns to shoot, fish to catch (or at least try to) so I manage to keep busy.
I also have 3 acres of lawn to mow, 12 acres of fields to keep mowed so they don't get over grown (not all mine), big veggie garden, Grand Kids to watch, guns to shoot, fish to catch (or at least try to) so I manage to keep busy.
akbluz
Blackhawk
Summer things to do: No.1 - spend all the time we can at the cabin (shooting, canoeing, napping - you know, guy stuff) it's never enuff.
Next PM the furnace, service both vehicles (for winter), garden work, mowing/weed whacking, get sockeye salmon for the year, service snowblower/change belts, AND whatever 5-minute jobs the missus thinks up for me to do (yeah, right - 5 minutes usually equates to about 2 or 3 days - if I'm lucky). We're still gaining daylight until
June 21st so lots of daylight to do stuff. As the years crept by, my can do is WAY less than my should do & want to do.
But every morning like Toby Keith sings in Clint Eastwood's movie The Mule -
Don't Let the Old Man In...
Next PM the furnace, service both vehicles (for winter), garden work, mowing/weed whacking, get sockeye salmon for the year, service snowblower/change belts, AND whatever 5-minute jobs the missus thinks up for me to do (yeah, right - 5 minutes usually equates to about 2 or 3 days - if I'm lucky). We're still gaining daylight until
June 21st so lots of daylight to do stuff. As the years crept by, my can do is WAY less than my should do & want to do.
But every morning like Toby Keith sings in Clint Eastwood's movie The Mule -
Don't Let the Old Man In...
Let’s see…drainage for the horse’s arena, then adding road base, 3/4minus and decomposed granite to both the arena and the area off the barn. Trying to prevent the winter mud.
There’s 1.5 acres that need to be limbed and brush cleared- but the poison oak has taken over so that may be a no-starter.
There’s plenty of house projects- like scraping popcorn ceilings, remodeling the kitchen, and replacing carpets with LVP flooring. Plus a ton of painting.
I got some metal roofing at a yard sale ( good stuff) so there’s either a hay shed or a tractor shed to be built.
There’s also the excess yard equipment and tools that are either mine or the ones left by the prior owner. It seems I have two or three of everything- lawn mowers, shovels, sprayers, weed wackers, a ton of Jerry cans, air compressors… I guess it’s time for a garage sale, I just hate to give stuff away.
I’ve also got my long term Scrambler project that was supposed to be finished last year. Maybe I’ll make by next year.
On the fun side, but still time consuming- I’ve got three grip frames from RW Gripframes to fit, a reloading bench to build, and a couple sticks to refinish.
I sure don’t understand how retired guys say they’re bored and have nothing to do…
There’s 1.5 acres that need to be limbed and brush cleared- but the poison oak has taken over so that may be a no-starter.
There’s plenty of house projects- like scraping popcorn ceilings, remodeling the kitchen, and replacing carpets with LVP flooring. Plus a ton of painting.
I got some metal roofing at a yard sale ( good stuff) so there’s either a hay shed or a tractor shed to be built.
There’s also the excess yard equipment and tools that are either mine or the ones left by the prior owner. It seems I have two or three of everything- lawn mowers, shovels, sprayers, weed wackers, a ton of Jerry cans, air compressors… I guess it’s time for a garage sale, I just hate to give stuff away.
I’ve also got my long term Scrambler project that was supposed to be finished last year. Maybe I’ll make by next year.
On the fun side, but still time consuming- I’ve got three grip frames from RW Gripframes to fit, a reloading bench to build, and a couple sticks to refinish.
I sure don’t understand how retired guys say they’re bored and have nothing to do…
" a "running list" of things she wants done."
Ah Yes, the 'list'. I used to be the one with 'the list'. When i was working full time, I kept a 'to do list'. I'd adjust what could be done vs what needed done sooner and hang the list by the back door so everyone could see what the priorities were. Worked pretty well until older Son graduated college and moved out on his own. After that, this list was just a sheet of paper as the 'female' portion of the household had their own 'mental list' of priorities.
Ah Yes, the 'list'. I used to be the one with 'the list'. When i was working full time, I kept a 'to do list'. I'd adjust what could be done vs what needed done sooner and hang the list by the back door so everyone could see what the priorities were. Worked pretty well until older Son graduated college and moved out on his own. After that, this list was just a sheet of paper as the 'female' portion of the household had their own 'mental list' of priorities.
There is a parade of equipment strung out on 2 streets and about a dozen guys working on preparing my driveway for blacktop. The contractor has a couple of other jobs right here so gave everyone a good deal. The boss man is actually using a hand shovel to dig around the conduit going into the garage. This is a quality company that is family owned and has been in business since 1957.
BearBiologist
Hunter
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2021
- Messages
- 2,984
1. Garden
2. Canning and drying and freezing from the garden
3. Organize tools in my new shed.
4. Help wife with downstairs remodeling (basement bath, barn door, cedar closet, etc.
5. Have FUN!!!! We spend too much time with local charities, etc. At least once per month travel on at least a day trip with the dog.
No particular order to the above!
2. Canning and drying and freezing from the garden
3. Organize tools in my new shed.
4. Help wife with downstairs remodeling (basement bath, barn door, cedar closet, etc.
5. Have FUN!!!! We spend too much time with local charities, etc. At least once per month travel on at least a day trip with the dog.
No particular order to the above!
New shed sounds great! I got my wife a picnic pavilion for her birthday last year and we really enjoy it. Her dad is 92 so I put a step and handgrips on it so he can get in it easier. I would love to get a 14x28 workshop brought in but I will have to explain the need to my wife. Perhaps if I said it followed me home... That worked for the last cat we got!
BearBiologist
Hunter
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2021
- Messages
- 2,984
Mine is a simple 8x12 foot. We did a few improvements: We insulated the walls and laid 1/4" plywood over the foam; we put it on a better foundation; we installed a ramp and deck rather than stairs (handrails are under construction); wired it inside with a heavy duty extension cord that reaches to the doors, from there we can use an extension cord from the garage or I have a dual-fuel generator, installed a small shop vise (larger one and drill press are staying in the garage. My neighbor transferred out of town and he gave us a good room A/C unit (we also have a fan and a heater).
ps: It was a Valentine's Day gift!
Over the last 5 years or so, we installed a 12x12 foot gazebo, raised planters for veggies and flowers, a firepit, etc.
Well I don’t have as much to do as a lot of you guys, but there is a list. Family lives next door and they are gone most of the summer. So that gives me 1 1/2 acres to mow and trim each week. Trees need trimmed and bushes always need thinned. The wife decided she wanted almost all the flower beds taken out. So bushes need to be pulled, top soil brought in. Then I need to reseed all of it. Of course there are always things that need taken care of inside the house too. No doubt the list will continue to grow.
On the fun side, I did pick up a John Deere 420 tractor from my neighbor a few months ago. It has been sitting in his shed for about 10 years not running. I got the tractor, mower deck and snow plow for $500. It didn’t take much to get it running and it’s been fun working on it.
On the fun side, I did pick up a John Deere 420 tractor from my neighbor a few months ago. It has been sitting in his shed for about 10 years not running. I got the tractor, mower deck and snow plow for $500. It didn’t take much to get it running and it’s been fun working on it.
