can whlvr 994 #1 Posted March 7, 2016 so ive been in construction for more than 30 years,mostly a stone mason slash concrete installer,its hard work and long hours,the last employer I workrd for we averaged 70 hours a week,that includes the winter when you just cant work that many hours,it was a lot for someone my age,im not that old but I'm not a spring chicken either as I was born in the mid sixties,we had some time off this winter and a caretaker job pops up just around the corner from me,i talk to the wife and she agrees that its been just too much,cant even have a social life unalone hobbies or take care of my property,well I go for the job which is on a magnificent estate,200 acres,rivers,ponds,its an old mill as a matter of fact,it is right up my alley,taking care of pretty much the entire estate excluding gardening and housekeeping,neither of which I care to do anyway,got enough gardens at home,but they have every piece of equipment an estate would need,backhoe,which I have many years experience,woodshippers,stumpgrinders,etc,so today they call me and give me the job,yeha,but the only downfall is they have 3 johndeere tractors,2 garden and the zero turn is a big deere,well I guess I'm gonna half to get used to wrenching and riding a deere,but I get off every day at 4 and home by 4.10 so ill have lots of time to work on my horses,and the honey do list as well 23 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 51,732 #2 Posted March 7, 2016 Well just goes to show you can pick your seat & pick your nose but ya can't pick your relatives or employer's choice of tractors....congrats on the new job & enjpoy it! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,196 #3 Posted March 7, 2016 Congrats to you... but the truth is, we're all just caretakers here. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elcamino/wheelhorse 9,362 #4 Posted March 7, 2016 Man that sound great . Maybe you can bring some rattle cans of WH red to work and make repairs or get them to buy a good tractor of course. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TDF5G 2,073 #5 Posted March 7, 2016 Congrats on the new job. Sounds like you'll have time to enjoy yourself now. The experience with the "green things" won't be all bad. It will only affirm the quality of and your passion for them! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Sparky 526 #6 Posted March 7, 2016 Sounds like a job you'll love til you retire. Doing a job you enjoy because you love it is a plus. Not everyone gets to do a job they love. Machinery, the outdoors and being somewhat your own boss, that's a good job. I know being a stone mason takes a lot out of you. But your work can stand for over 100 yrs. That's something to be proud of. I retired from construction. I was lucky to come of it with a body that can still get around and do the thing that I love. Caring for my 6 acres with my . 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 28,389 #7 Posted March 7, 2016 Congrats! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phatboy 565 #8 Posted March 7, 2016 Congrats on the new job bud ,, i hope it is all you hope it will be.. Good luck !!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daddy Don 909 #9 Posted March 8, 2016 Congrats. Have fun with the rest of your working days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildman 205 #10 Posted March 8, 2016 Sounds like a good deal.Just pick yourself up some cheap shades so you can't be recognized .Good luck with the new job Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
can whlvr 994 #11 Posted March 8, 2016 well thank god its in the middle of nowhere so non of my buddies will see me haha,i once was working at a farm and the home owner let us use her deere loader,one of the guys took a pic and emailed all my buddies,it was pretty funny at the time,anyway the deeres are big garden tractors so it will be different to see how they operate,they have a large zero turn for grass so the tractors will be mostly pulling a wagon,i havnt actually seen the machines yet as I don't start till april 4,so I guess the wife is gonna drag me to Italy and spain,get away before the new start 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 23,147 #12 Posted March 8, 2016 Congrats Don.....like you I managed to get out of the construction gig a few years ago. Mike.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 23,276 #13 Posted March 8, 2016 Good luck to you Don. That concrete stuff is probably the hardest construction out there on the body. Good to get out in time. You know, it will be a lot quieter also...and you won't have to get caught in the rain anymore. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,543 #14 Posted March 8, 2016 Congratulations Don, that's all excellent news! Don't worry, with all the pluses on this gig, you'll get used to the green. And if your wife wants you to travel a bit with her, oh well. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
can whlvr 994 #15 Posted March 10, 2016 thanks for encouragement guys,ya steve the concrete is a really demanding job,the stone work I can handle hands down,but the stress and go,go,go,go of concrete is brutal,and theres no mercy,when its setting its on,the new job is gonna be great,8-4,home every day by 4.15,wow for 30 years I'm lucky to be home by 7 and thelast 8 years its been 9 at night,out the door at 5.30 in the morning,i miss the tractors for the last few years and now ill be able t spend time on them and my property,both of which has been over looked for too long 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,543 #16 Posted March 10, 2016 Just curious Don, what kind of stone work were you doing? Solid walls, veneer, ... ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
can whlvr 994 #17 Posted March 10, 2016 any thing possible,veneer,fireplaces,carvings,retaining walls,barbques,gate posts,flagstone,firepits,pizza ovens,manmade and stick on as well,brick too but for 20 years solid was strickly stone and a bit of brick and manmade,we even split our own granite from gravel pits,and did a lot of really custom one off stuff stuff,one piece (10000lbs)stone barbque,etc 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
