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old243
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2017 09:39
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I have lots of time, live in the country, have a farm which I don't operate, now . Have a shop with most of the usual tools. Do most of my own maintenance on easy stuff. Summer I spend a lot of time outside , enjoy puttering around the fields and bush, but don't do anything of great importance. Bee hives , Yard maintenance and a bit of camping. Enjoy deer hunting, and just watching them. When winter comes , Life changes to mostly snow removal, I putter in the shop a lot. We make bird houses , give them to my daughter , who works in the long term wing , of our local hospital. The patients paint and decorate them and sell raffle tickets on them. They turn this back into more craft supplies , to keep the patients busy.
Little things can bring joy to you and others with very little outlay. And it keeps your mind active.old243
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FishHog
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2017 10:33
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Wise words Gary, and again you have made me envious. Glad to hear your enjoying life so much, hope I'm not that far behind you.
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grub
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2017 14:14
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Been good talking to you Tim. One of my best friends is a retired engineer and he built a huge shed and filled it with tools of his trade so he could keep designing and making stuff. He is pushing 80 now and is sharp as a tack - keeping your mind active is vital.
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grub
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2017 14:19
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It is more blessed to give than receive - sounds like you put it into action. Being generous with time and possessions is a great thing to do and makes the world a far more enjoyable place to live.
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grub
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2017 14:23
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Remaining active by helpings others is a great blessing to the giver and receiver - if we all put it into practice what a great place planet earth would be to live. Have you ever posted any photographs of the finished and painted bird houses - would be great to see them.
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leonk
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2017 14:40
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good subject.
This forum is not very active, but it attracts good people 
cowracer, what kind of engineer are you?
(must start thinking about my kid's education ;) )
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2017 17:43
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My daughter did show me pictures of the bird houses . They had flowers and various designs all kinds of color. I think some of the patients are really into the decorating. Others are more into the selling raffle tickets The activation girl takes one of the patients down to the cafeteria door , at lunch time . Complete with birdhouses, they have a captive audience. Last year 6 birdhouses they raised 300.00. I have to get busy and build some more. old243
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 16 Feb 2017 09:39
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Quoting: leonk cowracer, what kind of engineer are you? (must start thinking about my kid's education ;) )
Electrical, specializing in controls and automation. It's a pretty narrow field. I'm "plant-based". That means I work for one company at one location, and I go home every night. I could pick up the phone and by the end of today have a different job making another 30-40k a year if I wanted to go back in to consulting. The drawback is 75-90% travel. I've done that and it sucks. Travel for work is not as cool as it sounds. You never go anyplace 'nice' and you never have time to enjoy it. I've passed by the road to Mt Rushmore 3 times, and I never had a chance to go see it.
I really don't know what the future will bring for my field. I can see it dying out as manufacturing shifts overseas. But I also know what the demand is by the number of job offers I get in a week (literally a dozen or more emails and calls).
Depending on your kids temperament, Electrical Engineering is a great field. You got to have an inquisitive mind and like to figure out how things work. Do they have ever taken apart toys or stuff just to see inside? Do they watch every episode of "how its made"? if so, sign them up! I have 2 boys, and my oldest would have been a world-class engineer, but it didn't interest him, so he is working on his MBA. The youngest is in the Army Reserve, and going to College of Pharmacy. Not THATS a sweet gig to get into, and it will only get better from here out.
What I would do is take your kid(s) on a factory tour. Doesn't matter what kind. If they watch all the things whizzing around and machines working with eyes wide open in wonderment... Get them into a engineering school. If they are bored, it's probably not for them
Tim
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leonk
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# Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:34
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Thanks Tim, good idea about the factory tour.
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Jim in NB
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2017 07:18
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Looks like this thread has been attracting a lot of engineers .... we all have our experiences with who we consider good people. I believe this forum started with a point about being frugal .... And it is good to be frugal ... gives you an opportunity to share what you have with others. I think the first step towards becoming "frugal" is to disconnect - stop watching commerical tv, listening to the radio ... they just program you into buying. It has worked well for me. Time to help others, to learn new stuff and grow beyond what we were (this is a really really tough one for engineers and few of them manage to triumph over their past). And it is time that is the most valuable and treasured stuff.
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RobWnzl
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2017 19:24
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Quoting: Jim in NB gives you an opportunity to share what you have with others.
So true, Jim. As I read through the last few posts, I was impressed by the open willingness to share. Old243, Cowracer... each giving of themselves so others can benefit, be it birdhouses or career advice for someone's child. And they are just examples of what is repeated over and over on this forum. You all make it worth coming back ... it reminds me of the old hardware store, a gathering spot where neighbor met neighbor and shared life's experiences and advice. I get the same down-home feel here as I did years ago as a kid.
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leonk
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# Posted: 18 Feb 2017 08:11
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I am gonna cry...
No seriously, there must be something about the whole idea of small cabin/simple living that brings together not just the likely minded people, but good people. Priceless in today's rat race world, where people's values are so out of wack...
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 18 Feb 2017 09:12
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This is a good thread and have been enjoying reading it.
Leon & other's, I think this forum is unique (I'm on other's as well) as we deal with our interests and try to help each other with our experiences while sharing our dreams and ideas. Cabin Life / Simple Living does away with the societal "Keep up with the Jones' " Consumerist Ideal and moves past the veneer of falsehood that high density survivor's front. It's great to have a place to exchange our ideas & experiences without the "Social Ill's" that affect FaceBlot and other pseudo-social sites (they are becoming more & more anti-social over the past couple of yrs, causing more harm than good IMO).
I'll qualify that by stating I grew up on a rural dairy farm, got "forced" to Urbanity but I escaped the insanity and got back to country life. Unfortunately on Life Rebuild THREE I took urbanism with me to some extent but major life event helped me shed some of that... for the better... Then another Major Life Event and rebuild FOUR meant shedding all the detritus of Urbanity, of consumerist materialism and simplifying...
What did my simplification entail... as my brother put is, so succinctly, I gave myself a "Life Enema" and flushed / dumped it all !!! Went from 4br, 3500 square foot Cape Cod with 2 double garages, a workshop + down to what fit into a 14' Cube Van (with room to spare) unloading everything that I hadn't needed for the past 6 months (winter gear excluded). You know, those family photo's you inherit of people you don't know, those things that you keep because... why is that really ??? Gee... I did keep a few T-Shirts that are "Historical" ie more than 30 years old because they are special !
I have to say... it was HARD unloading everything and giving it away, selling some and trashing the remainders BUT in the end, the relief of dumping it all and starting off fresh & LIGHT is something I never could ever envision feeling... It's a GREAT FEELING not to be dragging around all the krud.
Of course, tools and essential items were kept but like I said, if I hadn't needed it for 6 months then I did not really need it. The exception of course accounting for the seasonal stuff. BTW: It hasn't been without a few "Should'a, Could'a's" there but for the most part they have been minor.
This Forum is one of the best going and it's because of YOU ! Thanks Everyone for making this such a good place to be.
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hattie
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# Posted: 18 Feb 2017 12:49
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Quoting: Steve_S I gave myself a "Life Enema" and flushed / dumped it all !!!
HAHAHAHA...I am going to remember that one! Brilliant!
I agree 100% with what you said Steve_S! It isn't a lifestyle for everyone, but for me - I like to feel some control over my life and that means getting rid of the unnecessary fluff. I like being my own boss because I never have to worry about getting laid off. If I screw up and make a mistake, I'm on the hook to fix it - and you learn a lot by living like this.
My values have changed. I value a good, face-to-face conversation more than a cell phone. I value growing and canning my own produce more than shopping at a trendy store. Most of all, I value neighbours that actually stop to say hello and have a nice gab with them on the street.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 19 Feb 2017 08:04
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Hattie, all I can say to you my dear... BIG HUGS ! Your my kinda Lady ! I am taken however 
TBH unburdening and simplifying which was tough at first, has been the best thing I could have done for the remainder of my life. No Regrets AT ALL, just wish I'd a done it 10+ years sooner ! To that end, I'd suggest to anyone with any sense of adventure & independence to do the same and free yourself.
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cabingal3
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# Posted: 19 Feb 2017 21:00
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before we moved out here almost two years ago.
we had so much stuff piled into our house,our sheds,our tool shed.
it took me 6 months of sorting thru and taking everything to goodwill.
our grown children had stuff in our sheds and house.their friends had stuff stored.my friend had stuff.i warned them all over and over and waited for them and they never showed up.
i took it all to goodwill.
then we packed up what we thought we needed.
now we are here.we didnt even need half of what we brought here in our shipping container.
we are learning to live more simple.its hard cause u need stuff to get along.
but we sure love our life now.
we have given alot away.we still take stuff to goodwill.
just not as much.
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silverwaterlady
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2017 21:56
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We have a new Grandbaby our first, she was born on Valentine's Day.
Everyone is showering her with pretty little frilly things and toys and will continue to do so. She has so much clothing now that she will never wear.
Later on she will have toys galore she won't play with but only a few times.
In eighteen years all this junk will be long gone in a landfill but her frugal Grandma and Grandpa contributed to their states 529 plan so she can attend collage without worry.
PS-Grandma and Grandpa are voracious readers so baby will have a extensive library upgraded as she ages.
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jjr
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2017 22:33
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What a great thread you guys have going here. I have met cowracer and believe me, he is as happy as he seems. Even with all of his stuff.
I often find myself wishing I didn't have all the stuff that you seem to accumulate over the years. Then I come up with a project, walk out to the garage and get the right tool for the job. And I'm glad that I kept that tool instead of selling it because I hadn't used it in quite a while.
Now I wouldn't consider myself a junk collector or a hoarder, but there are still times that I look around my house and really ponder our existence in this material world. I often tell my wife and kids that we really need to sell all of our stuff and move to the cabin full time. But for the sake of not pulling our kids out of their schools and having them start over, the conversation usually ends with "That would be cool. Maybe someday."
If we ever decide to make that leap, I would really need to build a bigger shed at the cabin to fit all of my tools in. And then I would probably need another circular saw and maybe a new router and a set of bits to really make a cool looking shed.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 23 Feb 2017 01:23
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Quoting: jjr If we ever decide to make that leap, I would really need to build a bigger shed at the cabin to fit all of my tools in. And then I would probably need another circular saw and maybe a new router and a set of bits to really make a cool looking shed.
LOL
'tis a truth
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hattie
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# Posted: 23 Feb 2017 12:31 - Edited by: hattie
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Quoting: silverwaterlady her frugal Grandma and Grandpa contributed to their states 529 plan so she can attend collage without worry.
Great idea silverwaterlady. We do the same for each of our grandsons (we have 5 with another on the way any time now). Here in Canada we put money in a Registered Educational Saving Plan (RESP). The government kicks in a percentage of money for any money invested so it is a win-win for the grandsons. They get money invested on every birthday until they are 10 years old. At 10 we stop doing it just because it is getting so expensive for us with all those grandkids. *LOL* At least it gives them a nice start and it encourages their parents to invest in that as well (which they are now doing). We still buy gifts for Christmas and birthdays, but they are just small things.
You can never go wrong buying books for the grandkids!!
Congratulations on your new grandbaby!!!
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 23 Feb 2017 17:13
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Quoting: jjr he is as happy as he seems. Even with all of his stuff.
it's a burden, but one I am bearing. 
Tim
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grub
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# Posted: 27 Feb 2017 14:08
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And what a great legacy you are gifting her with. I wish I had learned the truths that you will be imparting to her when I was a child.
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