How can you possibly go to work?

[ericinok]

Since moving out to our huge 17 acre estate (ha ha), I find it really hard to go to work every day. There is so much I want/need to do around the house, that work is the last thing on my priority list. Luckily, I'm a partner in our firm and can't be fired for slacking off.

We've only been moved in for a couple of weeks. Will it get easier or even more difficult to leave for work every day? I was trying to think of a way to make as much money as I make now and staying home, but could not come up with anything that wasn't either illegal or immoral!!

[Pat]

Eric, I think I can sympathize with you but I retired prior to moving out to the country (south central OK.) I have worked harder every year since retiring than at any time in the 5 years prior to retiring.

I finally figured out that the kick-back-and-sip-mint-juleps-on-the-varanda-retirement is a myth. It is like I haven't retired, just changed jobs and took a cut in pay. Turns out I am a lowly paid caretaker for 160 acres of dirt and stuff.

Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ericinok]

Pat-
Wow, 160 acres. You're 9.4 times the man I am! I've never really even considered the retirement life, especially since I'm ONLY 39, but now that sounds great to me. Even with only 17 acres, I guarantee you I could fill every day. We also inherited a 46,000 gallon in-ground swimming pool with the house, which I'm sure I could use daily to cool off my aching bones.

BEAT TEXAS!!!!!
-Eric

[egon]

And the Boss demands long hours, no coffee breaks and no vacations.

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Eric, I started bailing out at 55 and was gone at 56. Don't get nervous but that age will be upon you faster than you can possibly imagine.

About Texas (AKA Baja Oklahoma) I heard that Texas grads could use handycapped parking spaces by displaying their diploma in their windshield. (A little pregame joshing)

You got yourself one of those cement ponds, huh? We got 10 stocked ponds good for watering the stock and wildlife but we haven't been swiming in them as my wife is afraid that snakes might share the water. She had a large cottonmouth swim across a pond right to where she was standing. I just happened to be target shooting with some pistols when she got a tad upset. Tactical error on the part of the snake.

Patrick [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ericinok]

Pat, I'd gladly trade my cement version for a nice 3 acre natural version. It's hard to keep the bass alive in the cement kind. My land has a very small pond, could probably be better described as a huge puddle, but it never went dry this past year, even with our days of drought. So, there's hope and expansion in it's future.

Well, we couldn't hang with those Texas boys. Being an OU grad, that hurts, but I'm sure Bob will get this team going right for the rest of the season - should be favored in all the rest of our games.

I think I was in your neck of the Oklahoma woods last week. Spent a couple of days in Dickson, auditing the schools there. I love staying in Ardmore because it's one of the only towns left that still has a Grandy's. It doesn't take much to keep me happy - as long as it's chicken fried.

[Pat]

Eric, I get to Ardmore several times a year. The Noble Foundation and associated events is the main attraction. I'm located near the South Canadian river (between Shawnee and Sulphur.)

Some of my ponds are spring fed to a degree and one of the best is only about 3 1/2 to 4 ft below overflow. I think this is good performance considering this is the worst drought for this part of the state since well before statehood. Some are dangerously low, prompting me to consider employing a seine and having a fish fry for the neighbors.I have a pond in the side yard on the east side of the house that is doing failry well which I like because I put 200 channel cats in it nearly two years ago. The pond downstream of the catfish pond is the candidate for the seine but the largest of the three ponds in our yard is only down about 4-5 feet and when I measured the deepest part (parallel to the dam) when it was pretty full. It was 17-20 feet deep. I have only one pond with Lotus plants and it too is darned low. My wife wsaw a great blue heron wading in the middle of our smallest pond so that gives an idea about how little water is left in it. Easy meals for the bird.

Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Bird]

Eric, I was born at Ardmore and hadn't heard mention of the school at Dickson in many years. In the early '50s, there was a Carter County Singing Convention and a Love County Singing Convention and we always went to both. So I've spent a few Sundays in the Dickson school gym, but haven't been there in well over 50 years.

How many remember the all day singing and dinner on the grounds that used to take place in churches and schools? Sometimes it was all day and everyone bringing something to share for a big meal, while other times it was just an afternoon singing.

[ericinok]

I'm very familiar with the Ardmore area. We spend a lot of time in Dickson and Wilson (birthplace of Chuck Norris). I also know the area between Shawnee and Sulphur (used to love going to Brick's)very well, since I go to Davis for work and used to live in Shawnee. I know the big towns of Stratford (best peaches), Asher (don't speed), Byars and Tecumseh.
We go all over the state for our work, since we audit public schools and rural water districts. Now, I'm actually on rural water.

[Bird]

Eric, I'm sure you know the state better than I. I was actually born in Carter County north of Ardmore on Mt. Washington Road in my grandparents' home back in the dark ages when Dr. Higgins made house calls to deliver babies. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I think that area is probably in the city limits now. And the last place I lived in Ardmore was right exactly where I-35 crosses the "old" U.S. 70. We moved from there to Healdton, then to Marlow, back to Healdton, back to Marlow, then to Marietta before moving to Texas in '56.