Blessed with great friends

The FW and me have a property up north that we recently built our retirement home on. I have some physical limitations that have gotten worse over the last couple years and has slowed me from getting things done that I could normally breeze through.
One of those projects being cutting and splitting the downed trees on the land and trust me, there are many! This has been holding up other projects such as bobcat work to level things out and get a yard going, etc…

Well I had a buddy up fishing about a month ago and we got a little bit done but at the pace I’m able to go the stuff will be rotted by the time I’m done. I did buy a log splitter and am able to operate it with relative ease and actually really enjoy using it.

Anyway, We went up to the lake last Thursday and were stunned as we pulled in. Don had gotten a bunch of our friends together and headed up and seven guys spent two solid days cutting,hauling,splitting and stacking wood. They even built a shelter with shingles to match the cabin that holds about two-three cords. I have to admit seeing what they had done brought a tear to my eyes. It’s really a great feeling to have such stand up people in my life and I’m a very lucky man because of it!

This weekend everyone that helped and their families are coming up for a long weekend of great food, great drinks,great comraderie, great laughs and so-so fishing!

Life goes fast, don’t ever take friendships for granted!!

If my friends showed up to split wood, they would haul it home too and drink all my beer while they were there.

Always feels good when somebody does something nice for you, and feels twice as good when you do something like that for somebody else. You have good friends.

great story, we had to do the same on the brothers property and had fallen trees all over blocking our sap’n trails, dad would trip on the trees carrying the sap back to the garage. We got the crew together and cleared up the logs, made three of those little buildings and a stack covered with left over tin roofing. We have about three years worth. My dad was amazed by the cleared pathways and now spends an extra day collecting sap (we think it’s just to get away from mom and drink beer). It’s such a relief to see the split and stacked wood.

What they say about time being the greatest gift you can give somebody, means alot whether they’re spending it with you or doing things to help you. I have found that people with good friends tend to be good friends themselves!

Joel

Awesome! I would do the same for friends, and I am sure the fun weekend that you’ll be providing in return will be well-received.

Great story. I retired up at the lake 5 years ago, found out pretty quick all the retired guys help each other out to ease the burden. We pull and set docks for the guys that can no longer do it and then party afterwards. Keeps everyone enjoying the good life.

This sounds like the way to live and its good to see good people doing good things for each other

Wayne Daul wrote:

Great story. I retired up at the lake 5 years ago, found out pretty quick all the retired guys help each other out to ease the burden. We pull and set docks for the guys that can no longer do it and then party afterwards. Keeps everyone enjoying the good life.

Lloyd, a neighbor three doors down moved up to the lake after retiring three years ago. He gave me a call last Saturday asking if I could help him take his boat out (back in the trailer) at the small access just a couple minutes away. We got back to his place and he said he had to take it into town to get the motor winterized for which he is charged $70! I told him it’s fairly simple and we could do it. I ran back to my place and got the lube,fogger etc.. While I was doing it he was taking notes and stuff and I got the impression he might not be real handy as far as that stuff goes, not a knock just the way it is. He was thrilled and $70 is a lot when you’re on a fixed income.
I told him we’ll just do it together every fall. It’s not like work, we had a couple beers and some laughs.

You are blessed with great friends!

Back 15 years ago when my grandpa died during harvest time, our family and neighbors showed up with combines, tractors, and wagons…It was a sight to see and still brings a tear to my eye.

I’ve never seen so many acres combined so quickly!

Over the past 30 years, I’ve helped many of my friends. Everything from shingling there house, cutting firewood, finishing the basement off, painting there house, etc…
About 13 years ago when I built my house, I found out how reliable they were. Not very sums it up pretty well. Even though they all had promised to be there when needed, only 1 or 2 actually showed up to help when it was requested.
One of life’s little lessons I guess.

Many of these guys are still my friends but now I know better.

Am I a little jealous? Yup!

I am sure it is just some karma coming back to you for something you did for someone else.

Ever notice how nobody complains when they are choosing to help another?

Very cool Scott! Sounds a lot like what we do for my dad each Fall. He’s also the type of guy who is always helping others so as a repayment for the all the camping/fishing/sporting events he brought us (and our friends) to as kids we started a tradition of spending the day after Thanksgiving cutting wood for him. We’ve been doing it for years and it’s actually turned into quite a fun event with around a dozen friends where we can get over 12 cords cut, split, and hauled from the pasture to the homestead… Which leaves my dad with a lot more free time in the winter to do something he hardly had time to do before – Get out ice fishing!

Great story Scott. I had a friend tonight, come over to check my roof out for me. He found the problem did the best he could to fix it and said if I still have problems to give him a call. He asked for nothing in return but you can bet I am going to get him out fishing.

Jeff

Nice job they did for you ! I remember hating to get up early on most fall saturdays, to go cut, split and haul and stack wood… we burned wood exclusively in the house growing up…. Now I love cutting wood in the fall… and its funny how the sounds and smells remind me of years past and take me right back to when I hated it ??? or did I really like it then too !?

Great story. Sounds like you have some wonderful friends. I am sure you must have did something in the past to help them out. Getting together for something like that gives everyone a good feeling inside. Paying it forward is a wonderful thing.

Not ALL of your friends would do that to you John, But I know what you mean!

Nice story and great to read such a positive story about some great folks.

Great friends like what you have there Scott are Gods angels that were sent here to tied us over till we see the real deal at the pearly gates. I firmly believe that. I consider it a pleasure when I can remodel or build things for friends and relatives. All the money in the world can’t buy that happiness. It sure is sweet to pay it forward and gain even more friends as I’m sure you’re well aware of.

I really enjoy reading all the great responses! It’s amazing how far an act of kindness will go. From a purely selfish point of view it feels good to help people out which I gotta believe is healthier than going thru life bitter and pissed off.

I’ve come to believe that as a whole folks who enjoy the outdoors, fishing & hunting etc…tend to be pretty down to earth, helpful people.

I’ll get off my corny soapbox now!!

big_g wrote:

Nice job they did for you ! I remember hating to get up early on most fall saturdays, to go cut, split and haul and stack wood… we burned wood exclusively in the house growing up…. Now I love cutting wood in the fall… and its funny how the sounds and smells remind me of years past and take me right back to when I hated it ??? or did I really like it then too !?

Same here Glen!

If you’re heading up to the cabin the weekend after Thanksgiving and want to come play I’ll provide enough wood, saws, and farm toys for a full day of fun… The only catch is my dad requires everyone who helps to drink a Windsor Manhattan with him after the work is done.

Great story Scott! Good friends are a true treasure!

Will Roseberg wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>big_g wrote:</div>
Nice job they did for you ! I remember hating to get up early on most fall saturdays, to go cut, split and haul and stack wood… we burned wood exclusively in the house growing up…. Now I love cutting wood in the fall… and its funny how the sounds and smells remind me of years past and take me right back to when I hated it ??? or did I really like it then too !?

Same here Glen!

If you’re heading up to the cabin the weekend after Thanksgiving and want to come play I’ll provide enough wood, saws, and farm toys for a full day of fun… The only catch is my dad requires everyone who helps to drink a Windsor Manhattan with him after the work is done.

A Manhattan ya say….

Have chainsaw–will travel. Crown is the poison of choice tho. Be glad to help if I can–jerr