On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 09:22:36 -0800, "QLW" wrote:

What a beautiful day it was on Galveston Bay yesterday. Blue sky and tee
shirt warm weather, so I plopped the skiff in the water loaded up the dogs
and headed out for run around the bayou. Good thing that the wind and tide
were with me because I got about a quarter mile from the dock when the
engine quit. The fuel line was sucking air at the tank connection...turned
out to be a bad O-ring. So off to the store for a new connector and two
hours later, I'm back on the water and this time 2 miles from the house,
down wind and tide this time and it stops again. Pumped the bulb and got it
running in spurts and stops and finally back to the dock to find that the
one way valve in the bulb is intermittently blocking the fuel, back to the
store for a new bulb. It's now nearly sunset but Sarah is home now so it
back in the boat with me Sarah and the dogs for a pleasant hour long run to
the east and an absolutely stunning sunset run back to our dock.

So what am I sick of? I'm sick of having to fix S**T!
I've always prided my self on my ability to build or fix anything...but I'm
tired of doing it. Right now, my tractor needs a clutch, starting that job
this morning, about a three day job... four wheeler starter circuit not
working, I think rats chewed the wiring... motorcycle not getting fuel
through the carbs even tho' it's getting to the carbs... nearly new portable
generator starting running rough ( surging )but will run OK on part
choke...completely disassembled, cleaned (it wasn't dirty) reassembled,
checked for intake leaks, still surges unless the choke is on. My other
generator (Coleman) will only start from cold if I squirt a little fuel down
the carb or tilt it toward the tank, but will start easily on the first pull
for the rest of the day. Sarah's Lexus needs brakes, a $250 oxygen sensor
and will often not idle when making a warm restart and requires several
restarts until the computer agrees to give it some fuel. My septic system
has become cranky and I can't fix it until I get my tractor/backhoe running,
The Rav4 needs is 20000 mile past it's cam belt replacement date, I have a
new master cylinder for my 18' trailer but when will I have time to put it
on. My Paceship is setting on the trailer waiting for a hydro-blast and new
bottom paint. I need to rewire the entire house as it is about 50% two
wire over loaded circuits. Etc., Etc. I'd like to hire someone to help but
finding competent help is hard. There's not a damn thing I can't fix, I
just don't want to anymore.
OK, enough ranting...back to work.

ROTFL!!!

Man, I feel your pain. I retired ten years ago at 48 for health
reasons - I think I've been busier now than I was when I was working
60 hours a week. :) It seems that four kids, one a fighter jock,
one a doctor and two in college can't remember all the things I taught
them about changing oil, rotating tires, fixing plumbing, doing
electrical work, etc. It's always "Hey Dad - can you take a look at
or Hey Dad - I need this done or....." (almost got me started there).

And then there is the long suffering wife of 27 years and the dreaded
"honey-dos".

And then there are the tenants who can't seem to understand simple
economics - like you need to turn down the thermostat instead of
opening a window to control heat in your apartment.

However, a close friend of mine who is very wise said to me after a
series of diasters struck one after another on a project we were both
working on:

"Oh well, on to the next problem".

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------
The years will bring their Anodyne,
But I shall never quite forget,
The fish that I had counted mine
And lost before they reached the net.

Colin Ellis, "The Devot Angler" quoted
in A. R. Macdougall, Jr's "The Trout
Fisherman's Bedside Book" (1963)