I met with a family the other day and as the husband was leaving I commented how good he gets around for his age. He told me that he'll be 90 this spring and says he tries to stay active. He has a small farm but doesn't do the farming anymore, but lots of other stuff to do. He then said he sold 8 cords of wood of the 11 he processed last year! And many people don't know how much 11 cord of wood actually is. I said I know! We talked for a little bit about his process and burning. He does mostly everything himself. BL is his favorite to burn. I told him I still hand split and he laughed. Said he can't quite swing a splitting axe anymore, but he enjoyed doing that when he could. I try not to buy wood, but might buy a cord from him. It could be my motivation when I walk pass it.
Nice story. I'm of the opinion that you're only as old as you feel or as what your body tell you. Staying active sure is one of the things for older folks like the family member you were talking about need or want to do to "keep their head in the game" so to speak. I turned 80 last year. I believe the term is octogenarian. Had to stop hand splitting as I mentioned in an earlier post. self-inflected damage in my younger years and to stubborn to admit it. Your relative has the right idea. I'll bet he still gets satisfaction from doing whatever he can.
Good for him. Age is just a number. Hopefully I'll be able to do firewood at that age...if I make it that far.
Yes, age is just a number. However, for some, luck of the draw is powerful stuff. I was thinking of this just this morning as I limped into the kitchen. I am now thinking that my back pain and leg pain is sciatic nerve. Makes total sense. It's gotten pretty severe at times. Lower right back, actually in the right cheek, and then pain in the right leg, upper calf and behind the knee. Been going on off and on for a many months. Even years. A couple of days ago, I remembered I have a teeter totter gizmo. How could I forget! An inversion table where you hang, as much as totally upside down. That has helped. If I don't get this sorted out, I'll need pro help. Anyway, point is, as I hobbled, I thought to myself that I am still very lucky. After I got to feeling better, I bucked more of a fallen oak yesterday with my Stihl ms400 and then hand split some of it. To be active at even the young age of 72 is good; I have (or had) several friends who can't do anything. And a bunch that are gone. So, onward! Nice OP, Mr. Biddleman , I like hearing stories like that, is inspiring. I suppose that gent now has a log splitter. My bro lives in an area that is somewhat of a retirement destination and he plays golf with a lot of elderly men. Several in their 80s and even up to 90. Some can barely get around or can't even track the ball in the air. Others have to take them to their ball. But they're out there! My neighbor is 95, I've probably mentioned her before. She is the energizer bunny. I tell people all the time how she will crank up a weedeater at 9am and stop at noon. I know because I can hear it. Who can do that! She can. She is busy as a bee every day. Has three rental houses, her house, a yard full of ornamental yard art, a veggie garden, and close to 4 acres to maintain.
timusp40 Nice story. I'm of the opinion that you're only as old as you feel or as what your body tell you. Man I must be 150
Reminds me of jo191145's mother. She is around 90 IIRC and no stopping her. Your pain description of the sciatica sounds just like what I went through in 2019 only my left side. A little PT, back brace and I didn't stop. I was only 50 at the time. Eventually went away. Some back pain the norm for me. A dum dum move seems to happen and make it hurt worse. Hoard on and take it easy on the ole back Bill.
My mom is 93 and still gets around, she doesn't make firewood but she still feeds the wood stove in her basement.
Good memory. She’ll be 91 next month. Just joined a bowling league because there’s too much snow in the woods. She’s never bowled in her life LOL Back pain and Sciatica usually always begins from dehydration. Spinal discs lose liquid which is the bodies shock absorber. They compress and the spinal nerves get pinched between the vertebrae. 40 ounces of Gatorade a day for one week should put you back on the path to mending. Next step if that fails IMO is find a good masseuse. One that can bring you to tears and isn’t afraid to prove it is “good” First time I went to my good “witch doctor” I was on crutches the pain was so bad. Left her office an hour later ready to dance a jig
Thanks for the info, Brad. I have had some chronic back pain most of my adult life but it usually wasn't any big deal at all. A few times it 'went out.' But this seems a bit different and seems lower and I am sure thinking it is sciatic. Which is actually a relief, as I worried that the leg pain was circulatory related, like peripheral artery disease. I say that because I have had large varicose veins in my right leg for decades. Back to the teeter totter!
Jo, interesting that you say that. My gf had been telling me I just HAVE to get a good massage. She loves them but she doesn't have pain. When we went to Vegas last summer, she booked us one. That female masseuse did hurt me, lol. I asked her when done how the heck did you DO THAT certain move with her hand. I asked her if that was her elbow, lol. She said nope, just this and pointed to a spot on her hand. I would have never believed it. It did do me some good. I went in there with a good limp and that got better. I was actually wanting a man, for strength but I can't imagine any man being stronger than that woman, lol. And she was not a big woman. But personable and good at her job.
Funny. I asked mine exactly the same thing. How is it possible a small girl like you can exert that much pressure with your fingers? For eight hours a day? She said much of it is technique and exercise. That was over ten years ago now, maybe I jinxed her, I know her hands have taken a beating. She’s transitioning her practice more into Yoga and meditation. Trying to get her peeps to do the proper exercises before they need a massage. And save what’s left of her hands She’s been known to use the stones on stubborn people like me. She only has a few clients she will massage these days. I was doing the monthly thing for a couple years. Gave that up during covid.
Yep good for her. As an aside I wish to inform you I figured out yesterday why the little Honda was running like crap. Some idiot had turned the manual gas tank vent off when they put it away last time and had totally forgotten. It’s something I had never done before because I knew I’d forget LOL. I also learned the four wheel will disengage when the going gets tough. Trailbreaking the snow yesterday and it kept going in and out. Something to do with that aftermarket kit I’m sure.
My 95 year old neighbor used to be out messing in his garage our outside daily. He atill gets about but is content to watch YouTube AI video stories on his big tv most of the day. Born right there. He says one of his earliest chores was to get kindling and bring to the cook stove.
