OT/not the worst day,but wearing on me

Couldn't help but think about my cousin sitting down there in Florida this morning. When he sold the last of his cattle a few years ago,I told him now he was just waiting to die. I'm getting envious. It was 3 below this morning. Nothing new. Took the first round bale out and dropped it in the feeder. Backed away and heard a hissing,crackling,fizzing sound. Had hydraulic oil spraying right out from under the platform of the tractor. Blew the end right off the hose to the steering servo. So I'm out in the field,no steering,bad oil leak.Did I mention it was 3 below. It was a long walk to the shop. I had no idea what I'd have to take off of how many tools I'd need. I said to heck with it. Started it up,let it leak,steered with the brakes by sliding the back tires and got it up by the shop door. Luckily,all I had to take off was the battery box to get to it. Went to town to have one made. Of course,he didn't have the long steel tube type ends. We had to use compression fittings to cobble it up to the old tubes. Pretty much took all morning to get the cattle fed. At least it didn't happen across the road. I don't even care if it's 40 degrees in Florida. It's gotta beat the crap out of this.

Sounds like a good reason to have a second tractor to me. I hate fixing stuff in the field in the cold. I keep telling my sister she needs to stack the round bales I sell her near the winter field and fence them so I don't have to feed with the tractor.

Bad day but, I had rather be in your shoes than in that mess in D.C. for no logical reason.

Once you retire and go to Florida, there is stuff to do in those retirement parks. There is all sorts of activity groups that get together, everything from golf, quilting, shuffleboard, computer club, darts, deep sea fishing, sight seeing, tons more than that... Or if you so choose, you can just sit and wait to die. Its not waiting to die if you stay active in those retirement parks. You can sell out, buy you a nice car and an RV, and have a blast traveling around during the hot summer, and living there in the winter.

That said, I am 31 years too young to live in one of those 55 and older parks. I've only visited a park where some relatives live and thats how I know anything about them. I think the best thing is being free to do only what you want to, and not have to do things anymore because you have to.
retirement park

I've got 8 of'em. 2 with loaders,but I have to use the other one to load silage and didn't want to take the bucket off and put the bale spear on. Might just as well have fixed the one that needed it. Darndest thing is,it's a 1550 Oliver and I've got a 1600 here with the motor out of it right now. I couldn't pilfer that line off the 1600 because,while there isn't a dimes worth of difference between the two of them,the servo is in a different place on it so the line is different. Figures.

I hope all those retired people didnt have thier whole nest eggs in the markets this last year.
Might hear a sucking sound to the nearest trailer park.

Some of them without a doubt did. The less money you have, the less fun retirement would be, or worse you run out of money and be forced to go back to work.

My grandparents have went to Texas every winter since 1978. My Grandmother is there now. They found the cheap way.
They put a trailer in a RV park that they pay per year to keep there.
I think they went through 2 or 3 trailers in that time. This last one Gramps got before he died. he paid 4 grand for it. then pay $250 mo for the lot.
Place has plenty to do with a comunity center, Bingo, pot lucks ect. And it seems that all the people there have a sort of camping out for the winter thing going on. Lots of visiting each other.

I think if I get to snow bird some day thats what I am going to do.

They do the same thing in Florida. There is a lot of retirement parks in Florida. The one I posted the link to is about what I would consider middle of the road, its nice, but there is far nicer out there. Little Manatee Springs makes you buy your home, but you don't own the land its put on. There is a $350 monthly lot rent and lawn mowing is included. That park has gotten a lot more expensive since I was there in 2006. It used to be $250 a month then.

I hate the thought of ever getting old.

A million people using 5000 portapotties, place will look like a feed lot by tonight (or the Superdome after Katrina).

Now That was funny! Maybe they should have put some staw down instead of a portapotties.

Well, on our 1600 the ol;d sterring motor was replaced with a new style one from like a 2-70, so all of the hoses are different. Nothing standard, I had to have all of them custom made at a higher $$$.

I'd be carefull with those compression fittings too. I've had some bad luck with those blowing apart from time to time. This was only on our haybine, but still a major pain... Ended up replaceing all 3 lines that were patched with new lines this last summer. No more worries

Donovan from Wisconsin

My dad has been in Florida for years. He is 74, plays senior baseball ( hardball, guys ) lifts weight 3 times a week, cycles every day, works a few hours a week, takes care of a rental property, and takes several vacations per year. In between times he spends time with Mom, drinks coffee with his buddies every morning, has an occasional beer with his buddies. Not bad for a 2nd act. Btw, refuses to come north till it is summer.

How right you are! 3 degrees??? ouch! and as luck would have it I just happen to have a lovely 3/2 pool home in sunny Fort Lauderdale that I just decided to mark down from $350k 2yrs ago to a mere $275!!!
Think Im kiddin? .... TRY ME...OCG

"Endless vacation" seems to infer you are not going to die.
Horses for courses, that type of retirement would drive me bats.
No tractors, no dogs to kick, no grease, what a mundane existence.

Somehow, I"m having a hard time picturing you just setting around in a retirement community doen there!

If you retire to Florida (the land of beaches and bikinis) and all you can think of to do is play shuffleboard and golf - forget it, you are already dead!

Compression fittings are no longer used on oil burner supply lines.no pressure but the risk of leakage is there.