Retirement

[Norval]

Retirement

I have suffered greatly in the past with a bad back.
Now I am almost 60 and I have little strength left to keep myself and wife even warm. We heat with wood heat and we can no longer get the fire wood.

So I must inform you that I am not sure what is going to happen to me and Bobbi now.

Will try and keep yah posted as things develop. My back has gone out big time and am in bad pain. If we can move into the main docks we may be able to last a few more years with electric heat.

I have fought long and hard with Gale in this info war. We have learned much and have withheld nothing from any of you.

Norval

[sfth13]

Sorry to hear about your back Norval. I know what it's like. I used to toss heavy steel around at work and do a lot of rigging and welding. now because of an injury i'm on permanet light duty. my employer is trying to make a position to keep me around, since I have computer skills I now do all the AutoCAD drawings and run the shop. but at 48 years old I have a 20lbs weight restriction on lifting, along with no pushing or pulling anything over 60lbs. I have finished high school but that's it. so if this job falls through i'm not sure what will happen as well. if i was in the northwest i'd get some wood for you guys but i'm stuck down here in the southeast waiting to see what awaits me. I now it's hard but hang in there, you and Bobbie as well as Gale have opened my eyes to research what i seem to have thought was true for a very long time,:bananen_smilies046:

[Gale]

Norval, you know the kids and I are here if you and Bobbi need any help. We are only a few hours away. Holidays are coming so the kids will have lots of free time. I hate seeing kids board.
We love you both very much and if we can help you two in any way and through the hardest part of the crisis .... even just lugging things or getting a supply of firewood to Rock Island ..... to last until you have made other arrangements. It seems like you and Bobbi are my only family....

Isn't 'retirement' a swear word? What are you retiring from, research?

[Bobbi]

Actually, it isn't so much lugging in the supply of firewood, it's the collecting and cutting it that is beyond our physical abilities anymore. The motor on our skiff has decided to "retire" as well, and we can't collect the firewood any longer other than a few pieces that come floating by. Additionally, the river flooded so bad last year that the debris this year is substantially reduced. Then we have to haul it up onto the bridge deck where we cut it with the chainsaw. Because we have a small electric chainsaw, we are limited to the size of wood we collect that will not require splitting, which is most definately outside our abilities. Because we don't live on shore, buying cords of wood to be delivered is cost prohibitive to us and would require double handling to get it to the boat - i.e. unload off the truck into the skiff (without a motor any longer) then unload it from the skiff and up the steps to the breakwater.

Actually, we are attempting to find out if we can move into the marine during the winter and hook up to adequate power to heat with electric heaters and then move back out to the breakwater during the other 8 months. Due to our current economic burdens, we simply cannot afford to heat with propane as it requires a 10 gallon canister about every 3 days and at the current price of propane hovering around $3.00 a gallon, $30.00 a container over a month's time is more than half our moorage cost.

Gale, thank you for your concern and desire to help. It is very much appreciated.

[Gale]

Living aboard a boat is definitely a different life style.

[Norval]

You could say that, , ,

[Norval]

Retirement is a good thing. I no longer seek work, , , , and I hope it don't find me either. :lol:

Thanks for the well wishing, , , we are on an artesian well here at the marina by the way. (Not city water) :)

Yep it really sucks getting old and decrepit, , , , , I'm just glad it won't last long, a few years at most.