What's the one thing (could be minor like mine) if you sit back and think let you know you made it? Maybe not to the top, but to a point where you take a breath and smile and say fugg yeah, life don't suck.

When I was able to buy my wife our first good vehicle to drive, I was on cloud nine.
When I signed papers on my first house, I thought I had the world by the balls.

But honestly, being able to pay someone else to shoe my fugking horses makes me realize I have achieved something. Wife's gelding threw a shoe and farrier won't come till next week. She took time off work and really wanted to ride, so I pulled my tools out and did his hinds. Christ almighty. LMAO I used to do 3-4 in a morning then whatever work there was to do for whichever outfit I was working for. Or I'd spend all day doing a string. Did my own for years, but that's only a couple at a time. Been a few years now, and just doing half of one about whipped my ass. Didn't help he jerked his foot and gave me a decent scratch before I twisted off one of the nails. He almost crossed the rainbow bridge with a hammer in his head.

I’m still on this side of the ground. I’m good with that.

My retirement checks...

I do envy you that. 8.5 years........

We’ll have a sip or two when you do...

I definitely pay a farrier...grin..

BillyGoatGruff;
Good afternoon to you sir, I'm hoping that other than having to shoe the horse that your day is going acceptably and you and yours are well.

As a former horse guy, my hat's off to you for shoeing your own too. We always had a chap come in and hot shoe them, but I'd take them off in the winter. Our old Quarter Horse gelding was a "leaner" and my goodness it was tiring getting the backs off of him...

He'd buck once in awhile too, but was very transparent about that, so other than those two vices he was a pretty good horse. Fantastic cow horse the couple times I had him up doing that.

Anyway to your question, I'm not sure it was as much a monetary thing with me personally as it was family milestones, you know?

If we take away any personal religious beliefs, I've long believed that the most important task we have here - if we choose to have kids or not - is to make good replacement humans.

We started our married life losing everything in the first couple years farming, then drifted west and lived a pretty hand to mouth sort of life for a good while, but eventually we amassed enough wealth that there's more "things" around to fix than I want to repair anymore. The "stuff" didn't mean that much to me before and means increasingly less now, though it's part of our lifestyle here in the west I believe.

So to answer your question, I'd say that when our youngest daughter graduated high school with honors and a full ride scholarship to her choice of 2 universities and our eldest had good steady work was likely when I thought that if my number was up I'd have considered my work down here successful more or less.

The youngest got her first degree, she graduated with honors again and is going for her second one now and the eldest is married, working at a better place and they bought a house which they're paying down in stellar fashion, so again that reinforces my sense of peace in where I'm at on the road of life more or less.

While I'm not sure the answer I've given was what you'd intended, it's nonetheless where I'm finding myself, so hopefully it's okay that I've phrased it in those terms.

On the retirement thing, I'm now into my 4th month at my first kick at it and I've been going flat out on projects the entire time sir! I have no concept of how I got anything done before working 45 plus hours a week!

Thanks for the thread and all the best to you folks.

Dwayne

No mortgage payments.

Haven’t gotten there.
Don’t really expect to get there.
I’ve accepted that.
I ain’t really wanting for much.
Find a pulse every morning, so far!
Life’s good!

Bought my wife her first decent car. Ours came with payments.
House. 30 year sentence looming over me.


For me, last mortgage payment,
or the 2 year old car bought with cash.

Now, im 50 with 13 and 17 year old girls, retirement looms.
The IRA guy and the 401 guy both tell me I'm in great shape.
Then compare me to the average Schmo who has $12.91 in savings.

When the girls are settled and I'm securely retired, I will have made it.
If I see it.

“Fond” memories!😳
I shod for years. Now only my own. Did my pards horses until he died in January.

Once had an A-rab stallion take a hind away just as I was about to wring. The nail went through the ‘fat’ of my ring finger between my hand and first knuckle. I had to follow that foot to the ground and carefully extract my hand. Fortunately, he put his foot down and left it in one spot.

I do all the mechanic work out here.

All the handy man stuff too. Electrical, plumbing, heating....ect.

I cook...I can clean. I do my own laundry.


I kill the pets and animals that need killed.

If it's a nasty job....Jim does it.



I do NOT mechanic on horses. Nope.

Wife bought a knife and a couple rasps....handed em to me.


I asks her if she is gonna rebuild that transmission and split the IH.

She says no.......I hands back the rasp and knife.

When insurance, accounting, banking and investment firms started sending me checks in the mail, don't know what they're for, and DGAS today, I just throw em on the desk and let Wife put em up, and yes, smiles come easy on 'life's work' reflection, for a myriad of reasons.

Funny what will trigger a fond memory... All of my grand parents passed before I was born. However, my mother used to tell the story of her father working with a mule. The mule got "mule headed" about something. My grand father took the single tree and smacked the mule between the eyes. ... At which point the mule "crossed the rainbow bridge."

Retired and knowing I don’t have to worry about monthly bills. Been like that for about ten years now even before retirement. Ed k

The day I landed right at 5 o'clock within walking distance to the bar.

i have no more kids in school

The wife has each one of their pictures framed in a K-12 16x20 frame

13 little pics and then cap/gown pic in center.


Was looking at this morn

They still have a lot growing up to do.

I think my kids are less mature than me and their mother at the same age. Way way less.

At 20, had two car notes, a young wife, parents in Kenya, night classes at university, a 7-4 factory job, a side business roofing and started building our home on weekends.

My mother used to shoe our horses when I was a kid. My job was to twist that twitch on their nose. Ha!!

That nose will almost go upside down. 👍

I still have her brass gauge and a couple other tools.

When I realized I had no clue which day was or wasn’t payday.

When we became debt free and had everything we needed.

When I pay some skilless old fugg that aint ever made enough SS credits to collect more than the bare minimum to mow my lawn.

Mofo gonna use a weed whacker too.
No poison allowed
Get my money's worth outta him....

You shoulda stayed at that John Mansfield Tannery as a hide stomper in the dehairing lye vat.....




Make sure to tell him I like my lawn cut in late afternoon when the grass is dry.
Not none of that wet grass cool temp in the morning half azz schit.




Or some late 20 something fugg with his white rim sunglass,s
and tar baby bulldogged truck living at home with mom and dad that cant pass a pizz test for a job.


Either will do...


Made it just like the Jefferson's then!!!!!

LOL!!!

If I wake up alive I figure I'm a winner already.

Looking back on almost 30 years of total sobriety gives me a sense of accomplishment.

I get up in the morning and go into the kitchen where I see my Lovely Bride of 48 years putzing around making breakfast and pouring me a cup of hot coffee. I never fail to realize that I've got it made.

When you don't have to work and your spouse is half your age or younger. That's definition of success, please see personal life of President Trump.

Johns Manville was good to me.

I like mowing

Me and ol cleburne....gettin it done


I named my mower Cleburne. I don’t know why.

Shoeing is too rough on your lower. back. I gladly pay a farrier

Not having to bail any of my kids out of jail. Some how staying married for 35 to the same sweetie.

Man that is redneck to the bone! I love it and would run it! 😀👍

When I was able to financially help my mom.

Just recently - realized I have been "here" for 3.5 years but this is my first summer "home" and everything that goes with it, family is healthy, bills are under control, I'm not dead.

When the home in town, the cabin and 45 acres in the sticks, the vehicles were all paid and the balance in the bank grew monthly enough to help out the kids and a few friends on missions. Fifteen years now.

Not fishing on the weekend with everyone else.

Does Birdy know he’s been plagiarized?

I knew I made it when I could afford to get my teeth cleaned .


Happy Trails


Bob

I have kohler crappers in the house too

The day I left my job and retired after a recession era buy-out a year before I had planned. It will be 9 years in a couple of weeks. Life is good.

He is Bullschitting you all.
Lol!!!

Thats an old one from the elephant grave yard behind the waterfall in the tarzan movie.

Dude got a Cadillac Escalade rider he use,s.

That one in the pic might even be Nana,s outside hover round.
I schitt you all not....

Lol!!!

My john deere looks just like that.

Happens a lot around here, I think the trendy term for guys like me is “Cultural Influencer”

I'm less than 1/2 way to where I want to be financially and more than 1/2 way to where I want to retire chronologically. Can't bitch though. Life's been good and getting better.

As far as "making it". Buying my first house.

First when I could afford to pay cash for a new truck but didn't anyway.

Second when I could afford to pay off mortgage but didn't as I was making three times as much in my retirement accounts than I would save using other peoples money.

This May when the last daughter graduated college and went to work fully employed like her other two sisters before her.

Im working on next one. Let you know when I get there.

When I could afford a 6 pack of PBR tall boys... vs. regular 12s.

When I was growing up dad warned us that if we were to get arrested we would spend at least one night in jail to 'think about what we had done'................

When he was 60, dad called me and asked if I could send him enough for bail!?!?!?!?!


I DIDN't make him stay and think about it..............

Actually, that was a minor 'tide turning' moment...........

Landing a job with great benefits.......... and reaching 50 knowing they were 'in the bank'.............

I'm not sure I'm there yet.

when i paid this view off.

Scared schitless every day.

Wake up every morning sick to death worried about losing the farm.


I guess thats why I get up every morning.

How's the battery?


Do you need a Charger?

You could beg for one,
Then sell.
But stuff the buyer.

I mean, it for Cleburne, Right?

Shoeing horses screws my back all to hell. I'll gladly pay someone to do it, and don't have mules shod at all. They can deal without it and rocks keep their hooves trimmed just fine.

For me, I am unsure. Graduating with my masters made me feel good. Stepping foot on the tarmac at Cherry Point after flying back from Iraq was quite the good feeling. Getting my dick wet for the first time was pretty damn good too.

You were doing fine....right up until the end there Tinman.

Ha!

Yeah...I guess that's about right.

Trouble is that I am about the slowest...dumbest gazelle out there.

Ha! That last thing isn't a positive, top of the world feeling for a guy?

I thought it was

Shortly after returning from 105 days in the world's anus [Soviet Kazakhstan] I spent several hours in a planning meeting outlining my next years tasks and priorities. In this meeting were a pair of retired National Lab consultants that obviously had a lot of influence. On the 1 hour commute home I decided to contact them and learned about the wonderful world of govt. consulting if you had the rep and credentials and the contacts.

I was vested for retirement, retired, started my own business as an Outfitter and Consultant and increased my income and doubled my fun. Retired again 7 years later set for life.

Then came 9/11 and the adventure resumed.

I am really retired now!


mike r

knowing Christ

and that alone, was the "one thing"

distant 2nd place will be when the 2nd kid "launches". we're on pace.

My boy is 16, and works his arse off around the neighborhood, doing whatever needs to be done for $10-$15/hr. He's signed up to take 3 dual credit courses for college this year at school, and will be signing up for a CAD class in the evenings.

Daughter (15) is 2nd in her class of 160.

their momma is a great woman, and I'm thankful for her. I have much to be thankful for, truthfully.

Gub'ment job, huh?

Thumbs up. Youre good to go. May GOD bless and protect y'all.

I remember getting out of college and getting a job. Bought me two of those little yeller plastic jobs you stick in each end of a cooked ear of corn. Felt good. Later, I bought a gun that could shoot more that one shot without reloading. A5 12, 30, FC. I was bad.

Jimbo, showing up is 1/2 of the battle. The quitters will fall to the wayside and you will continue to stride forward. Our children are our legacy and you and your parents can be proud. You already know what being a tough guy really means.



mike r

We are trying to improve our image ya know?

Attract some younger folks......families....that sort of thing......haha!

I'll never forget the day when my food stamps, welfare check and free obama phone all arrived on the same day.

Good to see you around tonight Breaker Bar!

The one thing that did it for me was when I sent in the last house payment!

I was a free man and no matter what my family would be OK if something happened to me.

It happened to me this week.

I have a right to choose whether or not to wear a mask and it was between me and my doctor.

A great relationship with my children.
No debt before retirement.
Two good retirement checks every month.
The realization that I really don't need all of those "things" that I spent so many years chasing.
My good health - the thing that money can't buy.
Some good friends.
And the realization of how lucky I have been in spite of my bad decisons that made in younger years.

drover

Don't get me wrong, I'm a couple decades away from owning my house, and 4 years away from being free of a car payment. My wedding day, and kids' births are unsurpassable as far as big moments.

It's just that one little thing today struck me funny.

Gruff got Fugg You Money!

He could make it rain singles and tell me Fugg You.....I guess.......

I’m starting to get all misty eyed.

I reckon Gruff is higher on the socioeconomic ladder than I am.

Flave? That sumbitch is so far down we cant see him......

I can drive past on my coleman mini-bike and throw pennies at you, does that count?

Flave's chasing me in shorts and flip flops tossing sacajewea dollars underhand

Damn....just cant let us forget how far down we are.....can ya?

Will you spot me a half gallon of gas to get back to the highway?

You ever been to a strip joint in Canada?

Them women have welts at the end of the night from Loonies and Twonies.

I aint that tough.

Have to ask Renegade how it is to throw pennies at the bums.

Awww...hell. Sure. Anything for you.


You had me at mini bike........

I'm getting loaded and have got to buck up a couple trees. Gin n redbull for the win!

I have not. Poor girls, bet they could use a hug.

The strippers. Not the bums.

I doubt I'll ever make it.

That does not sound.....uhhh......like its covered under your insurance.


Or healthy.

Speaking of healthy....schit can that out doorsy stuff and come over for a smash burger, fried onions and hand cut fries!

I made Big Mac Sauce!

Not with all the fancy schit you waste your money on!

Like?

I just found a “great deal” on an Infidel.

I think when we’re paying $350 for pocket knives we’re doing not awful.

That mouse in your pocket is a cheeky sumbitch.

Mustache wax probably.

Monocle polish too.

wtf is a quote Infidel un quote?

COCK

Canuck strippers ARE tough. I don't think they get hired if they've never had a C-section; or maybe no one wants to see one that hasn't....

OK, horse boy.

If I had a nickel

You’d have paid a farrier?

It is the Creedmore of pocket knives.

Bitching about things of no real importance.

I'm getting good at it too....

I wish I could afford to buy stuff.


FWIW a front wheel for a yuppie tractor is $716.

Be here next week.


There goes the grocery money.

Conrad needs to send some canned pears over here.

Ha! I was going to say H4895!

When I realized I had a positive net worth and wasn’t having to live paycheck to paycheck anymore. Always been pretty tight with money, almost too tight. Hopefully I’ll relax a little at some point. Growing up we didn’t have much money, and I feel that is a big part of why I am so tight with money

Was about 16-18 months after I graduated with my masters as a nurse practitioner. Good feeling

Great question Gruff.

Cause for thought. One that came to mind right off the bat: when I didn't keep a running tally on my check register.

Well, you know that Skinerd song. Gimme three steps? Heard it the other day and got to thinking.

Been a really long time since anyone's come to the bar after me.

I think that means I got it made now.

That, and having a 7Acre RANCH in the wilds of a kommunist State.

7 Acres! That's enough to start your own commune!

You think he ain’t done that?

Good point.

Beard, ponytail, boonies. Even UPS says it’s too far to drive.

More “compound” than “ranch”. Netflix movie in the making.

The Genos....

For many years if a car broke down or something at the house needed to be fixed or replaced I couldn't afford to pay someone else. Now I can decide whether to take on a project or pay someone else to do it. I still do most of it myself but now it's my choice. The drive belt on the riding mower recently broke. The belt was only about $45 but installing it was a pain in the ass. The deck had to be dropped, the motor mounts loosened and there was a fan that often got damaged in the process. I called the local small equipment place and they said $105. I hauled it in and left it with them. Best money I ever spent.

A particularly hairy species.

The day I finally got away from evil wife #2.
Flat broke but thought I'd escaped a death sentence.