Rural Bashing?

[PJSprog]

Still remember one Mother's day when I was 10 when I had saved my lawn mowing money and bought her a forged spade shovel for the garden... she couldn't wait to give it a try...

Even years later I still catch **** sometimes... Mom was having trouble starting her mower after a shoulder injury from a dog attack so I bought her a professional Honda Aluminum Deck Mower... the ladies at the office thought it was the worst Mother's Day present ever and any kind of son would have contracted with a yard service and NOT gone out and bought a mower.

My wife is like this, too. She grew up helping her father work on cars and motorcycles, so she knows her way around a tool box. I asked her one year what she really wanted for Xmas, and she said, "A compound sliding miter saw, and not one of those little ones." I bought a Craftsman, and she loved it. Last night while walking through Lowe's, she stopped and was eyeballing a table saw cart. I had to remind her we wouldn't need one once the garage shop is complete and our table saw has a permanent home.

 

[MountainWoods]

Rural Living

Wow. It's been interesting reading all of the replies on this thread -- and I do read them all and will continue to do so. Some clarifications from the original post:

I didn't mind the guy that I worked with many years ago always trying to get a "dig" in about my living in the country. He wasn't the brightest flare in the pack anyway. But mainly I kept thinking that he really has no idea what he's missing by insisting that living cooped up in the city was the "real thing", though he had no problem verbalizing that living out in nature was not the "real thing". (Go figure.) That is, it bothered him much more than it bothered me!

I really didn't mean to start a thread that would bash city living, though I have to admit that it's so easy to...

I grew up in a small town surrounded by farm fields, with my dad commuting to downtown Chicago. I even went to college in Chicago for 5.5 years*. So I did see city living, though I didn't have to actually do it. At the time. Now that I have some kids that live in the city, when I visit them for a few days, I do have to experience city living, and it's only the joy of being with them, and the grandkids, that can help to hide the annoyance of the constant traffic, dogs barking, and all of the other stuff that goes with it.

Again, we folks who prefer country living have to admit -- just based on the obvious statistics -- that we have chosen the narrower road (Robert Frost), and that has made all the difference. Although I cannot for the life of me understand it, most folks prefer to live in the city. We are the oddballs. Thank God.

BTW, I also know a lot of folks that I worked with who supposedly envied our country lifestyle. So they said. But the kind of work that we did allowed one to do that -- both in income and time. So if they really meant it, they'd have been living down the country road from me. I think they only kinda thought it might kinda be neat to live in the country, kinda; as long as they didn't have to give up their city life at the same time!!

* Masters of Science degree in Computer Science

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I had to laugh, our wheel barrow tire would go flat, so one day i got home and my wife had bought her own wheel barrow.

 

[ultrarunner]

Mom and Dad received a Wheelbarrow as a wedding gift... it was Mom's idea.

Still have it and it is a little battered and beat from hand mixing all the concrete and exposed aggregate over the years.

The older I get the more I appreciate living outside the city limits... although we do have county census areas one would be hard pressed to know it was county... sidewalks, street lighting, downtown, movie house, library, performing arts centers, etc. and all in the county with much cheaper taxes!

My brother bought there and I in the city... live and learn.

Castro Valley, California - Wikipedia

 

[MountainWoods]

I once gave my wife a chainsaw for her Christmas present. She absolutely loved it. She loves working out in the woods with me. (We're amateur sylvaculturalists.) I usually had to start it for her and then hand it to her. But it worked out. We still have this little Homelite and it works great.

 

[ultrarunner]

This thread is close to home... the chainsaw was Mom's Christmas present 40 years ago from Dad... he asked what she would like and her reply is I know it is expensive but a chainsaw was at the top of her wish list.

 

[Redneck in training]

Great to see the aerial view with the lay out and solar...

What are the vital stats of the shop/garage?

36x75x12. North 12 ft is divided between my office and guest room with batroom and shower in between. I just bought a heatpump to keep it warm and cool. The solar is 24 kW DC/21.5 AC with room for about 8-10 kW on the racking.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Darn, i wish those 2 horses would quiet down. How can i hear the cars over all that racket.

 

[shaeff]

Anybody who sees that view and doesn't understand why you would want to live there is a fool.

Agreed! We love this area! Thanks

Catfever and redneck in training have got one heck of a view too Maybe a bit too much snow for me though

 

[Garandman]

It has been my experience that most women do not want to work. They want comfort and the fruits of success. Country living involves a lot more maintenance than city living does.
YMMV

And here we have the [typical for here] city bashing.

My personal experience is that 摘xcessive pride of place, is evident everywhere, be it city, suburban, exurban (where most of you seem to live) or rural.

Personally, I regularly bash suburban towns, though I grew up in one, as their smugness makes me crazy. City and country dwellers get a pass, their life choices are clearer to me.

 

[ultrarunner]

36x75x12. North 12 ft is divided between my office and guest room with batroom and shower in between. I just bought a heatpump to keep it warm and cool. The solar is 24 kW DC/21.5 AC with room for about 8-10 kW on the racking.

Very nice indeed!

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Steppenwolfe, you have described my wife exactly - almost the same size - 5'1, and 120, and amazes me daily with how hard she can work. Pure admiration for her from me.

And don't forget the Wolverine part... We are 40 years this Feb. I wouldn't be the man I am without her...

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I know there are many women who are hard workers. But I stand by my original statement. Most are not , unless it is required for survival. And nowadays, most men aren't much for hard work either. My wife is s working machine. But I've been married before and dated others. Nobody else would work by my side like this. Most would watch tv and complain because I was always working.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Talking about women that work, I do alot of work for a neighboring farm in which the lady who owns the place is 78 years old with 70 head of cattle and 400 acres. Her husband died in 1993 and she's kept the place going since with the help of one son in law and myself.
The son in law is now a former son in law for the last 10 years.

Her whole life she was a farm kid and farm wife, building fence, changing tires, nursing calves, pulling calves... anything you would do on a cattle farm she does it and taught me how to do it. I've learned more about building fences from her than anyone.

 

[bspeedy]

I know there are many women who are hard workers. But I stand by my original statement. Most are not , unless it is required for survival. And nowadays, most men aren't much for hard work either. My wife is s working machine. But I've been married before and dated others. Nobody else would work by my side like this. Most would watch tv and complain because I was always working.

Same here.

My wife works as hard as any man. She has earned the respect of my father who is the hardest worker I know. He's always telling me I need to let her rest. She loves to help, though.

Most women these days don't want to do anything. Most men don't know how to do anything.

 

[shaeff]

Most men don't know how to do anything.

You're telling me! I always get calls from both my brother-in-law and my father-in-law for help with all these random things. From "my mower won't start" to snowblowers, to car problems, etc... I'm always willing to lend a hand, but sometimes I'm just too busy. It can get frustrating at times. I very rarely ask for help, and usually only from my father or brother.

They both know that if I'm asking for help, I really need it. I prefer to be as self sufficient as possible, but many guys these days just don't have the drive to learn.

 

[Streetcar]

Benefit of city living. The switch on dryer door went bad. In 30 minutes I had the replacement part picked up and installed and wife was happy

 

[CADplans]

Benefit of city living. The switch on dryer door went bad. In 30 minutes I had the replacement part picked up and installed and wife was happy

Benefit of rural living,,, I am allowed to have an outside clothesline,,, :thumbsup:

and, after hanging the clothes, I can get out the 300 Win Mag,,, and shoot a few practice targets.

All in MY back yard!

 

[jerrybob]

Benefit of rural living,,, I am allowed to have an outside clothesline,,, :thumbsup:

and, after hanging the clothes, I can get out the 300 Win Mag,,, and shoot a few practice targets.

All in MY back yard!

We don't have an outside clothesline......too wet here. Like you......we target shoot in the backyard. Today....no shooting but we did have a half dozen cow elk walk through. When our dryer breaks.....I order the part online and fix it myself......easy to do and doesn't cost much.

 

[drizler]

Benefit of city living. The switch on dryer door went bad. In 30 minutes I had the replacement part picked up and installed and wife was happy

Huh, you must live in that other world of the 70 s . Nobody stocks nothing anymore in my experience. I get my parts as fast as the dealer does and at significant price reduction and often tax free. I literally wait no longer than a week usually 2 day +- a day. The ****** trick I see dealers pull is holding orders untill they get free or reduced shipping that痴 the trick they play around here anyways. Thanks for. nothing!