I've been scarce around here lately. Here is what happened.

[eldubb440]

I been on a roll for about 6 months, hitting on all 8........and I twisted up my knee about 4 hours ago......I dont "think" it's a disaster, and I'm walking on it; but feels like a 4 week thing at least

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I haven't been injured many times in my life so this experience has opened my eyes to a lot of things.
I'm healing up and getting back to normal but one nagging thing I'm dealing with is diminished energy and endurance.
Usually, I can work all day and slowly get tired as the day wears on. By quitting time, I'm tired but not wiped out. The drive home often served as a "recharge" for me and once I was home, I often went out back and tinkered in the shop.
Since this injury, I get tired more easily. I do rest and recharge but I get tired again faster than before. My shoulders sometimes feel like I engaged in a tug of war with an Olympic athlete.
I'm learning that this is supposed to be normal when the body is healing from an injury. There is a limited amount of energy that the body has and if 30% of it is being used to repair and regenerate tissue, that leaves less energy to do things.
It sucks though!
I am used to going about my tasks without feeling tired. Feeling mortal is a blow to my confidence level.
Today I went back up on the roof.
YES I did....

View attachment 1506570

View attachment 1506571

KIDDING!

I'm fine. It felt GOOD to be back at it. I've been painting and cleaning stuff inside the house and that stuff is boring, man. I like to build things.
I'll be back at it again tomorrow!

I've been doing a lot of work on ladders recently, past few days I've been on a 14' A frame with two women constantly telling me to be careful... They don't have a clue about what is or isn't safe on a ladder... Just gotta get it done.. Prior to that it's been a 10' ladder for a few days.. I actually looked at a scaffold system since it seems like every time I go up I need to come back down & move the ladder three feet... End of the day I got most of the current projects mostly caught up & I'd rather keep the cash in my pocket....

I'd tell ya to be careful but I don't want to sound like the women that yell at me constantly... So do what you do & gitter done..

 

[Kern Dog]

I think that most people that say....."Be careful, hire a professional, take it easy..." are just trying to express compassion.
I do appreciate that.
I also know that with every task there is some measure of risk. I've walked on surfaces that would make most of you guys cringe just watching.
What looks dangerous to some is actually not a big deal to those well versed in the trades. For most of my career, we framed roofs both truss types like this:

Conventional stick frame like this:

...all with no scaffold, no harnesses.... just men standing on top of walls sometimes 30 feet above ground.
Like so many other things, the industry got soft. People changed. Inexperienced people either complained or got hurt and OSHA got involved. Now there are strict guidelines for specific heights where harnesses are required or some type of scaffold has to be in place.
I didn't mind the scaffold. It allowed for a work platform close to the building to set tools, nails and hardware. We still stood on top of the wall frames to build the roof. The harnesses are terrible. They make you sweat more. They bind. They drag and get caught on things, causing you to trip and fall.
People that are not in the trades see how we work and often think that it is unsafe. It isn't IF you have balance, common sense and some bravado. I wasn't a daredevil that got a rush from risking death, I was a guy that dealt with some uncomfortable situations just to earn a living.
I just got used to working this way. I'm comfortable with it.

 

[demonram]

I think that most people that say....."Be careful, hire a professional, take it easy..." are just trying to express compassion.
I do appreciate that.
I also know that with every task there is some measure of risk. I've walked on surfaces that would make most of you guys cringe just watching.
What looks dangerous to some is actually not a big deal to those well versed in the trades. For most of my career, we framed roofs both truss types like this:

View attachment 1506585

Conventional stick frame like this:

View attachment 1506586

...all with no scaffold, no harnesses.... just men standing on top of walls sometimes 30 feet above ground.
Like so many other things, the industry got soft. People changed. Inexperienced people either complained or got hurt and OSHA got involved. Now there are strict guidelines for specific heights where harnesses are required or some type of scaffold has to be in place.
I didn't mind the scaffold. It allowed for a work platform close to the building to set tools, nails and hardware. We still stood on top of the wall frames to build the roof. The harnesses are terrible. They make you sweat more. They bind. They drag and get caught on things, causing you to trip and fall.
People that are not in the trades see how we work and often think that it is unsafe. It isn't IF you have balance, common sense and some bravado. I wasn't a daredevil that got a rush from risking death, I was a guy that dealt with some uncomfortable situations just to earn a living.
I just got used to working this way. I'm comfortable with it.

View attachment 1506590

It just becomes second nature. I was on a garage wall on a big house we were building holding the guide rope for the tresses and sheeting being delivered by crane. Tresses went fine, had a bundle of 50 sheets of plywood going up to set on the deck. I don’t remember seeing or hearing much but suddenly a strap broke. The plywood let go and my guys said I jumped off the wall into the garage. Thank God I hadn’t had the garage floor poured yet. The plywood hit and tore the garage wall from the house. I landed on the pea gravel flat, most of the sheets landed on my legs, flat, but partially on the wall. It hadn’t been compacted yet and the sheeting just buried my legs into it. We were able to just work the gravel out around my legs and I wiggled my way out. I was a little stiff, but no damage to me. My guys and a Com Ed crew who were working nearby and saw it happen couldn’t believe I wasn’t even injured. Com Ed was going to call an ambulance, but I got lucky. The lord was looking out for me that day. My left leg was about 2” from a concrete form tie sticking out from the foundation wall. That would have been bad. Just be careful and stay safe!

 

[dart4forte]

You seem to be on the mends.lookin good though given those setbacks

 

[Hey-O]

Friend jumped the over dig onto the foundation wall and slipped and the anchor bolt went into the cheek of his butt. We had to lift him off it. Stitches were needed and he sat on a pillow for weeks at break time. Lucky!! I could write a book on work accidents over my years I've seen in the trade.

 

[Kern Dog]

There seems to be no lasting effects from the fall.
One thing that would have been nice is if the weird sensitivity to Pepsi would have stayed with me. It had me drinking water instead of soda. THAT went away and my taste buds are normal again. I was down under 200 lbs for a little while but some came back once I started drinking the Pepsis again.

 

[Richard Cranium]

 

[Cranky]

There seems to be no lasting effects from the fall.
One thing that would have been nice is if the weird sensitivity to Pepsi would have stayed with me. It had me drinking water instead of soda. THAT went away and my taste buds are normal again. I was down under 200 lbs for a little while but some came back once I started drinking the Pepsis again.

Man.....get off of that junk.

 

[Hey-O]

Sometimes I feel like a coke, which I never drink, unless it's with rum. See where I'm going with this. When people see me with a tall glass of coke, you can bet it's not a virgin. Even that has slowed way down, I count calories and rum is a waste of calories. No one said life was going to be fair and it's not!!

 

[Cranky]

Sometimes I feel like a coke, which I never drink, unless it's with rum. See where I'm going with this. When people see me with a tall glass of coke, you can bet it's not a virgin. Even that has slowed way down, I count calories and rum is a waste of calories. No one said life was going to be fair and it's not!!

This may not sound as good but went to mixing my bourbon with water and well, that was ok most of the time but wanted something that had a better flavor so I tried some squeezed lemon juice and that was better but there was still something missing.....just wasn't sweet enough so tried powdered lemonade that's mixed really weak and that I liked. Still not as much sugar as using coke etc. Might go back to just using water with lemon juice though.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I have a trucking buddy who lost 120 pounds using a modified Atkins diet, and has kept it off for 15 years. We drink martinis, both because we like them and also for the low carbohydrate content.

 

[Cranky]

I have a trucking buddy who lost 120 pounds using a modified Atkins diet, and has kept it off for 15 years. We drink martinis, both because we like them and also for the low carbohydrate content.

Never have been much on the taste of a martini.....but might have to try vodka mixed with pineapple juice.

 

[Hey-O]

This may not sound as good but went to mixing my bourbon with water and well, that was ok most of the time but wanted something that had a better flavor so I tried some squeezed lemon juice and that was better but there was still something missing.....just wasn't sweet enough so tried powdered lemonade that's mixed really weak and that I liked. Still not as much sugar as using coke etc. Might go back to just using water with lemon juice though.

I'm laughing right now, because I get it!!! Try a swig of this, you'll like it.

 

[Cranky]

I've been doing a lot of work on ladders recently, past few days I've been on a 14' A frame with two women constantly telling me to be careful... They don't have a clue about what is or isn't safe on a ladder... Just gotta get it done.. Prior to that it's been a 10' ladder for a few days.. I actually looked at a scaffold system since it seems like every time I go up I need to come back down & move the ladder three feet... End of the day I got most of the current projects mostly caught up & I'd rather keep the cash in my pocket....

I'd tell ya to be careful but I don't want to sound like the women that yell at me constantly... So do what you do & gitter done..

Oh man....been there before with women that had no idea about being on a ladder. It can become unsafe just listening to that stuff and getting frustrated after telling them over and over again that I have lots of experience with ladders and know what to do to be safe and on and on. Rather work on someones' place when they ain't home!

 

[Richard Cranium]

I have a trucking buddy who lost 120 pounds using a modified Atkins diet, and has kept it off for 15 years. We drink martinis, both because we like them and also for the low carbohydrate content.

I’m guessing that he was at least 350.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I’m guessing that he was at least 350.

Right on the money - he was 350 at 6'2". He still eats a lot, but counting the carbs has worked long term for him.

 

[Brandy]

Have not had a soda, (pop), for more than 42 years.....excluding the occasional root beer float at A&W.

EDIT: My wife drinks them like water and has for all of that time. She had numerous health issues and I have none......hmmm...

 

[Cranky]

I’m guessing that he was at least 350.

3 fiddy

Have not had a soda, (pop), for more than 42 years.....excluding the occasional root beer float at A&W.

Yeah, I like Barq's root beer and will have one from time to time with pizza....a 12 pack will last me 6 months or more.

 

[Richard Cranium]

3 fiddy

If you’re gonna talk ghetto jive, then the “proper” way of speak would be tree fiddy.