Welcome To Topix Too Forum

The current project, a big civil war era Italianate Victorian, has me a bit strung out.  I got a little too emotionally involved when I bought her.  She is a true diamond in the rough.  I think the "rough" part may kill me before I am through.  I am off to rent a sewer machine as soon as the rental place opens this morning. 

I'd expect nothing less from a man as adventurous and caring as you, Cowface. Lot's of others in here as well, very interesting lives.




I use to mow the neighborhood lawns between 9-13 years of age at $70/week. Not to shabby for a kid in the late 80's. Was able to buy my first car at 13 after saving up $1500.


13-16 I worked in the local paint store owned by a family friend.


Late teens- Retail for my first out of school job for a year, Super Kmart. (Dear, Lord..why?)


Early 20's- Local Sawmill for 3 years (grading shed, running the trim saw) We had a guy that committed suicide by front-end loader while I was there. From what I remember, he tied a garden hose to the controls, laid down under the bucket and pulled.


20's -Truck Driver


Mid 20's -Military service. MOS:19K - Crewmen on the M1A2 SEP Abrams tank. 


Early 30's- Auto repossession (good times).  Besides the 2 times my life was threatened by someone brandishing a firearm, this line of work was surprisingly fun. It had a cloak and dagger-esque fun to it.

 The one memory that sticks out is, and it's not really that eventful but for some reason after a decade has past it's the one I remember the most. Christmas eve (i know, what a horrible time to snag someone's car) I did a door knock to confront the owner about the late payment. This wasn't usual operating procedure, but I was asked by the company to inquire.  Well, a woman opened the door dressed in what was probably holiday best, 2 very young kids sitting around a table of food, decorations and Christmas tree in the corner and the smell of the holiday filling the air. 

Long story short, she immediately began to cry. Now, usually this doesn't effect me as I've seen and heard it all before at this point. But something struck me that I should just tell the lady I wasn't taking her car and that I'd be back in a week to give her time to make the payment. Now, I've done this a few times before over the years but this was the only time I never went back to get her car and  always told the company I worked for "I couldn't find it". 

No clue to this day as to why. I just didn't. Divine intervention, empathy? maybe both. Hopefully, one would like to think, it change her life in her time of need.  Like I said, it's somewhat uneventful but it's something  that "haunts" my memories still. Weird, I know.


City evictions now and then- 100$ for 5 min of work or 2 hours, for throwing people's stuff out onto the curb. This was a "side hustle". Few times a week to once a month, it just depended when they called you. Always had a sheriff escort, Bob, I forget his last name now. Nicest older gentleman you'd of ever met. Sadly I think he passed away some years back.


Mid 30's-  Started my own business selling scrubs (scrub truck) to nursing homes/hospitals.  I started by teaching myself how to sew (Yes, on a sewing machine), selling scrubs I had made by word of mouth to the nursing home a family member worked in. This helped supplement income for expenses while I started (business license, truck, insurance, stock) until I finally had enough to just buy everything at wholesale. I ended up selling this business after a few years. Money was good, but I missed working with my hands. Thus leading me to what I do now.



I'm an owner/operator of a small construction crew of varying size (5-15) doing local contractor work. I do remodeling, roofing, drywall, paint, concrete, landscaping, electrical, brick laying, tree trimming - the works.  No plumbing, not anymore. Not after I was working in some old 1950's house about 7 years ago with a backed up sewer line in the basement that happened to "explode", sending "stuff"  flying out in all direction and all over everybody in close proximity.   How did it "explode" one may ponder? ...let's just blame it on the "new guy" wielding a hammer and leave it at that.

 I do have a couple of the local slumlords on account, you'd be surprised at the amount of houses these people own in town/county. It's nuts. This alone keeps me busy most of the summer. Section 8, drug addict renters made me- Sadly. They punch holes in the walls, busted windows from being raided, steal the old original copper pipe to resell for drugs. It's a mess when they leave.


When I'm not on the job site and in my spare time. I do "word of mouth" car mechanical repairs on the cheap (heavily discounted) out of my garage at home for friends and family.



Jack of all trades, master of none.

Sandwich maker?

The current project, a big civil war era Italianate Victorian, has me a bit strung out.  I got a little too emotionally involved when I bought her.  She is a true diamond in the rough.  I think the "rough" part may kill me before I am through.  I am off to rent a sewer machine as soon as the rental place opens this morning.

Cool on flipping houses and antiques. I love antiques and have several. My most prized one is a homemade Nativity set that a great aunt hand made and a crocheted quilt that my grandmother made.

Cool on flipping houses and antiques. I love antiques and have several. My most prized one is a homemade Nativity set that a great aunt hand made and a crocheted quilt that my grandmother made.

That's cool, Purplelady.  I buy a lot of quilts and afghans when I go to auctions.  It always makes me sad to see some little old lady's hours and hours of work go on sale to strangers for pennies.

I also sell on Ebay,been doing it  since 2005.

I love quilts and my mom cross stitched quilts.  It is sad when all that hard works go to no one who appreciates them.

I have a quilt my great grandma made, she was very talented and I really miss her, quilt has a pee stain on it but I wouldn't trade it for a million dollars

Sandwich maker?

Joanna, there are things in this world that are bound by nature that a man just can not do that a woman does 100X superior. One of those things is cook- IMHO.

That's why I like to eat at Arby's.  The back of their shirts say things like  "You're hungry, and I can cook" or "How about a sandwich", so I reward them with my patronage. The subtle training of those women employee's into the patriarchal hierarchy is breathtaking to behold. I wonder if they have even realized it yet.  I'm seriously surprised this isn't a thing where the Feminist movement hasn't made an outcry about making female workers wear such disparaging 'gender role' garb.


However, I did teach myself how to crochet along with being able to sew. So if you need a scarf, I can work one up for you. I've been working on one all winter in my free time. It's about half done..... Not something I actually like to do, as you can probably tell.

It's a house, built in 1865.  She still has all of the old mahogany woodwork (covered in 150 years worth of flaking paint).  When I bought it every room was covered in wallpaper dating back to the 1890s.  I have removed most of the wallpaper as it was stained and peeling and patched and painted the old plaster walls.  I found out shortly after acquiring her that the water line was only about a foot deep and served more as a sprinkler system than a water line with all of the holes.  I have since replaced about 150 feet of water line.  I am now in the process of getting all of the old fireplaces (there are 7, 2 chimneys) in safe working order and dealing with unexpected sewage issues (someone was never taught the effects of grease poured down a drain). My stated end goal is to eventually sell the house and make a bit of money, but really it is more of a labor of love.  Someone needs to save the old gal.

I know this feeling, Der.   The place sounds beautiful btw.  Would of loved to seen the old wallpaper.  Does it happen to have the Turquoise tile around the fireplace? Seen a few house in town that I've worked on that had this- stunning.

well I have all kinds of titles..Wife Mom Grandma Sister Aunt Niece Cousin Cook Taxi dishwasher Maid Caretaker anything else you can name..with no pay and that sucks...LOL  but I enjoy every minute of it... 

There are things in this world that you can't put a price tag on.  But your "title" of everything you do will echo throughout eternity, touching people's lives in ways you will never fathom.  Thank You.

In case anyone was wondering...I figured out my sewage problem.  Some idiot (me) cut the pipe in two when she was trenching in the new water line.  D'oh!  All fixed now.

In case anyone was wondering...I figured out my sewage problem.  Some idiot (me) cut it in two when she was trenching in the new water line.  D'oh!  All fixed now.

Glad is fixed... there is nothing worse than sewer or septic problems. I ve had my share. Who knows what lies beneath... perhaps there may also ly beneath a depression day stash of treasure... keep digging.