Old Ironmaker

OBJECTS IN FRONT OF MIRROR MAY APPEAR LARGER THAN THEY ARE "super hard to draw a bow and shoot yourself(LOL)," Want to bet, at around 8 years old this little citiot didn't realize that if the draw on the bow string is longer than the arrow is you can shoot yourself in the thumb. I put a dart tip on the end of the too short arrow! A nice rusty one. I don't know if the arrow sticking out of the back of my thumb hurt more or my Nana giving me a good belt upside the head. I'm almost forgot that story, I just told my wife and the teenie, tiny scar, something she's never heard before, OK honey you can get up off the floor and stop laughing, it's not that funny.

They are great people at Bill's. I went in this year looking for 2 black Scotty Boy rod holders as the boat had the mounts preset flush into the gunnels. They didn't have any. Greg asked one of the guys to go to CTC across James to see if they had 2 in black. He would match their price if less. A free coffee latter he came back with 2 that were less than Bill's price. He sold them to me at Crappy Tires sale price. I went in for 2 rod holders and came out with them and 50 bucks worth of stuff on top of that. Now that's service, and good sales tactics, keep me in there long enough and he knows I'm walking out lighter in the jeans.

Correct me if I'm wrong. The added weight of the 4 stroke may counteract the 10hp increase. A friend upgraded from 2 stroke to 4 stroke with the same manufacturer and identical HP output and is topping out at about 2-3 mph less than the older 2 stroke. The difference in the size and shape of the portion of engine in the water may cause a difference in hydraulic displacement effecting speed. I personally wouldn't stress over a few MPH. A full tank, a passenger that should see Jenny Craig coupled with 2 full live wells plus a full baitwell will kill 10 HP faster than a bullet. Roy, what did you say? I can't hear you! Speak up man, my hearing is fine, what was that?

Sorry Hammer, nothing came up but a basic blank page on Photobucket?

A tip I heard years ago is pick out a boat, get his best price, go back and buy that boat from a dealer hopefully as far from TO that you can find. Buy the boat on the showroom floor on the last day of the show. With your best price, not his. He doesn't want to haul it back to kingdom come. Labor alone will be at least $200.00 plus fuel. Hopefully they have the boat that suits your needs at the show? Those boats not at the show will still be for sale after the show, don't let the " show special prices " sway you. I know the frustration of finding a good used boat. Yes there are deals out there but there are dogs for sale too. Some guys are nuts if they think they are going to get what they ask. I could write a book.

Horse walks into a bar, bartender says " Why the long face? " I think you better put an extension on the exhaust on your tractor, someone is suffering from the effects of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Or maybe you pull the plow yourself. As far as the report nice fish, but I agree it's something about it that is very, very disturbing. Humor is sometimes an acquired taste, of which I apparently have none.

Wow, 18 beans, each. Be careful, that's a days pay for some down there, probably more in some places. It would be like wearing a Rolex in a market in town. I might not take one. Remember to wash all your stuff after it sees salt water. I always bring some hardware I don't use any longer and give it to the locals fishing, also an old breakdown combo to leave. They appreciate any non rusty hook, give them a nice shiny lure and they will truly thank you. You wouldn't believe what they have to use, it's sad. And if you throw anything back it's a sin to them. Remember they are fishing to feed their families, not sport. Be respectful of that and all will be well. Where are you going? I've fished the Caribbean, Mexico and Costa Rica for years, local cops make up fishing laws and want a cash payment on the spot, as they once did in Costa Rica, México, Cuba and the D.R. PM me and I may be able to share my experiences with you, good and bad. You ain't in Kansas anymore Dorothy.

Covering it nice and tight works too. Even shrink wrapped there is plenty of venting with the plug out or cutting a window in it and screened over. I've seen what damage can be done to the wiring on a 2 year old Harley.

We don't need to wait until November 11th at 11 AM every year to take the time to think of our vets.

There is just about everything under the sun on YouTube , a demo of your model is online as well. I only looked at 1 of many, many listings with info from Google referring to your Minncotta. I would rather go to BPS myself but you can save a lot more time for fishing later looking online now. You sure do ask a lot of questions that you can answer yourself with a little effort on your part. Same goes for looking for a trolling motor. Advice is one thing, researching for someone is another. Good luck with your new unit. JD

Lew, It must be great to have those pictures, they are a treasure. Man your fathers shoes look like glass in a black and white photo, imagine what they looked like in real life. If you see a vet tomorrow and we are blessed to have a few still with us from WW 2 make their day. Take the time to walk up to him and thank him/her for their service. It is much appreciated and tomorrow is a day where some bad memories are dug up and it is guaranteed to brighten them up a bit. Even if they didn't see action in this century or last odds are someone they knew that did and never returned.

Question Does this motor come with a quick release bracket? asked 6 months ago by MiskM on Minn Kota PowerDrive V2 Trolling Motor 1 answer Answers answer 1 Yes it does come with a quick release feature. I just copied off the CTC website for this motor. I presume you bought one, new or used?

How is the motor going to clear the bow rail on your boat?

A pal uses Irish Spring soap, I use moth balls. The cat sleeps in the boat under the shrink wrap. This her it not going to be here so moth balls and Irish Spring. I'm going to get a box of dryer sheets and put the moth balls and soap on them. With the cost of electrical and leather repairs one can't be too careful.

Pics from internet downloads, Windows8RT photos, c: Therefor if I send photo to alternate email/return/send to OFC don't require SkyDrive. Don't mind me I'm just playing.

Lets try this file. Note to self, files won't download from SkyDrive, no problem from desktop.

Dave maybe not the best month to retire but any month you retire is a good one. Good for you. I did have a business up to 3 years ago, no one says because you have a business it makes you money, now it's my pension only, but my wife does work full time and is doing well at it. That really helps. It's the first time my spouse earned more than me, I always looked at it the old fashioned way, man make money, wife cook and clean, sort of. I got used to this paradigm shift quickly. Your story sounds very familiar.

It's amazing more hunters aren't killed, it is sad how unlucky and or stupid people are. I tell you a story. In the 60's my cousin and I would ride along with my Uncle and his hunting buddies when they hunted Western NY on the weekend. Their preferred method was to push a field towards the station wagon, if no Deer seen, the next move was to load everyone into the wagon, all 8 of us, then mosey down to the next gin mill and have a shot of Kessler's and a Jenny, or two, then load up and find another field, push, repeat beer and shot. I wonder if this is the way it got them through Europe during the war. A few years ago in Haldimand County here 2 knuckleheads were hunting a pond for Duck. These two yokels both in their 70's began to argue, one friend took offence and shot the other. No fatality fortunately. Both blew well over the legal limit for driving. They weren't driving the shooter told OPP, just huntin'. Ask me why I never took up hunting? I don't like Kessler's Whisky.

Like any other presentation Limey, a lure is only as good as the rest of the formula. What was the formula Al Linder always quoted? Presentation, Population, Location. I personally don't think I've tried one. I strongly believe using a brand you have confidence in is important. It seems that when I have confidence in a presentation I catch more. I think one concentrates more. Anyone agree? Something I like to do also is look on the box or whatever on a new lure, first time or not and read it if there are instructions. My go to brand is Rappala. The tips on these packages are important. Tuning instructions to tying tips. Some Rappala's recommend not to use terminal tackle some don't mention this. Some mention loop knots should be used some no knots are mentioned. I'd like to try one but I need another lure like I need another hole in my head. I'll probably pick one up now, thanks a lot, I bet they aren't cheap!!!!!!

"Unless you don't plan on living very long inflation will get you. Even with indexing it probably won't keep up" Yes inflation will get you but the big secret and it's no secret at all is your lifestyle will change as you age. Lets go back to 20 years ago. I'm 59 on a pension from the plant for 13 years, 25 and out deal. Regularly went to ball games with the gang, any outing to Toronto or Buffalo was a minimum of $200.00, not including tickets, went to a few World Series games and went to the Superbowl many times when in Florida, don't even go to a Ti-Cat game now, been there done that. Weekly the boys from work or the regular crew traditionally went out for drinks and dinner, $200.00 a pop, not including stopping at the bar for an hour a few more times a week, been there done that. A few times a week for dinner and or lunches on dates, or with my now wife, done with that, would rather be on the deck at the lake BBQ ing. We do try to get out in the fall and winter at least once a week, maybe, not because of cost we'd rather be home. Had a 4 bed, 3 bath home and the cottage we entertained at regularly, or every weekend at the lake, minimum $200.00 for a BBQ at the lake sometimes $500.00 for the weekend, same at home with overnight friends poolside, we are all the same age, we do get together but everyone wants to host now, everyone likes to stay close to home at our age. Been there done that. Downsized from that McMansion, remodeled the cottage and moved in the year I retired. From 3800 ftsq to 1250 ftsq. Been there done that. No mortgage, big difference not shelling out a grand plus big taxes, plus utilities for 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms no one used oh, and the finished lower level, all that empty space no one used but holidays and a few weekends a year. When working drove a Benz, BMW and Cadillac , now it's Chevy, Ford, or Nissan. Had Armani in the closet, now it's Moores. Been there done that. Boat and toys all purchased and paid for now, not 20 years ago. Was a member at a Golf and Country Club and all the fees that go with it, now it's a semi-private course. I can shower at home as well as wait until we come back here for the 19th hole or at someone's place instead of staying for 3 hours for pop's and meet the wives for dinner at the club. $300.00 a month beverage fee, plus. We still stay for one or two and have a DD to support the course but the beers always better on the deck plus we have a better view of the lake. Man I could go on and on, it's just getting a bit older and you just find yourself not spending as much. The quality of life retired isn't lesser because one can't afford it, it is just different and works out to be less costly than when working, it's just different needs and wants. It's mindset not net worth. I give a simple analogy. When I was working up to 12 hours a day and on call the rest if I needed a new wheelbarrow I stopped at CTC and asked where the wheelbarrows were? Paid to have it assembled by the guy, went up to the cashier and then asked how much? Now I have the time to hunt around for a good deal, go out and pick one up on sale, have the time to put it together and the time to use it. When I was able bodied and working all those stupid hours I usually had a company do both places unless I was on vacation or had an extra 3 hours, yea right. Now I have time to do it and enjoy it usually. There's another few hundred a month. That's actually something I miss, having someone cut the grass. I still won't shovel or snowblow, if I have to go out and get a job to pay for it I will have a guy come here and do the snow. You will be surprised, I took a very early pension. If I stayed 10 more years I would be dead by now. I haven't missed a meal and can say I honestly don't miss the money. I golf, fish, vacation (usually at home when my wifes off), enjoy myself a heck of a lot more at 50% of the wages I made. It would have worked out to only about 1% more per annum for every year I stayed past 27.5. You just won't spend what you don't have and will be surprised at what you longer need that you thought you couldn't live without. I watch the Super Bowl at home now with friends on the paid for big screen and surround sound, that is if you can pry those friends from their homes now. As far as paying off a mortgage that's up for debate. I don't have any children as a legacy, my assets will go to my wife as well as 70% of my pension, if I life insure a line of credit I do like the idea of using cash paying 3% on a line of credit earning me a return of 12% or more in real estate. I knew a very successful business man that once owned an airline, we are talking big money here. He said if a business man doesn't go bankrupt at least twice I his life he wasn't doing very well? When asked to explain he said if I owe 10 million for fuel to Esso and I do, why shouldn't I pay them 10 cents on the dollar? Not every venture is a success, this is one, we do something else tomorrow. Didn't Trump declare bankruptcy once at least. So why pay off a mortgage? Basically not using that money to make more isn't a good plan.

Very impressive, and I don't get impressed easily. Worth many thousand stories.

How true, my monthly stipend sure looked mighty fine 13 years ago, today I always say a buck 60 will get you a coffee at Horton, the change is my pension I contributed to for 30 years.

So in reality that was a fishing un-report. A very good skunk report. Not something you see here everyday. I can now report with regularity on my Steelhead hunt. Here's a photo of my last outing.

I didn't say sympathy, I said empathy, there is a difference. If anyone thinks an addict can control their actions they need to read a bit more or get out in the real world and see for themselves or have known a family member or friend battle addiction, and have their life taken by it.

The other thing I want to say is if he does choose to go into treatment does not mean it can save him. I have known a very eclectic cross section of people over the years. Every one of them that were addicted to crack cocaine, not to be confused with powdered cocaine, none were able to kick the habit for good, not one I know of personally. One former accomplished retired pro athlete I knew from the old days kicked it for over 10 years. Just when you thought, well there's a success story, new wife, a second family of young children he adored, a nice home in the suburbs with a mini van, and a great well paying job, what one would deem to be normal. Well,,,,, he went on a weekend bender and died of a heart attach in a seedy motel room in the east end of Hamilton, at the age of 52. Someone took the time to rob him of everything but his underwear after he died. He left that beautiful family and a good life behind. It's beyond tragic. Rob need's to need help, unless it's too late..