I feel exactly the same, guys. I built the first two houses my family lived in myself. From scratch, alone except for a small crew helping to mix and place the concrete for the foundation walls, and a hired hitchhiker for a week to help pound all the nails to fabricate the trusses. While working a full-time shiftwork job. (I know, a varied history, too complex for here).

To the woman above berating us for "my way or highway" attitude, I can only say that a) such a decision hierarchy was an absolute survival necessity for our family when we were growing up. b) Mom, a well educated smart individual in her own right, also completely agreed with it and never felt it an imposition that I know of.

The reason for the process is the necessitiy for significant and important long-term planning without the time-waste of "concensus-building" or whatever process management consultants are currently pitching to keep spoiled brats happy. The organizer has to know that if their plans depend on a particular fence being mended or a field being weeded by a specific date and time, that the job will be done without question and with minimum discussion. Its a position of respect that is earned by the results achieved, and can as well fall to a woman as a man depending on a family's dynamic. And the woman I've known in the position are often just as demanding as any man, example my grandmother after my grandfather passed on.

Hey Don(we say hey here instead of Hi),

Well heating season here on my place is over for the year. It gets down to the lower 30s at nite but I got lots of down comforters and so I don't light off the heating stove. I got thru with about a cord of wood. Still got some left and plenty more to gather up this spring.

I too love to split wood. Over the years I have picked up a fair number of double bit axes. Lately I went with one that had more heft(weight) and a bit broader head. With this axe I can finally split well seasoned hickory. Too light an axehead and you are just wasting your time.

Skills. Yes and this is where the younger folks are going to be in trouble. They never used their hands that much. My son is an example. He doesn't know the correct manner of loosening a bolt.I found him once putting his whole weight behind a sparkplug on my VW bug...Tightening it!!!! when I told him to pull them.

Once he took a wheel off without using a jack. He said"you never told me to use something"....ahhh his mother raised the boy you see.

A farmer/landowner who lives the live must have a big kit of real skills. If you have stock you also gotta give shots, pull calves,treat pinkeye, and clamp young bulls or cut them. Know how to build fence, winter over cattle, fix all your implements, be a good welder, on and on.

Jim Beam? Try some Evan Williams. Nice to costly. Nice smooth taste , at least for me. Four Roses is my favorite but only sold in Ky. Maybe Indiana. No where else AFAIK.

We are all rich men who have learned to be content with living well and appreciating the work to make it so.

Airdale

LOL

I am a woman - single mom. I was cutting my front lawn when I first moved over to this area and one of my neighbours came over and told me how to properly cut grass. I listened politely (he's my neighbour after all) but when he left I continued on my merry way. My son - at that time 6 - said "mom you're not doing it like he said" I replied "nope - my lawn, my reasons for cutting it the way I do - nothing he said changed my thoughts on the matter" I hate to say it but I think I am an old coot myself (cootess?) I do any work or renovations around my house - I use my sons for muscle but mostly I design the jobs around my strength. I find I have less and less patience with folks who helpfully come around and tell me how to do things without first asking why I am doing things the way I am. I probably get a bit more of this than you because I am a woman.

I really think some of the cootism comes from being responsible for the welfare of yourself and others. In my home most things are discussable, compromisable, negotiable. But when necessary none of that happens - and it is my word that goes. I have to keep the big picture of everyone's welfare in my head - so I get to make the hard decisions. That's just how it is.

Or maybe not - either way I agree with Don - the sun, the wind and the stars - watching my boys play rugby, the dog snoring in the sun. Life is good

Al