What R you doing today?

[ceeaton]

I agree. Haven't felt this feeling since my wife stopped working when we had our fourth child in 2007. I'm still in shock, but committed never to go into credit card debit again, even if it is for a good cause (kids with illness). Very proud that my wife used her windfall the way she did, has made our marriage much more special, and changed the way I look at her, should have realized it was always in her heart. Nothing could have made her more happy than making me happy, when I saw that it changed everything, for the good!

 

[Tess]

I slept until 1PM.. I seriously needed it Between work, the flooding in this area and my allergies!!

 

[JohnT]

(Actually yesterday)

I was able to continue fixing up my wife's table.

The tabletop was in pieces. It was like it was originally glued up using Elmer's White Glue.

I broke all of the butt joins, then re-glued using biscuit joinery. I then sanded off the finish and replaced the hardware. This table is a drop-leaf where the center leg at each end pivots, allowing each leaf to drop.

Now I need to start giving it some finish sanding. I is currently sanded using 80 grit. I will then give it a sanding with 100 grit, the 120, 220, and then 400. I plan then to wipe the surface with water to raise the grain, then sand glassy smooth again (220, then 400).

For finish, I matched the original finish.. one coat of driftwood stain, then once dry I will apply several coats of "wipe on" paylurethane.

 

[mainshipfred]

(Actually yesterday)

I was able to continue fixing up my wife's table.

The tabletop was in pieces. It was like it was originally glued up using Elmer's White Glue.

I broke all of the butt joins, then re-glued using biscuit joinery. I then sanded off the finish and replaced the hardware. This table is a drop-leaf where the center leg at each end pivots, allowing each leaf to drop.

Now I need to start giving it some finish sanding. I is currently sanded using 80 grit. I will then give it a sanding with 100 grit, the 120, 220, and then 400. I plan then to wipe the surface with water to raise the grain, then sand glassy smooth again (220, then 400).

For finish, I matched the original finish.. one coat of driftwood stain, then once dry I will apply several coats of "wipe on" paylurethane.



View attachment 47366

Nice shop John, good use of old doors and I can see some essentional tools. I'm sure there are more not in the pic.

 

[JohnT]

Nice shop John, good use of old doors and I can see some essentional tools. I'm sure there are more not in the pic.

My father was a GC and was paying a fortune for mill work. In the long run it was far cheaper to build his own shop and do his own mill work. So, he built a "Barn" (a wood shop actually) and I grew up around industrial table saws, band saws, radial arm saws, shapers, planers, drill presses, etc. I am also happy to say that I still have all of my fingers.

Unfortunately, Sandy took out the "Barn". a 40" diameter tree sliced right through the middle of the building as if it were butter. The tree came to rest on a Dewalt radial arm saw. The saw was ruined, but only slightly. Good old AMERICAN made product!

So, we rebuilt with a "can never have enough counterspace" theme . I can post more photos if you folks are interested.

 

[mainshipfred]

My father was a GC and was paying a fortune for mill work. In the long run it was far cheaper to build his own shop and do his own mill work. So, he built a "Barn" (a wood shop actually) and I grew up around industrial table saws, band saws, radial arm saws, shapers, planers, drill presses, etc. I am also happy to say that I still have all of my fingers.

Unfortunately, Sandy took out the "Barn". a 40" diameter tree sliced right through the middle of the building as if it were butter. The tree came to rest on a Dewalt radial arm saw. The saw was ruined, but only slightly. Good old AMERICAN made product!

So, we rebuilt with a "can never have enough counterspace" theme . I can post more photos if you folks are interested.

I'd like to see them. I have an old Dewalt radial arm that I rarely use but just can't bare to get rid of it.

 

[JohnT]

but committed never to go into credit card debit again, even if it is for a good cause (kids with illness).

If I may, I would offer that ALL debt is bad.

Take a mortgage. Most folks take out a mortgage and plan to pay off the house in 30 years. With most mortgages, this means that you will be paying TRIPLE what the house is worth. Clearly a no-win scenario.

SWMBO and myself have been 100% debt free for the last 25 years. We started with a "fixer-upper" (to say the least) that was cheap. We then worked on paying off the house early especially in the very beginning where you are paying mostly interest. It was amazing the ripple effect of just a slight overpayment has in the long run. This was possible because in NJ, lenders can not fine you for early payoff).

Boy did we live thin during those years! Every penny we could spare went into the early pay off of the mortgage. In the end, we had the house paid off in 7 years. We took no vacations and only occasionally ate out (at the diner). We did not even have cable TV since that was another $35 a month toward paying off the house or a cell phones which would have been another $40 a month.

For several years after paying off the house, we continued to work and made saving money a continuing priority. We did some improvements to the place (doing the work ourselves) and after 3 or 4 years, we sold the house, took out most of our savings, and purchased our dream home. We paid cash!

Although we have credit cards, we never use them. Instead, we use debit cards. This got us to spend only what we could afford without any monthly bills or interest.

We even avoid car loans (IMHO, just one step up from CCs). We always purchase new vehicles, nothing fancy (I drive a Mazda 3), and only when we have the savings to purchase outright.

 

[sour_grapes]

but committed never to go into credit card debit again, even if it is for a good cause (kids with illness).

If I may, I would offer that ALL debt is bad.

Sooo, John, you would advocate just letting the kid die to avoid the debt?

 

[JohnT]

Sooo, John, you would advocate just letting the kid die to avoid the debt?

Even though that type of debt is unavoidable, it is still bad!

 

[ceeaton]

Well, we've had no money to pay off the mortgage quicker, four kids, two diabetics and a celiac, lot's of medical bills. No cable since 2005. Tracfones for cell phones. Only used cars, hoping this batch we have will last long enough to save up for the next round. We pay our savings accounts what our car payments would be, we'll see how that works out. No big vacations, only occasional time at our cabin in the mountains. We've done pretty well with what we have, don't starve and I try and make what alcohol we drink, for the most part. We also don't go out to dinner but once or twice a year (luckily I like to cook).

I was surprised when my wife okayed the money for the NE winemakers meetup in June because I know that could have gone into savings. We've got to budget for a 25 year old house (new heat system, new roof, some new appliances, new lawn tractor, etc).

 

[ceeaton]

No, I would advocate health insurance to keep from going into debt.

Unfortunately ours now has a $4000 x 2 deductible, and the new insulin pumps were $23,000 each.

 

[JohnT]

Unfortunately ours now has a $4000 x 2 deductible, and the new insulin pumps were $23,000 each.

DAMN!!!!!

 

[ceeaton]

DAMN!!!!!

That's the cost if you don't have insurance. The real price is about 1/2 of that. Sort of like the insulin, about $1200 for three months for each of them. We pay $90 each for a three month supply, the insurance company takes care of the rest. Only problem is that the $90 used to be $25 five years ago. It is starting to increase more and more each year, sort of getting momentum I'd guess you could say.

Trying to figure out how the kids will be able to afford it once they get kicked off our policies, now that's the trick!

 

[Ajmassa]

What am I doing today?
Being given a new perspective. And praying for Ceeaton to find a big bag of unclaimed money today. (Knowing Craig he’d probably return it though) or hits the lotto.
JohnT basically laid out our EXACT plans we’ve set in motion. Already seeing benefits with our credit scores soaring recently. But 7yrs paid off? Sounds overwhelming. Especially while spending on quality improvements.
We do an auto-payment every 4 weeks giving 13 payments a year. Doubt that’s even gonna make a dent though.

 

[JohnT]

But 7yrs paid off? Sounds overwhelming. Especially while spending on quality improvements.

I come from a construction family. We handled all of the work ourselves.

The house was a real POS when we bought it. It was in Madison, NJ just two blocks from the train station (that has direct service into NYC). We picked it up in 1989 for under 6 figures. Since we just got married, we took the wedding "gift money" and used it as a down-payment.

The house was 135 years old, was sagging and we had to put in a couple of columns to straighten things out. The heating system was a joke, there was no finished kitchen (just a sink and a stove). There was no insulation and the bathroom was a joke.

The amount of work we did over the 11 years living there was epic.

 

[ceeaton]

What am I doing today?
Being given a new perspective. And praying for Ceeaton to find a big bag of unclaimed money today. (Knowing Craig he’d probably return it though)

I'd at least report it. Plus we (my wife) already got the big bag of money, so for now it's time to work on bolstering the savings account and working on the mortgage.

or hits the lotto.

The Powerball was won pretty local to here, only two counties away. But I've heard you have to play to win...

 

[Boatboy24]

... and the new insulin pumps were $23,000 each.

That's criminal!

 

[sour_grapes]

The best definition I have ever heard of what a loan is: A loan is the future you sending money back in time to the present you (after paying interest). The question is: Will the future you think this was a good idea?

If it kept my diabetic child alive and healthy long enough that I could work more to make more money to meet his needs, I think my future self would think it was a good idea. Or not "bad debt" if you will.

 

[ceeaton]

That's criminal!

Well, when you think about what they actually do, it's worth it. They're A1C's have been much lower than when on shots (plus it was at least 4 shots a day, one at each meal, plus a second 24 hour insulin for their basal needs). If it didn't make them healthier, you know the insurance companies wouldn't even think of covering them. Plus the supplies for the two of them are around $1000 out of pocket every three months (this doesn't include insulin, testing strips, ketone strips, lancets etc)

 

[Johnd]

Just sitting out by the pool enjoying a glass and a beautiful 60F evening after several straight days of rain, with an ice pack on my knee. Two weeks today since the knee op, torn meniscus repair, and general clean up. Did about a week on crutches, few days on one crutch, full blown two legged hobbling this past weekend. The year of knee pain seems a distant memory now, just managing a little swelling at the end of the days.

Planning some soil amendments and tilling for the garden on Saturday, planting the Spring garden in the afternoon, and a day of satisfying catchup in the wine room Sunday, tasting, topping and sulfiting barrels, maybe a little bottling if I’m up to it......