Emergency Firewood Delivery

[quads]

This one was a freebie to a relative. They tell jokes about me and snicker because I have so much firewood, am so many years ahead, and cut it all year long. When it's 80° in the summer and I'm cutting firewood, they tell me; "You're a fool! We don't cut firewood when it's this warm. Are you trying to wreck your saw? Why don't you go lay around on the beach, or in the air conditioning, like we do?" Once heating season rolls around, they go out and cut up a tree as needed. Tonight's fire is quite often burning a tree that was cut earlier today.

Some years we get a fair amount of snow. It's not so easy to go out and cut the firewood for tonight's fire. That's when I get the calls; "We're out of firewood. Can you help us?" "Sure" I say. I've got plenty to share.

So I load $25 worth into my pickup and head over there. No one is home. I assume they have left for church right after they hung up the phone with me. They do a lot more praying than wood cutting. I guess it works, their firewood prayers were answered!

Their driveway hasn't been plowed, it's just a couple ruts in the snow (I used to plow it for them, but they bought their own snowblower, which I saw today setting in a snowdrift). An old car is parked in the way of getting to where the wood needs to be stacked. I'm not sure if it runs, but I check the ignition and no key anyway. I start carrying an armful at a time the 100 feet between my truck and the woodpile. I have to weave between the old car and an exercise bicycle half buried in the snow, then slip and slide through a few bags full of trash, then dodge around the rusting barbecue grill, past some old swing/love seat patio furniture with two pieces of pipe sticking out of it, one of which keeps aiming for my groin every time I pas it, and finally at the woodpile to unload my arms.

After several of these armful trips, I decide to rummage through their shed. I'm sure I saw a wheelbarrow around here before. There it is, tipped over with a bunch of dirt and junk in it. I dump it out, and notice one of the handles is missing a bolt and very loose. OK, I'll take it easy and hope it stays together. I wheel it out next to my truck, load it up with wood, and the tire is flat! It pushes real hard through the snow with a flat tire. Almost hard enough that I'm not sure if it's easier than just carrying it by the armful. On the second trip with the wheelbarrow, the handle falls off. Ok, back to the armful method until I'm done.

It's a good thing I love firewood.

 

[Dix]

Quads, yer a saint.

I would not have done that.

 

[Bobbin]

In Aesop's fable about the Grasshopper and the Ant (and benefit of planning ahead) the Grasshopper knocked on the Ant's door in mid-winter and explained that he was cold. The Ant replied thusly, "well, you sang all summer and now can dance all winter".

I'm not that harsh (usually) but I wouldn't have gone quite as far as you did, either. Next time they call you and then split for church remind them that the good Lord helps those who help themselves.

You are a good person.

 

[rathmir]

It's a good thing I love firewood.

It's a good thing you love your relatives For their sake!

I don't know that I would have been as tenacious in getting it where they wanted it...

They seem to have a bunch of other crap piled up everywhere, why not a pile of firewood right behind where you could pull the truck up to?

 

[quads]

Thanks!

I don't mind helping people (relatives included!), enjoy it actually, so not that I am complaining I guess. I would never tell them how to live their lives, but sometimes I worry what will happen when I'm gone or am no longer able to do things for them. While I was doing it, especially after the handle came off the wheelbarrow with the flat tire, I stood there shaking my head and just had to share my story with somebody!

 

[logjammed]

you may want to clean thier chimney for them , sounds like maintenance is low on the list.

 

[burntime]

logjammed, I think it will clean itself :cheese:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

quads, I'd do the same.....except the wood would have been unloaded in the driveway. Let them do the carrying and stacking. Sometimes we can do too much for folks and then it is expected all the time. I like to help folks, but I also expect them to do their part.

 

[LLigetfa]

So I load $25 worth into my pickup and head over there. No one is home. I assume they have left for church right after they hung up the phone with me. They do a lot more praying than wood cutting. I guess it works, their firewood prayers were answered!

You are certainly a Saint. I adhere to the old saying "God helps those who help themselves". I have little sympathy for those that not only cannot plan ahead but then also ridicule those that do.

I have a little brother that sounds like your relative. Chicken today, feathers tomorrow. He was quite the magician... always appeared out of thin air when supper was about to be served and did a disappearing act whenever there was work to be done. He always knew I had beer and would often come borrow some. Now, he always replaced the beer but when he did, he also hung around to "help" me drink it. I was his personal pawn shop. I'd pawn his stuff to save him from practically giving it away to others that were only too willing to take advantage of him. I always sold the stuff back to him at no profit if/when he wanted it back. One can only do this for so long.

 

[PJF1313]

Quads -

Love your Jeep P/U! Is that a K-40 on there?

Hada scrap mine when the frame "broke" - rusted completely through on the pass. side, and not much more than flashing on the drivers...

 

[LLigetfa]

Thanks!

I don't mind helping people (relatives included!), enjoy it actually, so not that I am complaining I guess. I would never tell them how to live their lives, but sometimes I worry what will happen when I'm gone or am no longer able to do things for them.

That's just it. You are enabling them and creating a dependency. Sometimes a little "tough love" is needed to teach them to think for themselves. At the very least you can make them listen to the sermon before they get the meal, just like down at the Salvation Army.

 

[PapaDave]

I'm a pretty nice guy. However..........that wood would have been dropped in the driveway, or I guess at the time it was a snowway.
As the saying goes, "lack of planning by you does not constitute an emergency for me". Wait, you mentioned $25 worth of wood. Did they pay for c/s/s?
N/M, just reread the op. Freebie.

 

[quads]

quads, I'd do the same.....except the wood would have been unloaded in the driveway. Let them do the carrying and stacking. Sometimes we can do too much for folks and then it is expected all the time. I like to help folks, but I also expect them to do their part.

The bad thing is, if I had thrown it off in the driveway, that's where it would have stayed. Then I would have felt guilty every time I saw it there, at least until it's gone. In which case they'll be calling me for more! Ha ha!

 

[quads]

Thanks!

I don't mind helping people (relatives included!), enjoy it actually, so not that I am complaining I guess. I would never tell them how to live their lives, but sometimes I worry what will happen when I'm gone or am no longer able to do things for them.

That's just it. You are enabling them and creating a dependency. Sometimes a little "tough love" is needed to teach them to think for themselves. At the very least you can make them listen to the sermon before they get the meal, just like down at the Salvation Army.

Yep, you're right, I know. Just can't help myself.

 

[quads]

Quads -

Love your Jeep P/U! Is that a K-40 on there?

Hada scrap mine when the frame "broke" - rusted completely through on the pass. side, and not much more than flashing on the drivers...

Ha! Thanks! I bought it brandnew off the showroom floor in 1991. Now look at the poor old thing. Hit two deer with it (of course right after canceling that type of insurance). Still runs good, but starting to look a little tough.

Nope, that's not a K-40, it's a Trucker 2000. I've got a Uniden PC68XL in there. I used to use a Grant with sideband and all the "freeband channels" added to it, but it quit working.

 

[Jack Straw]

Quads

You should move to upstate NY. You'd make a great neighbor!

 

[PJF1313]

Quads -

Love your Jeep P/U! Is that a K-40 on there?

Hada scrap mine when the frame "broke" - rusted completely through on the pass. side, and not much more than flashing on the drivers...

Ha! Thanks! I bought it brandnew off the showroom floor in 1991. Now look at the poor old thing. Hit two deer with it (of course right after canceling that type of insurance). Still runs good, but starting to look a little tough.

Nope, that's not a K-40, it's a Trucker 2000. I've got a Uniden PC68XL in there. I used to use a Grant with sideband and all the "freeband channels" added to it, but it quit working.

I was able to drive mine to the bone yard - sitting kinda funny between the bed and cab. Hada watch out for the RR tracks, the "frame/tissue paper" would bottom out and got hung up on one...

Looks ain't nothin' - if it gets ya from here to there and back, that's all that matters!

 

[Wood Duck]

That's mighty nice of you, Quads, but I don't see where the emergency is. A friend at work has a sign posted in his office that reads 'Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.'

 

[willworkforwood]

Hey Quads, I could use a truckload myself (prefer 2-3" oak splits). If you leave now, mapquest says you'll get to my place tomorrow around 3 pm. I won't be home, but you can use my wheelbarrow - it only has 1 wheel, but you'll figure it out. Bring it around the back of the house, down the bulkhead. In the basement you'll find another wheelbarrow (yep, the other wheel), and you can stack it right next to the other oak. The dog should be fine - hasn't bitten anyone in over a month. And, before you leave for home, just check to see if the boiler needs to be topped off. Thanks, we really do appreciate you!

 

[ohio woodburner]

Quads great Jeep you got there. Kinda partial to em being from Jeep country. Looks even better with the free wood :cheese: I hope you are trully blessed for all the good deeds you do

 

[Rockey]

Thanks!

I don't mind helping people (relatives included!), enjoy it actually, so not that I am complaining I guess. I would never tell them how to live their lives, but sometimes I worry what will happen when I'm gone or am no longer able to do things for them.

That's just it. You are enabling them and creating a dependency. Sometimes a little "tough love" is needed to teach them to think for themselves. At the very least you can make them listen to the sermon before they get the meal, just like down at the Salvation Army.

Very well said. Quads heart is in the right place. It reminds me of my very own Father. Together we run a local small business and often dont see eye to eye on employees. Too often he would keep certain employees around that are a "cancer" to the company. He is more than happy to overpay or give a handout to those that dont deserve it because he is very sympathetic to their situation. He just cant help himself. The truth is its a co-dependancy where my father only feels real value from giving something to someone that isnt deserved and giving it to someone who isn't deserving or capable of providing for themselves. It allows the undeserving to continue their incorrect behevior because it has been rewarded.

Good thing its only firewood in this case. There is much, much worse enabling out there. Once again, Quads heart is in the right place.

 

[Apprentice_GM]

Quads,

I reckon you have a huge heart to do what you did, but I reckon you're not helping them, you're hurting them.

Next time they call, they can come and pickup from your place. You can show them where you store it, and whilst THEY are loading it, explain the reason you cut year-round and prepare (eg the grasshopper and ant story above).

That's mighty nice of you, Quads, but I don't see where the emergency is. A friend at work has a sign posted in his office that reads 'Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.'

Wood Duck - I love that sign! I'm getting one

 

[quads]

That's mighty nice of you, Quads, but I don't see where the emergency is. A friend at work has a sign posted in his office that reads 'Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.'

You're right.

 

[quads]

Hey Quads, I could use a truckload myself (prefer 2-3" oak splits). If you leave now, mapquest says you'll get to my place tomorrow around 3 pm. I won't be home, but you can use my wheelbarrow - it only has 1 wheel, but you'll figure it out. Bring it around the back of the house, down the bulkhead. In the basement you'll find another wheelbarrow (yep, the other wheel), and you can stack it right next to the other oak. The dog should be fine - hasn't bitten anyone in over a month. And, before you leave for home, just check to see if the boiler needs to be topped off. Thanks, we really do appreciate you!

Ha! I'm experienced at driving a wheelbarrow with a flat tire now! Until the handle falls off.

 

[quads]

Quads great Jeep you got there. Kinda partial to em being from Jeep country. Looks even better with the free wood :cheese: I hope you are trully blessed for all the good deeds you do

Thanks! That's my only car.

My wife has a Jeep too, but hers is a 1996 Cherokee Sport, Looks just about like my truck though, same color and also deer damaged!