Re: MTD Yardman Transaxle Rebuild
Good Morning
Roger and Boo, thank you for the kind words and advice. I have worked so hard for so long that relaxing while retired seems so far out of reach for me.
I have a close friend in town who tells everyone that I am the hardest working retired guy he has ever known.........sure don't want that on my tombstone.
I didn't always have a plan, the first 10 years I wasted my money, bought toys, tools, trucks,tools, tractors, tools, oh and did I mention tools?
I must have at least three of everything, the shop I worked in was so busy that often times I would be working on more than one truck at a time, so it became easier to have multiple tools.
My sons are loving my retirement, I gave them both a rolling cabinet filed with matching tools when I retired, and the rest I have here in my garage. I also told them that if there is a tool they need that I did not give them, go buy it because what I have left will have to wait till I'm gone from this earth. They looked so sad when i said that.
My wife and I (31 years together) put our heads together and decided how we wanted to live out our lives together, in the past we did go on a few ocean cruises, we both love horseback riding and took all day trips in mountains, we just wanted a quiet little place, with just enough room for us and the horses, far from traffic and weekenders. I worked two jobs till all my children were grown and out of the house, I worked about 70 hours a week, my wife started her own business, which after 20 years is still growing with both my younger children running the show now. I put as much money after bills aside each week as I could. Planned to retire when I was 65, but my boss was getting to be a real icehole and sending me a long distance tows (600 miles plus) even though he knows that I can no longer sit and drive for more than 2 hours because of my leg injury a few years back. I gave him a letter outlining my plans to retire in about five years and he laughed in my face telling me that I could never retire because towing was in my blood and that I needed the job more than he needed me.
Long story short, no I did not knock his lights out.......I gave 3 weeks notice, packed up my 5 tools boxes and rolling cabinets, all my personal recovery tools and left.
2 months ago I bumped into one of our regular customers, he told me that after I left the boss started drinking heavy, fired the service writer and 2 tow truck drivers. He said that Cliff, the only guy in the shop that knew as much as if not more than me walked off the job and went to the competition on the other side of town(they called me every Friday for a month to come work for them).
BUT, WAIT THERE IS MORE!!!! The old boss got so drunk he left the bar at closing time, broad sided three parked cars and speed down the highway on the wrong side of the road all the while eluding the police who caught him at the intersection with a road block....thank God he didn't hurt anyone......because he has a CDL it is an aromatic loss of license, and 1 year in jail...all the wreckers are listed on craigslist..........Karma Baby, oh and the best part, the boss and I were the only ones in the company that could run the heavy wreckers, no one else was licensed or certified.
I could spend weeks talking about how this guy treated employees that he felt were his lesser, he treated me like gold because he needed me, I was the only guy in the shop with ALL the certifications, I held and still hold my NJ State Inspectors License, I have about 25 ASE certs, I have to check to be sure. Anyway, enough talking about me, I am just a hard working stupid Pollock, LOL with a plan.
Thanks for letting me vent all that..............
Mostly everything I have, I worked hard to have, even this house. Bought it straight out for cash, which I might add was harder than you would think.
anyway......HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE, and as my father would tell me years ago...."Everyday is Saturday when you retire"
