Boy oh Boy! you should see the nice stack of wood all nicely split and stacked out by the barn. About a cord and a half. Maple, black cherry, ash, beautiful. I feel ollllllllllllld tonight. I had help from Dog Boy (youngest son) stacking, but split most all of it alone today. The work shop in the barn has a nice old wood burner in it. Kitty cat likes it when I work out there on cold days. Hope your all doing well as we move into the holidays!

-- John in S IN (jsmengel@oldandbrokedown.com), December 10, 2001

Answers

John, I miss splitting firewood! It was a major part of my exercise program for most of my life. Every day, 15 minutes swinging the maul left handed, 15 minutes right handed and a half hour of cross country skiing around the yard after I tucked the kids in bed. Man was I buff in those days!

I have my Dear Spouse almost talked into another wood stove, I've been without wood heat for 5 years and I miss the dry warmth, the hard work, and that special POP when you hit the sweet spot with 8 lbs. of iron.

And remember, it always feels good when it quits hurtin'.

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@hotmail.com), December 11, 2001.

Laura. I'm not coordinated enough to switch from right to left! Really don't feel bad this morning. if I did more of that type thing more often I'd be a lot better for it.

I still don't have a wood stove for the house yet either. I may not be in this place for long anyway. You all have a good day today.

-- John (jsmengel@brokedownoldfart.net), December 11, 2001.

John you need to do your E cises!!! I am almost done with the book and seriously amazed at some of the things that hurt-wow. It's a good feeling to get a lot of physical work done. For me the first 10 to 20 minutes are rough and then I hit my stride.

I don't even know how to split wood! I think my failed attempts were mostly related to the lack of a splitting maul or wedge. The ax I have is a camping ax and that just won't cut it. My nephew is expert at it and said he'd love to teach me. Next time I go to MO I get al lesson!!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), December 11, 2001.

Laura , I love your response, I dare say that there's darn few folk out there who know what your saying about "The sweet spot"...Yup.

And the mental satisfaction when that chunk of iron really goes home......Yup...been there done that......

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), December 11, 2001.

Doreen, Your right about needing to do the E-cises more often. Is that a great system or what?

For those of you who aren't familiar w/ the "E-cises" it's a system of conditioning developed by a guy named Pete Egoscoe for getting your body into the proper alinement (sp?) naturally and keeping it that way. No big difficult program. And it works. I had only to correct the way I was walking (toes turned out a little) to make a MAJOR impact on the way I feel. I've had chronic back problems for years and attributed it to several bad motorcycle wrecks, broken c6 and c7, that sort of thing. Yeah, my back got a little sore yesterday after swinging that splitting axe for 4-5 hours straight. But I just finished up 12 hours at work and don't feel bad at all. It's a system based on common sense and simply letting your body correct it'self.

Ji-mi, It's been awhile since I heard that pop. I was singing that old Johnny Cash tune about "John Henry" yesterday and slingin' that steel. YEEEHAAAW! Ain't life grand?

-- John (jsmengel@oldfart.com), December 12, 2001.

Hello John,

I consider woodsplitting to be my Zen. I do it two or three times a week just for a couple of hours each time. It is a great time to meditate as well as the benefits you get from the exercise.

I do not, of course try to split a cord and a half at a time. I just do it until it is not longer enjoyable. Two hours of splitting by hand usually gets we about a week of firewood.

Sincerely,

Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), December 12, 2001.

"John Henery" Gee it's been a long time!.........but how apprapo!

I put in some cedar fence posts yesterday...boy that 20 lb. sledge [standing on a short ladder] got my attention!

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), December 12, 2001.

Hi Ernest! I wouldn't normally do that much either. Had a wild hair and knew I won't be able to get to it for at least a week otherwise. Most of this wood was a year or more old and wasn't all that hard to bust. Your rght about being able to just clear your head and not think about unessasary stuff. It was a good day for that and I needed it.

I don't have enough trees of my own and get wood from. Whenever I see some trees down or the power people trimming, I'm not shy, I stop and ask. I've got a couple of good maple and oak pieces to get along w/ a BIG ash that was dropped a month or so ago. Just have to find the time to get to em. There's one tree trimmer who drops chips and wood off at my place if he's working out this way. Saves him a trip to the landfill and I'm happy to get it. Southern Indiana is a good place for a woodburner. The amount that gets wasted is incredable.

Ji-mi, Drining posts w/ a 20# sledge is WAAAAAAAAY more manly than I want to get! You get the John Henry award for the week.

-- John (jsmengel@hotmail.com), December 13, 2001.

Well golly gee John!.....Thank you very much!.......I guess...

Ah... when is the awards banquet??

Tuesday's are not good for me.....

>removing tounge from cheek<

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), December 13, 2001.

Award dinners with GRUB? Who said that? I'm volenteerin to help eat the grub--course ya'll already know'd that! Baked possum, sweet'n sour catfish, cornbread, green beens and ice T! Oh BTW--I've found my ax again--just in case it takes one for a ticket. I would brang my little Polan electric chainsaw but doubt if my extension cords would reach there. old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), December 14, 2001.

Well thank you Hoot for taking over the "Chef bottle and cook washer" position!...thats way cool...and I agree with your choice of menu...

All this for swinging a chunk of steel.......WOW

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), December 14, 2001.