Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year | SouthernPaddler.com

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

dawallace45

Well-Known Member
Well it's Christmas Eve here in Maryborough Qld Australia , about 9.15PM , just heading off to bed and wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Haven't gotten as much done this year as I wanted to , my knee is fully recovered from the replacement, the other knee is still crap but I can get around ok mostly,

Haven't been kayaking for around three years now , finally got the okay to do it a while back but had a problem with a cough that I can't shake , can be controlled with massive doses of steroids, so my weight has ballooned up a bit , coughing fits were so bad that I'd passed out several times with it and it bought on seizures several times as well , wasn't able to drive for around 4 months or so , basically restricted to the house

Couldn't go in the workshop as the sawdust could make the cough worse , after all the tests they just put it down to allergy and asthma, no virus or bacteria present

Missed the winter in the workshop , had a lot of bowl blanks lined up for turning and about 1000 shotgun shells to reload , not going to do it during the summer , will wait for winter again ,

The year went very fast any way , did get a trip away to visit a good mate and did some shooting , always a plus , finally realised that I now have some physical limitations and have been busy changing some of my firearms , sold off my Howa heavy barrel in 223 , it really was a brilliant rifle capable of amazing accuracy, 1/2" groups at 200 metres with Sierra bulk pack 55 gn soft points is pretty good in my book , but I sold it off and bought a Howa Mini action ultra light, down side is that it only groups about 1 1/2" at 100 metres but it does have a detachable 10 shot mag that I like , better if I get onto a mob of pigs or goats ,

Bought a CVA .45 cal Kentucky rifle in very good condition, lot of fun , sold my last black powder rifle 11 years ago but missed having one ,

Bought a Gamo air rifle for cheap practice and pest destruction, don't like the colour scheme much , it's a Bear Grylls limited edition , otherwise known as a Gamo Shadow DX , loved the heavy pellets , 177 but does best with 15 gn pellets , one hole at 10 metres and great penetration
 

dawallace45

Well-Known Member
Bugger , didn't mean to post yet , wasn't finished

Was feeling pretty good a week or so ago and the tides were right so I put the kayak on the trailer and my fishing gear in the car and headed off to Boonooroo to put the kayak in the water for the first time in 3 years , my doctor was all for it as he wanted to see how my right knee and left shoulder help up and wether he should start the process through the public system to get the ops done , he was a bit worried though as he was starting to suspect that part of my ulcer pain was angina as when ever I get a ulcer attack I get a pain up through the jaw as well so I now have to carry around a nitro spray

Well didn't get to go fishing or kayaking, bloody Musso over heated and blew a head gasket only 1 km from the water , had to arrange for the tow truck and a mate to pick up my trailer and Hobie ,bloody nitro spray got a work out that day

Very frustrating, cars dead , not worth it for me to get it fixed at the mechanics, shame as the rest of the vehicle is in really good condition, will probably sell it off for about $1000 as is where is , make a good vehicle for a young mechanic, buy a second hand motor for around a grand and slip it in and you've got a good twin cab 4x4 , no rust , bullbar and tow bar included , paint and panels all straight , and upholstery in real good condition, if I was up to it I'd have done that my self but my back is screwed so no go

Was counting on keeping the Mussolini for another year before replacing it but just went down to Brisbane yesterday and bought a Foton Tunland , made in China , Cummings diesel, 2.8 litre turbo

Waiting for the fitting of some gear to it and for them to register it then I can pick it up , probably first week of January

I'm hoping next year will be a whole lot more productive, and it will be if I can ever shake this cough completely

David
 

dawallace45

Well-Known Member
Jack

Thanks , people from the pain clinic seem to be worried that I. Going to give up and wallow in depression but I've suffered from chronic pain most of my life and I've learned to deal with it and adapt, got too much shit left to do and much much more mischief to get up to , too many fish still left to catch and many many more pigs left to hunt , can't give it up

Too many more guns I've never owned and still want to , have my eye on the new Howa Scout Patrol rifle , 7 lb , 18 1/2" barrel with flash hider , synthetic stock and 10 round mag in 308 , I want one

I turn wood because I have a need to create something beautiful, so as long as I can still do that as well as fish , hunt and kayak then I'm a happy man

Also there is that I want to learn how to make Gin from scratch

David
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Have goals, ideas, and perseverance (that's what city fellers cal bull headedness). My next milestone now is to join the UFOs, the United Flying Octogenerians. My next sortie will qualify me. A good friend of mine is now 96; he flew until last year. Another good friend just passed away - at 101.

David, we'll follow these trailbreakers!
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
Good to hear from you David. I'm glad that you can get around better with the new knee. The problem with getting something fixed is that something else goes wrong. My Mother will be 100 in Feb. said for years that getting old is not for the faint or weak hearted. And anyone who could drink from a pool of water with a rotting pig in it Is Not faint hearted. When you do get to make a fishing trip give us a report on it. Are you still able to shoot your bow. Gotta go now. Keep in touch.
Bob
 

grandpa paddler

Well-Known Member
May 25, 2005
243
6
76
WNY-land of exhorbitant taxes
Just a few more gifts to wrap and then just sit and wait for bedtime. My daughter is here for a couple nights and the boys and their families will be here tomorrow. I'm sure looking forward to spending Christmas Day with family.

Hope you all have a great day tomorrow. Merry Christmas to you all.
 

oldbuffpilot

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2014
629
34
80
Central Kansas and Central Texas
David,
Sorry to learn of the medical issues. Thanks for the lessons in perseverance and pressing on with life. I've learned a lot from this forum, a lot of it not about building boats. I admire your attitude and optimism.
Merry Christmas!

Andy
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
A family Christmas , The youngest daughter , Son in law , Grandson are down for the week and all of us meet at the oldest daughters and husbands new house for Christmas. Watching Christmas day threw the action of a 6 1/2 year old sure brings back memories. I just hope they can get him to sleep tonight.
 

dawallace45

Well-Known Member
Hey guys , well it's the new year here , totally forgot about it being New Year's Eve last night and went to bed at about 8.30PM , I get up at about 4.30am so I can get some stuff done before it gets too hot

Realistically it wouldn't have mattered about it being New Years as I don't stay up for it but it's the first time I actually forgot about it

David
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Maybe you guys have already become perfect, and little to no further progress is possible! I think that maybe you have. I'm stll back here, in the rear of the column, with plenty of fertile ground up ahead.