The price to have my driveway plowed by a guy with a 4WD pickup and a snow plow on the front is $100 and to be honest, he does a lousy job. And, that doesn't include my 160d-foot sidewalk. That's another $50 for the kid that comes with him. Now you know why I do it myself. If I want a crappy job, I hire someone. If I want something done right, I do it myself.

Cheers,

Gary

I don't envy you one tiny bit, Gary...all it takes, at our age, is one little wrong twist or movement, and back problems can become one's worst nightmare.

Plus, since it's a type of work that we so seldom do, it puts quite a strain on all the muscles, including the heart.

Ian

Ian, you must lead an entirely different life than I do. I do a lot of physical work, built my own home, installed my own hotwater baseboard heating system including the furnace and oil tank, built 7 rock gardens, built my own sidewalk and patio out of bricks (5,000 of them), sail a 33-foot sailboat single handed, and I do all this with a bad back. Hey, you only go around once my friend, so I just do it all till I'm dead and buried. There's not a Hell of a lot that I haven't done in my 74 years on the planet, and I figure if I keep doing what I do, maybe I've live a lot longer. But, then again, maybe I'll die tomorrow. But, if I do die tomorrow, it has been one Hell of a ride, Cowboy!

Gary

Ride on Cowboy, if that's what makes you happy...I just want to be on the range for as long as possible...and, I don't want to have to be riding it in a wheelchair or a powered scooter.

I've done a lot of physical work too, Gary, not just in building houses (which I have done), but building two recording studios, working on and restoring classic cars (especially my old 1949 Caddy Coup DeVille) plus many years of martial arts training including a year as an instructor. Of course, there's all those many years of giggin' and working for Yamaha.

So, like you, I have no regrets. However, due to my years of martial arts, I also pay attention to what my body tells me, and I'm also very much aware that most injuries at my age (younger than you at 65) mean a longer recovery than when I was in my 40's or 50's...and, I just like to err on the side of caution.

So, my exercises today consist of lots of walking, swimming, and doing what I love most, which is playing music. Nowaday, it's mostly recording and no live work, that latter of which I miss a lot less than I thought I would. I like to think of it as being healthily selfish.

And, definitely no high risk, and generally unnecessary, activities like snow shoveling.

But, we all make our choices, and as long as you feel yours is right for you, keep ridin', Cowboy...but maybe think about gettin' a seatbelt for that saddle and put an airbag in the saddle horn.

Ian