• From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Topic: Work!!

This is a long post so please bear with me.

As some of you know I have been a bit short of work lately so on Thursday evening I accepted the chance of a day's work on Saturday. It was only a labouring job and told it would be hard work but I have never been afraid of hard work so 07:30 Saturday morning I had my sandwiches packed and was raring to go. With the boss and two others I drove them to the builders yard and started at about 08:00. The day started with loading a truck with calçadas (pronounced 'kulsarders') which are irregular shaped,  2" to 3" cubed stones commonly used in Portugal for paving and driveways. As they are delivered from the quarry with a quantity of sand it was a 'load by hand' job, pick up two in the right hand and two in the left and toss them in the truck (bed size aprroximately 2.0 metres by 5 metres by 1 metre high). Once full the load was delivered and a well earned break was taken until the truck returned for a second load. Let me add now that I am 61, and the eldest of the other guys was 40 and they were all used to this kind of work but I managed to keep pace with them and did not let the over 60's down.

OK this took the morning, so we then drove to the work site and had a half and hour lunch break. The other three were laying the caçadas and it was my job to ferry wheelbarrows full of sand or stone to them of course Murphy's Law prevails again, it was uphill from the materials to working area. 17:00 comes round and I was well ready to finish I can tell you, back ache, leg ache, arms ache, head ache and worse of all finger in both hands so numb and sore from gripping the stones, I was unable to play my guitar.

The crux and the whole point of this post. I was due to appear and perform a guest spot at a friend's gig on Saturday night and I had to cancel. I have been looking forward to this for weeks and I am so disappointed, even today as I write I can hardly move and am struggling to play. So much for being the 'macho oldie' and keeping up with the youngsters lol.

Still tomorrow is another day and my efforts have opened an opportunity for some carpenty, kitchen fitting and tiling which is my forte.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • arkady
  • arkady
  • ambient moderator
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  • From: England
  • Registered: 2006-11-23
  • Posts: 2,147

Re: Work!!

Roger
I’m knackered just reading about it.
I thought a was feeling my age when I did a bit gardening yesterday. I don’t think I would have lasted a hour let alone a day…..wow you must be fit.
Sorry to hear it mucked up your gig and hope you get some decent work come your way in the future.
Ark

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: Work!!

Roger I know your disappointed about the gig but you could not have foreseen what physical maladies would develop with the labor job, I think you made the right choice given the circumstances I have had to do some jobs that wore me out this year and I'm 67 so a "mans gotta do what a mans gotta do" so look at the bright side there are opportunities presenting themselves in areas that you are more familiar with and not as physical so take two aspirin and call me in the morning lol just kidding hope your aches heal fast and your picking wont suffer to long smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • NELA
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
  • Posts: 1,303

Re: Work!!

Roger, I feel for you. I, too work in construction. Most of the time I work 10 to 14 hours a day and 6 days a week. This is hard work and at the end of the day I'm just exhausted from standing around, having to tell people what to do, drinking coffee, pointing, screaming, hollering and cussing. Yeah, I'm the fat assed project manager who run everything.

Nela

NELA's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Work!!

Hi Ark, thanks for the sympathy but I am not as fit as I thought I was.........perhaps a few visits to the gym is needed.........second thoughts that sounds like self induced torture lol

Russ, I have been popping the pain killers all day and taking it easy and as the gig was for free there was 'no contest', paid work comes first.

Nela. I was feeling full of admiration and sympathy for you when I started reading your message. By the end though the feeling had changed somewhat lol. Thanks (I think).

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: Work!!

Darn you Roger!

  My hands went numb just reading about you!
  The plus is as you said, now everyone on the site (and some who heard about you over cervezas later) knows that you are a productive unit and age falls out of the equation.  Good thing to have leading to more comfortable work in your "forte", and more in the future.  Getting past that first barrier can be tough in the job market so good-on-ya!

  Take care of those hands and keep on the anti-inflammatory meds. There will be other chances to play music for free.... but you gotta eat!

  Take Care; Doug

PS: Nela... we know you paid your dues earlier in your career.  Unless you fast-tracked with that Civil Engineering Sheepskin, but even that way is not without a goodly portion of sweat.

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: Work!!

Cobblelocks ! to you all you shower of Wusses. lol

Rogers "Cobblelocks"  as we call them here. i once shifted single handed 15 hundred 4 inch solids in a day on my own.

It was for a workshop i needed. Felt great i did after it. A great feeling of acomplishment. Like Nela im great at delegating" without the big A## i might add, But i had no one to delegate to .  So a womans gotta do what>>>>>> etc. have you not heard " Your only as old as the woman your with ? The post here says a lot about you all. lol

60 is the new 30 or so ive been told. All you rock and rollers taking asprin ??? God it will be horlicks next !!  Or night nurse lol   None of you would last the pace with me and the girletts. It looks like we would run rings around you all.

Roger ! they have work  protective gloves now. Ill send you a pair for your wee sore hand and some hand lotion.
Ac DC sold out there concert here in 3 minutes  recently !! I guess they never moved Moved or layed calcadas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzsaSvdo2M4

Badeye !   Where are ya  Segosha ?  will ya come on here and give these men a lesson in hard work lol

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Work!!

Thanks Doug, I am almost back to normal today, a few minor twinges but I am able to get my fingers round the fretboard again.

Helena, where was you when I needed you? Mind you even three years ago I would have taken this in my stride, perhaps I have had too much easy living lately lol. By the way I never go to job like this without safety boots, knee pads, gloves, face mask, ear defenders and hard hat, it would be foolish not to. Although gloves prevent the cuts, scratches, abbrasions and 99% of blistering they do nothing to help the muscles and tendons when you are constantly gripping and releasing all day and that was my problem with my hands.

Roger

PS A night nurse is fine as long as she is young and pretty wink

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Work!!

Hope you're feelin'better Roger, I'll share a little pain remedy with you;Fish oil capsules. The vitamin E in the fish oil speeds the healing process of the torn muscle fibers( which lead to soreness). And as Old Doll said, protect your hands with gloves! My wife 'makes' me do yardwork and I always wear gloves. A musicians hands are the crucial lifeline link between nonthingness and melodic bliss. Good for you for a solid, hard days' work, but do us all a favor and take care of those hands!

Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L(Toney)

Give everything but up.
  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Work!!

Thanks Toney,

As I said in my last message I always take, and use, protective gear. Yes my hands are precious to me and I always wear gloves for such tasks. I will take your advice on the fish oil capsules so I will be off the the health shop tomorrow although my fingers are back to normal now I am pleased to say, just a few twinges in the legs.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website