schoolhouse,
those little utility trailers are easy to hook up if you have a trailer hitch on your bumper. Just click the lever, set on and let it go or click and release. Some have a coddle pin, but not hard to use.
They pull easily like they aren't even there. In the past, I've taken trips pulling one so I could bring home "goodies" from my trip, like dandy rocks and unusual things I find. They haul a lot of junk. Great for so many uses.
Low to the ground, so much easier to load tings and unload things - very helpful for women like us who have to do things on their own.
Sorry to hear about your latest problem. Darn! One thing and then the next, ain't it?
~Annie

A good investment.

Wonder if one of those ramps they sell to help old dogs climb in the back of a car would work?

It is so frustrating not to be able to do the heavy stuff! Half the time,I jump up and down on the shovel when I want to plant something and don't even make a dent in the soil! I can only do it when it has rained or I have watered well before I start. I am not alone, but it is like pulling teeth to get DH to do anything in the garden. He has so much trouble with his hands and joints these days (I think he is feeling it so much more now that he has quit drinking), that he just avoids it.

I am impressed with your ingenuity and I bet you made that farmer's day, too!

Cynthia

I have a pair of good metal ramps that I use to load my riding mower into the back of my brother's pickup, and I almost used those but decided that once I got the mower up to the top of the ramps, I wouldn't be able to get the mower off the ramps and into the trunk. Know what I mean? Not enough head room so to speak because the trunk is small and the mower has to be wedged only half way in. Of course I didn't try, so that's my fault.The utility trailer is the best idea, but I'd have to get a hitch put on the car. Then there's the electrical hook-up, have to have lights and all. Maybe next year.

I just talked to the guy who does my house repairs about the cost of central air for my old place, to give me an estimate only. There are other things I need, like my roof painted, besides central air; but it would be SO nice. I had to put ice packs on my 17yr.old senior pup last Thursday night, I thought we both would have heat stroke. The next day I loaded her and I up and we headed to Mom's. She and my stepdad have central air. We stayed all day Friday and overnight too. It took me a long time to cool off and feel right again.

Well, I can still do alot of heavy work but not lifting. Unless I get stubborn, then I pay for it later; but I just want the job done instead of waiting for someone else to "I'll be up one of these days". ugh. Most of the neighbor men are at work during the day, others have very jealous wives! :)

I would think repair shops could pick up and deliver the item needing repair. You can blow out your back, your knees, or tear your shoulder, trying to manhandle something which is too heavy for you.

Schoolhouse- I love your description of the helpful farmer...he sounds like many of the retired farmers, who live around here :)

The repair shop is Amish, actually a big dealer in Toro and Stihl machines and tools and do a huge amount of business with the surrounding community; but they don't drive thus have no delivery/pickup vehicles. If I choose to have that done, they hire a hauler at so much a mile, and it's way expensive.

Yeah, there are still good people out there willing to help if you just ask. It's family that usually are "too busy". :)

Maybe it is time to put on some makeup and go out dancing! Meet some single men! (half joke)

I've just stopped spraying my roses as I fell twice doing so last year. I will cull many this Fall. My friend/gardener/lawn person has leukemia, and I don't know if he will be able to help any more. Geez.....it's like a country song!

Feel better now?

Yeah, I hear that all the time frogview. No thanks, too set in my ways now. The ideal situation would be to find a man, put him in a little shed in the orchard and bring him out when needed. ;) And if he could cook and clean, that'd be alright too.

Sorry about your roses. My Mom is always worried I'm going to fall and not be found for a couple of weeks.

LOL! about a year after my DH died, his sister-in-law asked if I was dating. I said, are you crazy? Any men my age are old too.

Schoolhouse - lol. Yes, it is a challenge on one's own, and Kathy, I love that remark - I agree!!! And of course the cute younger men are scared of cougars!!

Seriously, though - I understand about not wanting to wait for someone to come, take the mower, fix it on their schedule, and then return it on that same schedule. I tried repairing my own gas mower, but wasn't that good at it. ;-)) You could put an old blanket over the access to the trunk, then use the ramps to get it up there and in. That way you don't have to be too careful wedging it in....

With this recession, and people not having jobs, I am waiting for the return of the door-to-door repair guys. Remember the ones who came around ringing a bell, and would sharpen all of your knives and scissors?? In my Aunt and Uncle's snowbird park in Florida, a Cuban man came around in an old pickup with vegetables that he had grown, selling them. It's hard to even get kids today to cut grass or shovel snow for $20!!! That's just crazy. I talk to people every day, and many are unemployed. Some have just been laid off as I call!! I had one woman rip me a new one cause her hubby had been unemployed for 5 years!! I'm sorry, that's just lazy, not unemployed. People need to realize they're not in line for the corner office anymore - time to get out there and make some money. Sorry, what was the topic again??

Nancy.

The neighbor gives me $5 whenever they leave for a half day and they need someone to take their little dog out to pee. $5!
I drive there, but I could walk if I wanted to. I understand that if you had to drive to the homes, you wouldn't make much money; but gosh, people will pay money for chores like that. If you did just five a month - there's half of an electric bill (well, for a single person like me).

Door to door repair people...that sounds like a good idea. My nephew is thinking about trying to run his own lawn service, but he's only 11. I helped him with his 'business plan' and we found out at $20 a yard (big yards, mowing and trimming and a little weeding) he could mow five yards a week and make about $100. Even with his gasoline costs and buying his new weed whacker, he'd make a good profit.

Then, we talked about if he could mow three lawns a day, five days a week...and he'd gross $300 a week. Even with his costs, he figures that would be a lot of money a month. You should have seen how big his eyes got, with that number :)

To give him credit...he still says he would mow some people's lawns for free. He has two ladies that are on their own and retired, so he doesn't charge them anything and takes great pride in doing a good job, with their lawns. He's a great kid!

Schoolhouse, think with a twist! Doggy Daycare! They bring them to you. And put the playground where the neighbors cut down the trees. ha!

LMAO, frog! Brilliant.

When I was calling for estimates for a tree to be removed, I had two men came together and they drove an old cadillac. One was wearing black patent loafers. I don't remember what else was off about them. Something about them scared me a bit.
When I described them to a friend that had once had a store in a flea market, she said they were definitely gypsies. When some would go to the flea market word would spread like wild fire, as they would steal things.

Since them my son and DIL bought and installed a glass storm door. A policeman friend said you are much safer with a glass door. Home burglars would and could kick in a wooden door. But they don't kick in a glass doors. It could get a tad bloody and storm doors open out.

Yeah, the black patent shoes when you are pretending to be a tree guy is a dead give-away, LOL.

Since you brought it up, I'll have to share my own story. Once I decided to hire help to trim the tall privet hedge so put out a few calls. One guy shows up in this huge, decked out brand new pickup truck, towing a snappy speed boat. He obviously "worked out" and wore a tight sleeveless t-shirt and tan as can be. (No, sadly not good looking).

He gave me an estimate of $600. I said "I'll let you know". Yeah, right, no way for an hour's work - I'd probably would have made the payment on his speed boat!