- Joined
- Feb 3, 2001
- Messages
- 32,359
Alright, it's been a couple of months a since I had a giveaway, the last two years has been hell, I've been outta work for the last 10 years, at one point with me and the Old Lady workin' we were doing very well, we made enough that we were able to build a brand new house on the 7 1/2 acre wooded plot with a beautiful creek/stream running right through the middle.
As usually happens life has other plans so it started with me getting laid off from my dream job, went from being the senior technical trainer where I designed all the classes and developed the operations and training manuals for the wet benches we made for the semiconductor industry to unemployed when the company got bought out by an overseas interest.
Hey I was a mechanic/millwright/machinist/fabricator/plumber/electrician... I've been in the trades for 40 years ago I wasn't worried about getting s job, it just sucked that I had to start over and I did, I got a job working as a mechanic for the County.
I figured government job, I was set for life, yea right, 3 months short of getting vested, they had cut backs and got rid of 40% of the maintenance crew and shopped out the work we did. They laid me off Valentine's day in 2003, 2 weeks later while crossing the creek I slipped and completely blew out my knee.
After a total knee replacement, I put on an additional 60 lbs on my already 100 lb overweight 5' 10 1/2" frame. Add to that high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and then my wife got sick. We went from a combined 6 figure income to 1/4 of what we used to make. Oh yea all this whole trying to help our daughter with college.
So we've spent the last 10 years trying to take care of our deteriorating bodies while watching our financial status quickly do the same but some how I managed with the help of about a half a dozen surgeries to at least get better to the point where I can take care of my wife and daughter and now her boyfriend who has moved in with us.
The stress and depression has been nearly debilitating, trying to keep a smile and positive outlook has been tough but I do what dads and husband do, luckily with surgery I was able to lose 160 lbs, sleep apnea went away, blood sugar came back to normal so even though my body's paying for the sins of my trade I do feel better than I have in 10 years.
That was the beginning of the end, fell behind on bills, mortgage, everything. We were basically waiting for the bank to foreclose on the house, we tried for almost 2 years to work out something with the mortgage company, it didn't look good, I kept telling my wife and daughter it wasn't over till I felt I had done everything in my power to keep the house. I appealed every decision, I sent letters every month explaining how we could make this work if the mortgage company would just work with us.
We've basically been makin' plans to have to leave the home where my daughter's lived her whole life, well 22 years of it anyway but again my plans were changed, the mortgage company reassessed the current market value of my home lowers my interest rate and essentially cut my mortgage payment in half while forgiving half of the previous mortgage, (over $150,000) now it's not gonna be any picnic and I still need to make a $1,700 a month mortgage payment but at least I can see some light at the end of the tunnel.
I guess if ya pray enough your prayers get answered, so with that in mind along with my recent post count milestone I would like to giveaway a knife, now I wish it was brand new but with my budget constraints these days it's the best I can do so here we go.
Up for grabs is a Boker Model 200 Canoe in what looks like mahogany scales with high carbon steel blades, this is a great little knife with lots of life, blades are full, walk and talk are also great, I'll post a real pic later, here's all ya gotta do to enter...
It's the one on the bottom right, I gave away it's brother in 2008.
You must have at least 25 posts in the Traditional forum, open to all members in USA (if your from overseas and you want to enter you'll have to help me with the shipping).
The giveaway will end in my birthday, Flag day, June 14th of this year I ask that you only post once, you post will be your entry and I'll do a random number generator to pick the winner at 8:00 pm est on the 14th.
Post a pic, a knife story, wish me happy birthday or just congratulations on saving my house, beck a simple I'm in will suffice.
Good luck to all and thanks for reading my tale of hope, sometimes if ya try real hard and with some prayers and help from the big guy upstairs, things will work out.
#38 chosen, Humppa by randomnumber.org, congrats Uncle Andi get in touch with me.
As usually happens life has other plans so it started with me getting laid off from my dream job, went from being the senior technical trainer where I designed all the classes and developed the operations and training manuals for the wet benches we made for the semiconductor industry to unemployed when the company got bought out by an overseas interest.
Hey I was a mechanic/millwright/machinist/fabricator/plumber/electrician... I've been in the trades for 40 years ago I wasn't worried about getting s job, it just sucked that I had to start over and I did, I got a job working as a mechanic for the County.
I figured government job, I was set for life, yea right, 3 months short of getting vested, they had cut backs and got rid of 40% of the maintenance crew and shopped out the work we did. They laid me off Valentine's day in 2003, 2 weeks later while crossing the creek I slipped and completely blew out my knee.
After a total knee replacement, I put on an additional 60 lbs on my already 100 lb overweight 5' 10 1/2" frame. Add to that high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and then my wife got sick. We went from a combined 6 figure income to 1/4 of what we used to make. Oh yea all this whole trying to help our daughter with college.
So we've spent the last 10 years trying to take care of our deteriorating bodies while watching our financial status quickly do the same but some how I managed with the help of about a half a dozen surgeries to at least get better to the point where I can take care of my wife and daughter and now her boyfriend who has moved in with us.
The stress and depression has been nearly debilitating, trying to keep a smile and positive outlook has been tough but I do what dads and husband do, luckily with surgery I was able to lose 160 lbs, sleep apnea went away, blood sugar came back to normal so even though my body's paying for the sins of my trade I do feel better than I have in 10 years.
That was the beginning of the end, fell behind on bills, mortgage, everything. We were basically waiting for the bank to foreclose on the house, we tried for almost 2 years to work out something with the mortgage company, it didn't look good, I kept telling my wife and daughter it wasn't over till I felt I had done everything in my power to keep the house. I appealed every decision, I sent letters every month explaining how we could make this work if the mortgage company would just work with us.
We've basically been makin' plans to have to leave the home where my daughter's lived her whole life, well 22 years of it anyway but again my plans were changed, the mortgage company reassessed the current market value of my home lowers my interest rate and essentially cut my mortgage payment in half while forgiving half of the previous mortgage, (over $150,000) now it's not gonna be any picnic and I still need to make a $1,700 a month mortgage payment but at least I can see some light at the end of the tunnel.
I guess if ya pray enough your prayers get answered, so with that in mind along with my recent post count milestone I would like to giveaway a knife, now I wish it was brand new but with my budget constraints these days it's the best I can do so here we go.
Up for grabs is a Boker Model 200 Canoe in what looks like mahogany scales with high carbon steel blades, this is a great little knife with lots of life, blades are full, walk and talk are also great, I'll post a real pic later, here's all ya gotta do to enter...
It's the one on the bottom right, I gave away it's brother in 2008.
You must have at least 25 posts in the Traditional forum, open to all members in USA (if your from overseas and you want to enter you'll have to help me with the shipping).
The giveaway will end in my birthday, Flag day, June 14th of this year I ask that you only post once, you post will be your entry and I'll do a random number generator to pick the winner at 8:00 pm est on the 14th.
Post a pic, a knife story, wish me happy birthday or just congratulations on saving my house, beck a simple I'm in will suffice.
Good luck to all and thanks for reading my tale of hope, sometimes if ya try real hard and with some prayers and help from the big guy upstairs, things will work out.
#38 chosen, Humppa by randomnumber.org, congrats Uncle Andi get in touch with me.
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