We have begun the second part of the repair on the furnace—the first step is to get TO the furnace
Terry can get to the furnace by crawling on his belly, and has done that for years. But, now, since we are both old and the crawling seems awful he is digging a trench, by hand, under the house. This way he won’t have to be on his belly but can have space to too and fro, from there to here
This really is a ‘big deal’ requiring lots of work…first he goes in (with my old scoop shovel)
Fills up the shovel,(with another shovel that has a broken handle) hands the shovel back out to me, I load it into the wheel barrow
After the wheel barrel is full (another favorite tool of mine–the wheel barrel! I have two of them and I use them for everything) I haul it to different spots along the canal, or the road, or next to a ditch to fill in holes.
We work until we can’t work any longer, then it takes two to three days to recover. YES, I know that a young person could get this whole thing done in a day…but we aren’t young…Terry will be 70 in May and I will be 65 in three weeks. So we trudge along. Gradually it will get there.
Terry has replaced all the pipe to the furnace already, so that job is out of the way. Once we get the trench dug then it will be time to go to Grand Junction to see if we can find a new valve for the furnace. If we can’t then we have to dig even bigger trench and drag the old furnace out; replacing it with another furnace, which we will have to drag in an put in place.
It will take time, we will do it in stages, there isn’t a rush because we have the wood stove and lots of wood.
We worked the day after Christmas; this afternoon we will start again. We wait until it’s warmer outside—I don’t know why, we get so hot we have to shed our layers of coats before we are done.
SO off I go to help him now! Everyday we gain a little bit more!
Your friend,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
I’m constantly impressed with the stamina that you and Terry have. I get tired just reading about all you do.
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Oh my goodness, Linda, what a job you two are undertaking!! That is a lot of work…shoveling and hauling all that dirt! Please take care and don’t hurt your backs. I hope all goes well and that the furnace part is there for you, so you don’t have to replace the furnace.
I have two wheelbarrows, too! The one is plastic and, of course, thru much abuse, it is going to need to be replaced this spring. Will get another metal one to replace it. Would really love to get one of those 4 wheeled, easy dump ones, but they are pricey.
You two are made of the stuff that our pioneers were made of…hard working and lots of stamina!
Blessings!
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you guys ALWAYS work hard – even in the ‘off’ season. good luck with the furnace!!!
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We know this kind of routine as well hard on our bodies so we pace ourselves
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My goodness! The things you young’uns get up to.even getting to the floor is difficult nowadays without crawling through holes.
I had a terrible thought..if you are trenching underneath the house…what are the chances of it caving in? Remember that house in USA that had a bore hole underneath…whoosh! It went with the man still in his bed..never to be seen again….
I am pleased to hear that the new shovel has not been used for such lowly purpose as shovelling dirt..it must be kept for more appropriate work befitting a new shovel.
t seems to me to be vital to have two wheel barrows.we had only one but that got holes in it so became imperative to get another but even having a new one t…..the old one with holes still stayed.
Let us know if you find gold or reach Australia…but have a Happy New Yearxxxxxxxx
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Amazing. I would recommend that you call your neighbors or ASK someone to help you..Geeze. The 70 year old man may be healthy now, but you need to have reserve help in mind for these projects. IT”S a Fact of life that projects like this at this age are too hard, even with YOUR help.
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This kind of work never ends and has to be done. I don’t envy your pour backs, knees and shoulders!! Wish I was closer to help out!! If Terry is like my hubby, he doesn’t like to ask for help for fear of someone getting hurt or asking someone to do things that you can do yourself whether you can or not. Good luck and I’ll pray the dirt is soft and easy to handle!
Rita
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No matter how young or old you are, crawling under the house is a pain in the kazoo! And with a shovel?! YUCK! You two are amazing! Hope you get the furnace fixed.
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Take it a little at a time! Sounds like a big job, they are making furnaces really small now compared to years ago. We got a high efficiency LP furnace that is 17 X 24..so don’t dig more than you have to..perhaps if the old one has to come out it can come out in pieces. It took three months to get ours installed…everyone was slow as molasses. I miss the wood heat but it was lots of work too…and like you guys we are getting older too:(
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I remember my dad doing this same thing! The house I grew up in had one of those ‘under the house’ furnaces, and I liked nothing better than to crawl under there with him (I was 7 or 8, I think). Now it seems scary… My sister and her family live there now and they make a trip under the house to fix one thing or another now and then. Be careful!
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Wow, what an involved project. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you that it is an easy fix.
Was the furnace originally put it place before the house was built? I keep thinking of the book, “Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel” for some reason!
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I am so in awe of the projects you and Terry take on. I do hope you get plenty of rest between. For sure you will never have to pay money to work out at a fitness club.
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I know what you mean, we had to haul all the dirt for our raised beds from the front driveway to the back yard in the wheelbarrow. I loaded it and rested while my hubby wheeled it back and emptied it, he rest while I loaded the next load. Two old people, 67 &68just have to pace them selves. My hubby had lung cancer last year and lost his right lung so he gets really short of breath fast. Now he has a new spot that may be the cancer again. We just are waiting for new scan reports to see if it is scar tissue or cancer. Don’t push yourself too hard. Happy New Year, Ellie
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Wow …. you guys are amazing. I can’t believe all the energy you have….and you’re the same ages as my husband and I. He may have some of that energy, but I definitely don’t anymore. So hats off to you both. I hope you will get your furnace all fixed up soon! I’m tired just reading your blog. Hope your weather there isn’t as terribly cold as ours right now. Happy New Year!!!
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I so know what you mean, Linda. Hubby has trouble getting under our house any more, too. Between knee problems and back problems. He was relieved when I agreed to his plan to run the new gas line along the outside of the house. I thought it was a great idea. He was able to do everything from inside or outside the house, using the knew flex pipe. And he didn’t have to get under the house. I’m a fraidy cat. I just can’t go under the house. It’s open, but I get claustrophobic.
You see, there was a reason your old shovel broke. Not the least of which was it got you a great new one! 🙂
Stay warm!
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I hear you on how much longer it takes to get things done. You and Terry have tackled a big job! Brett needed to look at where the water pipes come into the house but couldn’t crawl on his belly — he’s 65 so his days of wiggling around under the house are pretty much done. Digging a trench is a good idea — but lots of work.
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My silly rabbit fur hat with ear flaps is off to both of you!!! This is the stuff that keeps you young and alive and healthy for a long time. I love your method and your patience! It will get done!!!! You guys amaze…
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Wow … happy new year, hmm? Slow and steady … and I hope your backs hold up!
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What a job but you will get it done one day at a time. We are the same age as your husband and understand how it now works or doesn’t. We are working inside the house, had new windows put in but not the molding etc. New siding too and it is much warmer, use wood stove.
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Happy 2014 to you and yours. My wish for you is a year full of lots of JOY, PEACE, LOVE and BLESSINGS.
Yipes—-I’m sorry that you have to go through all of this work. Don’t know how you two can do it. Prayers for you. Happy New Year.
Hugs,
Betsy
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Oh, what a way to end the year! Good luck and Happy New Year! I’ve had a great time keeping up with you and yours this past year!
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Sounds like great teamwork there. I’m amazed at what can be done by taking a methodical approach and doing a little at a time.
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Seems it would be easier to simply put a whole new system in that fruit cellar area you guys built under the kitchen. A new forced air furnance is about $800
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Our house has a crawl space, too, but our furnace sits in a closet inside the house–which is apparently a huge blessing, compared to yours.
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