The official OPE daycare thread

[thedude74]

When starting my first HVAC company I had a 80 something dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 van with a swapped in 8 lug dana 44 front end from a late 70s Ford pickup. Had a 360 V8 a Rochester 4v carb. It was half way reliable but, without exaggerating, it got 6 mpg.

Replaced it with an early 90s Chevy Astro mini van 4.3 V6 and a 5 speed manual They were built on the S10 truck frame. Think I paid $600 for it. 2nd gear was stripped out. Sometimes I get it into second but usually I'd just go like hell in first and right to third.

Drove it for about a year and traded it to a buddy for a PSE bow.

 

[Bill G]

The beauty of the Astro is that you actually could get a 4x8 sheet of plywood in one.

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

The beauty of the Astro is that you actually could get a 4x8 sheet of plywood in one.

My old neighbor had an Astro van. It served him well until he was launching his boat and forgot to put it in park on the boat ramp. I guess they float for a short while

 

[Bill G]

Years ago I was teaching in a 3 man shop program. The lead instructor had an early Astro that he used for his fish bait business. He loved that thing. He would use it to haul his refrigerators and bait machines around to all the small town gas stations.

 

[Bill G]

So any news on the job?

 

[LAWN BOY]

So any news on the job?

Yep, I start tomorrow.

 

[Bill G]

Yep, I start tomorrow.

So what are you going to be doing? It is none of my business so DO NOT answer if you do not want but I just wonder what pay rate they are starting you at.

 

[LAWN BOY]

So what are you going to be doing? It is none of my business so DO NOT answer if you do not want but I just wonder what pay rate they are starting you at.

I will be doing mowing and miscellaneous farm work/chores. I don’t want to tell anyone what I get paid, that’s something I’ve been taught not to tell people for years.

 

[Bill G]

I will be doing mowing and miscellaneous farm work/chores. I don’t want to tell anyone what I get paid, that’s something I’ve been taught not to tell people for years.

I fully understand that. I hope you do a good job for them and they treat to right. If you remember I said.......

You should remember that I told you to stop wasting time this summer looking for junk such as that skid loader and spend the summer earning money. Since you mentioned VanDerGeest I did a bit of research. They are right in your area and yes indeed they will hire a kid at 16. I spoke with a very nice lady there today and in fact they have a 12 year old working there, albeit he is the son of an employee. I asked about Wisconsin laws regarding employment of folks under 18 and she said they were fine. I thought you would be fine at your age but she confirmed it.

Here is where your lack of enrolling in vocational classes and FFA is an issue and proves my point. She said someone with no experience (such as you) would begin at $7.25/hr. She also said they had just hired a 17 year old that had experience at $14/hr. Guess what he was in FFA. That should tell you something.

Probably should have been focused on education and skills instead of on saving time and avoiding people........

I am glad you went there and I am glad they gave you a job. Now bust your hind end and show them you are worth it.

 

[LAWN BOY]

I fully understand that. I hope you do a good job for them and they treat to right. If you remember I said.......



I am glad you went there and I am glad they gave you a job. Now bust your hind end and show them you are worth it.

Okay, thanks for understanding. I’ll work hard, yes. I also hope they treat me somewhat well, I know the location owned by Lee is terrible, hopefully this one with Scott is better. I’m getting the experienced level of pay.

 

[thedude74]

Okay, thanks for understanding. I’ll work hard, yes. I also hope they treat me somewhat well, I know the location owned by Lee is terrible, hopefully this one with Scott is better. I’m getting the experienced level of pay.

Congrats on the job.

 

[Bill G]

Congrats on the job.

I agree but sadly in a few weeks he is quitting to move north.

 

[LAWN BOY]

I agree but sadly in a few weeks he is quitting to move north.

Ya, that is sad indeed. I will still be coming here often though especially in summer and totally moving back after graduating.

Congrats on the job.

Thanks.

 

[Bill G]

I was going to suggest you start the emancipation process so you can stay in Merrill, finish school, and work but apparently Wisconsin does not allow that.......damn politics! Why don't you just stay with your Grandma?

 

[LAWN BOY]

I was going to suggest you start the emancipation process so you can stay in Merrill, finish school, and work but apparently Wisconsin does not allow that.......damn politics! Why don't you just stay with your Grandma?

My mom won’t let me because I’m still under 18, she doesn’t want me to leave, my grandma smokes a lot and is bi-polar. Damn politics.

 

[LAWN BOY]

Put in a 9 hour day of weed whacking fence lines today. I used a Honda Rancher ATV and a Stihl weed trimmer. After I got home from work I went to some ladies house to look at her junk mowers, tomorrow she’s coming to my house after our works to look at a rider mower I have for sale, we are probably gonna do a partial trade or something.

 

[Bill G]

My mom won’t let me because I’m still under 18, she doesn’t want me to leave, my grandma smokes a lot and is bi-polar. Damn politics.

Well lots of folks smoke.
Lots of folks are bi-polar.
Neither make people bad. I smoke cigars and a pipe and I do not think that makes me a bad guy. You do not have to smoke with her and there are a litany of drugs to treat bi-polar.

 

[LAWN BOY]

Well lots of folks smoke.
Lots of folks are bi-polar.
Neither make people bad. I smoke cigars and a pipe and I do not think that makes me a bad guy. You do not have to smoke with her and there are a litany of drugs to treat bi-polar.

I will never smoke.
My mom doesn’t want me getting more 2nd hand smoke than I do already, I don’t really either.
My mom literally out of the blue just said 2 minutes ago “if your job goes well maybe you should just live with grandma”. I guess she changed her mind, but she changes her mind daily about many things, so maybe I will stay in Merrill.

 

[LAWN BOY]

Worked a 12 hour day today.

 

[LAWN BOY]

I traded my fully working motor swapped Simplicity 5211 lawn tractor for $50 plus these 2 projects.