What did You Ask Santa to Bring You?

Submitted by xtramelanin on December 22nd, 2018 at 1:49 PM

Mates,

With Christmas only 3 days away, assumedly Santa and his elves are busy working on your gifts and loading his sleigh.  Assuming you aren't on the 'naughty' list, what did you ask Santa for?   My list was short:  another chain saw and I think I'm going to need to step up my tractor game, too.  That one is going to be tough to gauge just how much further I'll need to go.

So the question is, as the title says:  What did you ask Santa to bring you? 

XM

MGoStu

December 22nd, 2018 at 7:05 PM ^

My wife usually asks for a list and one year I put "threesome with Emmanuel Chriqui and Isla Fisher" right in the middle of the list. She never acknowledged it, but Christmas day I got a collage of pics of those two and me dressed nice on one side, and on the other side, those two in lingerie and looking tousled and me asleep. Probably as close I'm going to get.

Jumbo Elliot

December 22nd, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^

Santa delivered early for me. A new recurve bow, some arrows, and other gear I needed for a week long bear hunt in the UP. No bear, but still a great adventure and some quiet time away from the kids and the day to day grind! 

Yessir

December 22nd, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^

I said 'just'.  Kind of seems like 'just' but it was about a month and half ago(?).  

I live in California, so not sure if that makes any difference on hibernation.  I know NOTHING about bears. 

xtramelanin

December 22nd, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^

i only ever hunted bear in the sierra's when i lived out there.  they denned up in the winters, which is what we started yesterday.  out here they've been in their dens for a month at least.  we have had a really cold fall up north, like 5-30 degrees below normal for 2+ months. 

xtramelanin

December 22nd, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^

sad.   do you have someone you could call, maybe hang out with?  there has got to be a better way for you to spend your time.  is your job really tough or maybe you're having relationship and/or health issues? 

xtramelanin

December 22nd, 2018 at 4:21 PM ^

Shucks guys, thanks.  enough to make a girl like me blush.  Easy to forget sometimes that there are real people out there, not just avatars.  I have enjoyed meeting them one by one.  Next up appears to be srjk, who has a trip planned near our neck of the woods. 

Maybe some of you guys next.  

Yessir

December 22nd, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^

I like tools.  My wife bought me a new Kubota tractor and then last week she bought me a Bosch Laser Distance Measurer.  So I told asked her to stop, but we are going on extra vacay this year as the official present to each other. 

We both feel very fortunate. Thankful. 

Yessir

December 22nd, 2018 at 9:47 PM ^

MX5800. Just a bucket and 84" box blade w/scarifiers.  I had the front end wet plumbed so skid steer will take just about anything.  Had the rear end top and tilt added too.  

Will need hydraulic post hole digger shortly.  Putting in an acre of Zinfandel grapes in February if all goes well.  

Speaking of grapes.  Someone who lives close said I can take a deer if they are a nuisance or eating my crop.  That is something I will NOT do until checking with authorities. I doubt it very much living out here in CA.  

What tractor do you have? 

xtramelanin

December 23rd, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^

i have nearly the identical unit, but an older ('06) version.  front end loader and a boatload of other attachments.  what i historically have been able to do is borrow my neighbor's mega tractor whenever i needed to pull a 12-bottom plow, for instance.  unfortunately he and his wife are going through some very tough stuff right now, and the upshot is that he will likely stop farming.  so, i'll need to upgrade my tractor game.  

as to grapes, call whatever your version is of the DNR. i think in cal its simply called the department of fish and game, but not certain. if you don't mind my asking, in general terms, where do you live in cal. 

we get what are called 'deer management' permits to keep them off our crops. in fact, one of the avatar sons got his first deer earlier this week using one of those permits.  we will be eating that deer for Christmas dinner.  

Yessir

December 23rd, 2018 at 8:50 PM ^

I bought property outside of Auburn CA.  It's on the Placer Co Wine Trail half way between Wise Villa Winery and Mt Vernon Winery (or whatever they're called).  Nice area. 

Nice look at Sacramento valley, but Sac itself is blocked by trees.  

I'm in construction mode so will rent a backhoe when needed.  It made more sense to buy Kubota with skid steer than a backhoe.  More versatile and able to do more than just a backhoe/loader. 

Where are you in Michigan? 

xtramelanin

December 24th, 2018 at 6:56 AM ^

i lived in sac right out of univ of michigan back in the day, and was up the 80 and 50 constantly with rafting, skiing, hunting, etc.  i'm sure auburn has grown a ton in the intervening decades, but i have no doubt that auburn is a very nice place to live still, basically the foothills of the sierra's.  a great choice to be able to get to a real city, but not be too far from the mountains in the big scheme of things.  

have thought about putting some of the farm into grapes.  we have the right soil and some nice, south-facing slopes that would be fairly ideal.  that was until i learned how much work grapes are.  we have enough going on without that so, like raising honey bees, it'll have to wait until/unless my calendar lightens up considerably.  would be fun though.

not sure what you are building, but depending on how serious the project is you could simply buy the backhoe for your tractor.   you undoubtedly considered that and made the wise decision.  don't want to be internet nosey, but some day would love to see what you plan on building, how it sits on your land, all of that stuff.  i'm a licensed contractor and i am always interested in those things.  good luck with your project.  it will be a lot of work, but i'm sure you will enjoy it like few other endeavors in your life. 

we live 'up north', back in michigan.  i spent a total of about 15 yrs in cal.  very glad for my time there, but even more glad to be back home.