Evening All
Long time since I've traipsed through here but I still recognise some familiar names.
Thought I'd pop in and say G'day with a promise to post or share some of my more interesting jobs later in more depth.
One of the most rewarding ones recently was a survey for a new road into a beautiful and remote part of Tasmania.
I'd surveyed a route in 2008 but that met with such opposition it got canned.
I think I posted some photos, not sure.
Anyway the council engineer asked if I could work on a new route that looked feasible but extremely steep.
I suggested lidar and the rest's history.
It also involved boundary work going over original land grant surveys of early last century.
Other jobs have been flood surveys of very destructive and widespread flooding in a nearby town. I'd surveyed same in 2011, then again in 2016. That survey work continued for some time
2016 floods devastated (wow, that's 7 years ago) much of Tasmania with several lives lost and countless livestock not to mention roads and bridges.
Then there's the boundary surveys where opposing owners are just that.
3 such over several years with police involvement. Exciting and interesting stuff.
One was interesting in that one was a psychic (she claimed that) and got me up the side of the mountain to find her boundaries and sort out the neighbour.
The job was dead easy as I found old marks, staked them (wood garden pegs near the corner mark) or put ribbon on the fence.
She'd an old shack near one boundary.
I gave her a plan showing the boundaries and marks found and offset from her shack to north boundary. Had a phone call. Could I come up and help her as she just couldn't get "the map oriented"!
I wondered about her psychic powers, bit my tongue and wandered up!
In 2021 I passed 50 years as a Registered Land Surveyor in Tasmania. They wanted to put on a shindig in Hobart for me but I was a few weeks off a new hip, 6 weeks after prostate removal and though fit and hale, apart from walking on 2 arm crutches and poor bladder control, wasn't about to risk an infection from Covid and seriously put my new hip further into the future.
I did get an engraved brass plaque. One of State Permanent Marks disc, with my name and registered number stamped on it.
Interesting things these arm crutches. You can go like a scolded cat on good ground but they're a pain in the bush and mud as they have such tiny feet!
But they got me about. Must have looked a sight but you can't keep an old dog at bay. Life doesn't stop for such.
Well that's a bit of an opening for now.
If you don't hear from me in the next week or so I haven't forgotten, just a lot on my plate.
Oh, the New Hip. Boy are they good.
It's survived falling off a plank, tripping up in the dark (who put that log there stuff) and slipping in the bath (my first after the op) when swinging round to climb out. Wow, did that bring the wife running. Made a hell of a din, the crash not the wife, but I only had a bad bruise. I told the surgeon what a good job he'd done and whilst not recommending it he was pleased I'd survived unscathed.
So yes, the hip. Fantastic things, thoroughly recommend.
All the best and trust you're only older and wiser and not ailing from some dreaded issue no one deserves.
For now bye
Richard ~ from Tasmania
You sound like one tough bird. Cheers.
This post made me go down a rabbit hole doing research on Tasmania from the language spoken to real estate and jobs. I've always wanted to visit Australia and now I feel Tasmania was just added to that list.
Welcome back, Richard.
You have been missed by some of us old codgers. It is great to hear stories from around the globe.
Are you into the beauty of Spring weather now or is that yet to come?
My wife had her hip replaced about 15 years ago. Best thing she ever did. She suffered for years before that. Never since.
Thanks All
Bill I reckon many of you would be tough when the chips are down.
Squirl Tasmania is a special place, small, low population and stunning landscape.
The Tasmania i grew up on in early surveying has changed dramatically and the love of my surveying life - bush surveying, is rare today.
I'll post a separate story later on that road job, in beautiful natural bush.
And yes, we do speak English 😂
Thanks Holy Cow
Yes just into spring which at the moment is typically vile
Snowy squalls, winds and cold!
Mrs Cow would well know the virtues of a new hip.
But it's the partners I feel for. We struggle but they are helpless observers.
I imagine you can relate.
I will come back, as said
Just now the internet isn't the best so that's a hindrance
Regards
Richard
Pain tends to make one grouchy. Mrs. Cow was a school teacher. The students are those "associates" who feel the pain more than you do.
Paden told me he is taking steroid shots to help him get by for now. The surgeon who did the work on my wife told us you really don't want to see the tools they use. He said it looks like what you might find in someone's garage at home. Hammers, chisels, power drills and saws. Sterilized, though, I suppose.
