Things in general with my life

[frankS]

Hi all. Well I think my fishing days are coming to a end . My breathing has got to a point where I can't do much at all.

I have sold the Quintrex 14 footer with trailer and also sold the Savage Scorpion. Have also sold a heap of fishing and boating gear that will never get used by me.

I have bought a new computer and I am happy with the way it is working, sit most of the day behind the screen watching Utube and the rest of the day sitting on the front verandah watching the world go by. I have a golf course at my back fence and a play field in front so lots of activity going on pretty well all day long, I often spend many dark hours sitting on my swing seat on the verandah.

I still have the Pride gazelle a 5.5 glass open boat that I have done some work to but still lots to do, and I don't know if the work needed will ever get done. I have a good mate that loves his fishing and we have been sharing our passion for the past 40 odd years but he has a business to run and has a family which he needs to show attention to so his fishing time is very limited.

I find it hard these days to just go down to my local shops at Berala and in fact I needed my partner Val to come with me to the computer store to carry my old computer.just going to get a hair cut or similar takes planning and a lot of effort for me.

SO I have bought myself a cheap Mobility Scooter to allow me to go places I can't walk to. I bought a electric scooter about 12 months ago thinking that would be a good idea rode it up and down the street twice and decided I looked and felt stupid on it so that has been sitting in my bedroom since, the battery has never been charged only used portion of the charge that was in it when bought.

Anyone want a cheap Scooter ?.

I have a garage full of stuff I need to get rid of so will be putting heaps of items for sale in the very near future.

Thanks for reading.

Frank

[Welster]

Hi Frank,

I am really sorry to hear things are getting more difficult for you but glad to hear you making the most of the simple pleasures you can do. 

[mrsswordfisherman]

Frank that is very sensible. 
There is a lot of support out there. Not sure what you have tapped into. 
Please send me a pm if you want to chat about this. You know my background is in healthcare. 
Donna

[zmk1962]

Hi Frank ... I second what Jason said above. The girls have come up from Melbourne so my next few weeks are full but I'll reach out and pop around after that. All the best mate.

Cheers Z

[big Neil]

Hi Frank, old buddy. Saddened to hear that you are feeling that life has little to offer. I fully understand where you're coming from, and perfectly aware that we older folk are all in the same boat. As disheartening as it seems to be I would encourage you to contact Donna and look at what options are available. I think you will be surprised to see that our circumstances have been studied and there are options available for us to take. Don't give up!

You have enjoyed a very full and active life. You have contributed to many peoples enjoyment and you are not yet ready for the scrap heap. Your skill and determination have provided many of your friends and acquaintances with positive results to their problems. You are a true and loyal friend and though your list of friends is diminishing, you still have a loving wife by your side.

Sure life has changed and will continue to change, but you can still make the best of what's on offer. If the offer of hospitality is still open I will come up and see you towards the end of May...let me know. I will look forward to seeing you and Val again.

Look forward to hearing from you Frank.

Always your mate, bn

[Little_Flatty]

Sorry to hear about your health woes Frank. Hopefully with all the support you have, you can adjust to this next phase of life.

Please don’t feel stupid about riding the mobility scooter. You’re at a life stage where it could be useful in keeping you connected with your community, just as your computer keeps you connected to us (thank goodness you got it sorted!). We don’t feel stupid about needing reading glasses (I’m fast approaching that age!), and this should be no different.

[frankS]

Thanks guys for all your support. I didn't mean it to be all doom and gloom it's just that I have come to the realisation that I just can't do the things I use to be capable of doing. 

Life goes on and once I get my mobility scooter my outlook on life should improve.

Nothing I like more (other than fishing) is being in my shed welding some project Or making something on the lathe etc, next best thing is talking with you guys and getting to know a few of you personally and becoming good friends.

I don't know what I will end up doing with the Pride boat, might get to use it some day.

Stay tuned for things I will be selling, lots of stuff that some of you might want.

Frank

[frankS]

1 hour ago, big Neil said:

Hi Frank, old buddy. Saddened to hear that you are feeling that life has little to offer. I fully understand where you're coming from, and perfectly aware that we older folk are all in the same boat. As disheartening as it seems to be I would encourage you to contact Donna and look at what options are available. I think you will be surprised to see that our circumstances have been studied and there are options available for us to take. Don't give up!

You have enjoyed a very full and active life. You have contributed to many peoples enjoyment and you are not yet ready for the scrap heap. Your skill and determination have provided many of your friends and acquaintances with positive results to their problems. You are a true and loyal friend and though your list of friends is diminishing, you still have a loving wife by your side.

Sure life has changed and will continue to change, but you can still make the best of what's on offer. If the offer of hospitality is still open I will come up and see you towards the end of May...let me know. I will look forward to seeing you and Val again.

Look forward to hearing from you Frank.

Always your mate, bn

Neil. You know you are more than welcome anytime and although I may not be able to take you fishing , there is always a bed and the jug takes but a few seconds to boil.

Frank

[noelm]

I guess as time moves on we all have to accept what gets thrown at us, sorry to hear you’re not doing so well, but, as mentioned, there is help and options. Never be afraid to ask for assistance, both professionally and through “friends” here, next time I am up your way (which is not that often)  I will call in, but if there’s anything we can do, just ask.

[Pickles]

On 4/18/2024 at 4:48 PM, zmk1962 said:

Hi Frank ... I second what Jason said above. The girls have come up from Melbourne so my next few weeks are full but I'll reach out and pop around after that. All the best mate.

Cheers Z

Hey Zoran, give me a yell if you’re heading over, I haven’t met Frank, but been the recipient of his wisdom & knowledge and like to let him know I care. 

[Pickles]

Hey Frank, @frankS, sorry to hear things are getting tough for you, (good you’ve got Val there). I’d love to catch up and say gooday - been the recipient of your knowledge and wisdom and as Donna says - a lot of support out there.

[zmk1962]

1 hour ago, Pickles said:

Hey Zoran, give me a yell if you’re heading over, I haven’t met Frank, but been the recipient of his wisdom & knowledge and like to let him know I care. 

Hey Bob, FYI Maria and I had a cuppa with Frank and Val last week.  Will keep you updated. 
cheers Zoran 

[frankS]

Hi guys, Just a quick update. I bought a little mobility scooter ( new ) and immediately fell in love with it. It didn't take long to do a few laps around my back yard and then out onto the street and around the block a few times. Charged the battery up again and drive it into Berala shopping centre and got a hair cut . I didn't feel the slightest bit stupid driving it, in fact I felt rather good . It's twice as quick as I could ever walk 8 k's per hour on the flat, slows down a little going up a slope but still comfortable speed.

Unfortunately, it is too small to ride on the road safely and the pavements around here are in pretty poor condition with each slab laying a different way to the next creating quiet large bumps and the little scooter has solid rubber tyres so it's pretty jarring going over the ridges in the concrete pathway.

So I decided to get a larger pump up tyre scooter 2nd hand which has been around the block a few times and a bit rough around the edges . However it goes 12 k's per hour and much more comfortable seating with high back chair with recliner and I feel very comfortable driving it. And being a bit rough here and there it suits me just fine as I can do a bit of work to it to keep me occupied. I thjnk I will update the batteries from 36 amp hour to new 50 amp hour because these 36 amp hr ones seem to lose their charge rather quickly . although these ones have been sitting for a while not being charged they might come good after a few charges. The range of this scooter is 35-50 k's depending on weight and road conditions so even half that is further than I will ever want to drive the thing.

I am thinking of making a rack so I can load it on the back of the car via tow bar and could take it down the river by car unload it easily and drive the scooter ( which will have rod racks built for it) along the river pathways and flick a line out here and there.

Anyway guys I am feeling heaps better than I did a few weeks back and the mobility scooter is a great investment for me.

As they say it's a life changer.

Frank

[big Neil]

Good to hear that you're back racing round the streets of downtown Berala Frank. Wonderful that you are now seeing life with a bit more purpose...you have a lot to offer your family and friends, not to mention the Fishraider community.

I assume that you are still able to drive the car around provided you don't have to walk for miles at your destination.

Headed off for a week's vacation tomorrow so let me know about the car situation please. 

Cheers and vroom, vroom, beeeeeeep...get out of the way. Great news Frank.

bn

[frankS]

Neil. I have never had a problem with driving the car it's one thing I can do all day long. My car is in the workshop at the moment getting a new radiator and air condenser.

I sit on my scooter and drive around the streets just for the sake of it and to get some more charges into these batteries before buying new ones.

Frank

[big Neil]

Hope the car comes back with renewed life for your purposes Frank. I have a mate at bowls who has a mobility scooter and he loves the freedom it affords him to do all the local things without having to use his car. He too still drives the car when he has to travel a fair bit. 

Cheers mate, bn

[kingie chaser]

Hi Frank, Im sorry to hear you are not doing as well these days.

You may not be as active anymore but it sounds like your mind is still sharp as a tack which in my eyes is the main thing 🙂

Hopefully you will continue to share your knowledge on here for a long time to come.

Frank, what I admire about you is you have never backed down even as tough as times have been for you & you have still managed to achieve more in recent years than most younger blokes just think about doing!

Building trailers from scratch, refitting outfits, you never said never. 

I really appreciate what you taught & shared with me both on here & in person.

Keep up the fight mate 🙂

 

Edited May 16 by kingie chaser

[frankS]

On 5/16/2024 at 8:00 PM, kingie chaser said:

Hi Frank, Im sorry to hear you are not doing as well these days.

You may not be as active anymore but it sounds like your mind is still sharp as a tack which in my eyes is the main thing 🙂

Hopefully you will continue to share your knowledge on here for a long time to come.

Frank, what I admire about you is you have never backed down even as tough as times have been for you & you have still managed to achieve more in recent years than most younger blokes just think about doing!

Building trailers from scratch, refitting outfits, you never said never. 

I really appreciate what you taught & shared with me both on here & in person.

Keep up the fight mate 🙂

 

Hi mate, long time no see. I am feeling OK in my mind and I keep thinking I can do that but my body tells me I can't.

last few weeks I have been getting about a bit and it feels good to be a bit more active. I now have 2 mobility scooters with another one coming soon. 1 brand new but just a baby the second one a full sized 4 wheel scooter which I have just bought 2 new 50 amp batteries to replace the 2 36 amp ones will give me extra milage.

The 3rd one I am going to buy new Lithium batteries as it is a mid sized 4 wheel scooter. I will make up my mind which one I like the best.

I was going to make a rack to carry the scooter that fits on the tow bar of the car but I found a cheap one on ebay so saves me making one.

I am going to make rod and net holders to fit on the back so I can drive down to the river and unload the scooter and use it to ride up and down the shoreline to flick a line out now and again.

Frank