I'm having a mental meltdown

[Got Stripers]

Don't know the song, but someone wrote "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all". Man if that doesn't describe my life right now. Went to give my oldest son a ride in the boat since he hasn't been out in it yet. The outboard cranked right up, shut down as I coasted to the beach at the local pond and parked. Get back in and turn the key nada, checked the kill switch, fuses, had power everwhere it seemed, but the outboard wouldn't turn over. Backed the trailer back in, pushed off and got the trolling motor going to load it back up. As I'm coming in the release gets stuck and I can't pull the trolling motor up out of the way in time and there goes the shaft on the brand new $700 motor. So much for the sales hype; composit shaft won't bend or break right!

My problems with my 2 oldest teenage boys have almost turned me into a nut case and the fighting over the solution with the misses is getting old and now the one thing I need to mellow out and hold on to what little sanity I have left is beginning to fail me as well...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Luckily (can hope things will change) the second string Suzuki dealer gets the boat tomorrow now I guess for a Wed appointment and I've pulled off the trolling motor to drop it off with Larry at Tropicland (can you sweet talk to him Juls?). I'm hoping the cover it under warranty, because that could have just as easily been a big bolder I didn't see, while fishing down a windy bank; no difference in my mind.

Thank god for the mystery trip this weekend. You guys better keep an eye on me thou, I'm bound to walk right off the end of a Jetty. I think it's miller time now, maybe several.

[img="http://www.rgsiroisco.com/fisherman.gif"]
Tight lines.

[JohnR]

Hang in there GS... I'd salute you with a brew but I might be going to bed soon. Son #1 is on a sleep strike. He aint staying asleep. Ooohh, eyes hurt, head aches, cranky (me, not my son)

[Slipknot]

WOW GS, my mouth dropped when I read that part about your shaft. That sucks. Sorry to hear about it but I think the stars must be lined up for alot of mech. problems lately.

That trouble not starting after you shut her down could just have been the neutral saftey switch, seeing how you are having trouble with the controls maybe it wasn't all the way in neutral. Better luck next time out. See ya Sunday

[Jenn]

The doctor prescibes a fishing trip on sunday! HA!HA!
As for the boat.....be firm and dont take any crap from the dealer!!! Hopefully that will get you what you need.....and as for the kids....well I dont have any myself but I still remember what I put MY poor parents through.......and as you stated they are TEENAGE boys right??? well just remember that teenage part.....I think it just goes with the territory....today (at 26) I finally have a good relationship with my parents and if I had only known then how nice that could be.... any way I am more grown up now and they have loosened up in the past few years and become more understanding too, keep these things in mind and it might just help you through these tough times!!! Good luck and hope all works out OK!!!

[schoolie monster]

Dude, I hear you. One thing after another without a mental break. You just want to get in cruise mode for awhile, but life ain't havin' it. Work, family, the f'n house (and/or yard in my case). And you've got your own business which is like work--amplified!

Sometimes its seems like nothing's going right... but it builds on itself. Little things that go on all the time start to seem like a big deal when lumped in with the rest.

I pretty much had a breakdown last night trying to get my sprinkler system all rigged up without watering the house or the woods. The shape of my yard just isn't allowing an easy set up. No way should I have been so frustrated though. There I am, yelling at my wife and kid like a lunatic. And of course, last night one of the timers failed and never shut down and wiped away areas of hydroseed. Had it set right, it just wouldn't shut down.

I'm just sick of everyone and everything. I just want to be alone and have no responsibilities for a bit. Tough to do as a parent, a husband, a homeowner... all while working 40 a week and commuting another 15-20.

Oh well, the life I chose I guess. And don't get me wrong, the good of all these things far outweigh the bad... you just get in those ruts... those down swings on the cycle.

Well, felt good to vent... Got Stripers, good luck with the boat, I hope you can get that boat up in running in short order. After my brief dealings with mechanics the past 6 months, I'm seriously considering seeing what kind of marine mechanic courses are out there. I'd rather rely on myself than someone else.

Sunday should provide us all with a good release and hopefully, the fish will cooperate and be merciful on us.

Thankfully, we always have fishing... imagine the folks that don't have a passion like that and go thru all this crap. What do they do?

Drink alot I suppose.