My hat goes off to anyone that works in construction for a living.

I spent my day today putting up the fence at my new house. Couple dozen sections of privacy stockade. Two friends that (surpise!) are pros volunteered to do it (dog rescue story...long one). It's all up, concrete is setting, and I feel like I've had the crap kicked outta me. The older of us said upon leaving, "this was fun!" which it was. I learned a ton of shit. But now I feel like that same ton of shit has fallen on me.

Now, I'm no wimp. I'm a gym rat, I'm pretty strong. Hell, I carried stuff myself that they couldn't. I SHOULD be able to laugh this off.

But tomorrow, I'll hurt. I know it.

My grandfather was a professional housepainter and handyman. I have even more respect for him tonight.

So, CHEERS to anyone that does this sort of thing for a living, be it you or a loved one. I might be big, I might be strong...but 3 days in a row of this would kill me, I think.

I went to work on a road crew when I was 35, building bridges and retaining walls - during a major heat wave, no less. I lost about 12 pounds the first week just sweating. I spent two years doing that and I wish I still could - I was in the best shape of my life.

When people remark on how physically demanding my job is now, I just laugh. They have no idea.