Another 'Be Careful What You Wish For' Discussion
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (351289)
Rockingham, Australia
April 17, 2025 8:04pm CST
MyLotter Fleur (@Fleura) wrote about being careful what you wish for. When we first moved to the city about 13 years into our marriage, we found all sorts of opportunities waiting for us. One of these was the chance to attend ‘night school’, as it was called, and learn anything from cooking to carpentry. We had plans of buying a small-holding one day and thought that brick-laying would be a useful skill. So off we went to a course learning how to lay bricks.
I was really excited about this (don’t judge me) and couldn’t wait for the lessons to start. But within five minutes of the first lesson, the bending to mix mortar or lay bricks gave me an excruciating backache. It was the same with every lesson over the six weeks. We’ve laid plenty of paving bricks since that time but nothing that needed mortar.
The photo shows a family working-bee laying pavers at the rear of our house.
24 people like this
22 responses
@kaylachan (77105)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Apr
Yeah, that's a real lot of physical labor for sure.
4 people like this
@kaylachan (77105)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Apr
@JudyEv I don't think anyone does.
2 people like this
@rebelann (113845)
• El Paso, Texas
18 Apr
Yes it was. As a child I really didn't wish for things but as a teen I adopted the idea to live for today as they say. In my 20s I wished I had a better job with better pay but that didn't happen although I did get good medical insurace with the last job I had.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (73878)
• United States
18 Apr
Ouch, that makes my back hurt just thinking about it.
3 people like this
@Beestring (15240)
• Hong Kong
18 Apr
Brick laying involves a lot of physical labor.
3 people like this
@allknowing (144260)
• India
18 Apr
Not everything can be done by dainty women like you
2 people like this
@allknowing (144260)
• India
18 Apr
@JudyEv Here we engage masons for such jobs
Bending is not actually recommended. Such jobs are usually done squatting
Bending is not actually recommended. Such jobs are usually done squatting2 people like this
@JudyEv (351289)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Apr
Vince's two brothers and his sister were helping us so many hands made the work much easier.
@Juliaacv (53167)
• Canada
18 Apr
That explains alot, I truly wondered how you and Vince were so well versed with brick laying work.
Now I completely understand.
I really wondered how a couple were so wise and so ready to do brick work, but I understand if it has always been a passion of yours as well you both had training in it.
I cannot say that we have ever had training in anything together. I suppose the last 'course' that we took was the prenatal course before the birth of our son. That hardly compares to brick laying, but it did involve hard labour just the same. 
2 people like this
@JudyEv (351289)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Apr
Laying pavers is a bit different in a way but all the projects we were involved with also involved two other brothers. The oldest of the three has an engineering degree and the others bowed to his knowledge in a way but all could take levels and do what needed to be done. I enjoy being the 'dog's body' or the 'go fa' girl as in 'go for this', 'go for that'. 
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (187027)
• United States
18 Apr
Kudos for keeping up with the lessons.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (188134)
• United States
18 Apr
Hard work with alot of those construction skills. I once signed up for an auto body course because I wanted to fix some rust spots on my car. This was up North..The task wasn't that difficult, but I only went twice. It was after work, and was cold and dark. I just wanted to stay home 
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (188134)
• United States
19 Apr
@JudyEv Says the person who is never home!. You are almost always somewhere else.
You are almost always somewhere else.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (351289)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Apr
Before I respond, I've just noticed my payment numbers on the right are all zeros! When I open up earnings from discussions the amounts are still there. I hope that isn't going to be the next issue. 
I am getting very averse to going out much at all. I like 'home' too.
I am getting very averse to going out much at all. I like 'home' too.1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (47719)
• India
18 Apr
Some jobs need certain physical resilience.
I can do a lot of tasks with mental complexity but not all with high physical demands.
Those into hard labour jobs can do physical tasks better.
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (47719)
• India
22 Apr
@JudyEv
I can understand.
Even here, people who are in highly sedentary work and lifestyle develop pains and back aches and are not much used to hard labor.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (93857)
• United States
23 Apr
@JudyEv Yes it is so delicate and easily injured isn't it..I do too I got injured at 21 and never been the same since, due to someone elses drunkenness. Curse them.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (351289)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Apr
@RebeccasFarm Oh, that's just awful. I'm sorry to hear that.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37763)
• Toccoa, Georgia
19 Apr
I could never do that. It would tire me out so quickly.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (84188)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Apr
I would never try brick laying, At least you did learn,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (351289)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Apr
Backs in particular seem very susceptible to damage. I think we abuse our backs when we're young thinking we can lift this or that when really we shouldn't.
