But saying it's 'setting the bar pretty low' just doesn't sit right with me. That stump could have been a HUGE headache for months. Finally seeing it gone after multiple tries? That's a LEGIT win. Small stuff like that keeps you going. Why knock someone for feeling good about getting something done?

Do you ever feel like we're all just searching for small ways to slow down and make our own order? Your post really hits on something I see everywhere now. It's like people are building little pockets of structure to fight how crazy and busy everything feels. That simple act of planning your week is a quiet way to take back some control.

Always figured like nathan919 that you had to chase the fall rush. But having steady work all year really changed my mind. The reliable money is worth way more than a few big paydays.

But it's just a showcase, not a real due date. Nobody's grading you or firing you if it's not perfect. It doesn't have to be that deep.

Consider that flue liners are not just narrow by design but also get narrower with soot buildup. So when @harperp24 asks for exact sizes, they change based on what you burn and how often you clean. Most rules say liners for wood stoves need to be at least 6 inches wide when new. After a while, that space can shrink by half if you ignore it. It's one of those hidden details that turns a simple question into a safety talk. Really, the narrowness is more about not burning your house down than just making the draft work.