Splitting logs - new exercise routine

Nope!  Not like this.  But this sure looks old-timey!

My parents are in their 80s and my Dad is closer to 90 than not.  His persistent cough has been tied to something (???) in his lung which will be diagnosed as soon as they can get him in for a needle biopsy.   It worries him to be so tired and worn out.

So I stopped by today with a brother in tow to make sure my parents' 3 acres got mowed and where is the old sir?  In the barn splitting logs, that is where he is, thank you very much.  (Head Shake of Disbelief!)

He has something called The Anaconda, so don't imagine that he's lifting an axe over his head.  No, this manual log-splitter looks like an iron rod inside a long, narrow iron collar with a wedge on the end of the rod.  And here is how it works.  You, or in this case, I placed the wedge in the direction I hoped the split would go.  Then I pulled the collar up and slammed it down on the wedge in a motion that reminded me of churning butter. (I have never churned butter but I watched "Little House on the Prairie!")  I did it two handed throwing my whole weight behind it because, as I told my once six-foot tall father, "I'm a hefty woman, Dad.  I probably weigh more than you do."  And I did it one handed, taking turns.  At one point when the wedge went in at an angle, I stood in front of the log giving my triceps a bit of a workout as well.

The whole time, I admit, I did a little yelling and grunting and cheered each time a log split.  My Dad seemed to get a kick out of watching me, and I am sure he knew I was doing the whole thing for his benefit.  However, I got an excellent upper body work-out and I very well may go back tomorrow and finish the pile.  Mom and Dad have some more trees coming down this fall and there will be more logs to split next summer, after they dry out a bit.

I resent having to "exercise".  I am a hefty woman who "enjoys her food".  (We all know what that means.)  But exercise has kept diabetes at bay for years.  So when I find something that gives me a work-out AND actually accomplishes something, I am there!  Oh, yeah.  Splitting the Logs!  Karen the Log-Splitter! Go Anaconda, go!

Anaconda, Wand of Split-struction