It sounds like having several levels of assistance has been helpful (and not helpful at the same time!) - we have a volunteer fire department here, and mutual assistance agreements with surrounding communities for fires and big accidents. There are commercial ambulances through the whole region that are called when the fire department/EMS folks deem it necessary, our EMS folks don't do any transport. They do first aid and EMS stuff and the lifting I mentioned.

I've rescued my mud-caked shoe (my favorite pair for yard work). A stiff bristled brush was all that was needed and I'll be looking for more shoes like this (it has a few more weeks wear, but they're showing their age.) They don't lace, just have a sturdy loop at the back of the heel to pull them on.

Off to get lumber and plan out the gate part. I may have a bag of concrete in the garage and I have the posts and the hardware, just not the latch part. I'll arrange it so the gate can lock/unlock from either side and place a key nearby.