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Last night I went to my dad's to steal, er borrow, his trailer. While I was in his garage shopping, I mean looking around, I noticed a lot of things I hadn't paid attention to before. The dirt floor garage has a door to the woodshop and a hugh step up into it. There's an old piece of metal dad bent into a handle and attached to the door about where my knee is now. That was because I couldn't reach the door handle (about 4 1/2 feet off the ground) when I started "working" in the woodshop with him. Yes, I can reach it now. The bench under the far window is also about knee height. It was my workbench. I reached above the window and took down an antique lock that has been hanging there longer than I can remember. I remembered having to climb up on my work bench to tinker with the old locks and georgous old cabinet hinges hanging there. My workbench and Dad's were in an L with a little shelf at the end of his so the 2 didn't butt up against each other. I used to have to climb the shelf to climb onto his workbench to get the rules hanging behind his shelf. Don't have to do that anymore. Dad specially built a wooden box, complete with hinged lid, handle on the lid and clasp on front, for each power saw, drill and sander. They're painted John Deere green and with white paint, he lettered the contents on the lid. Ah, so this is why I have labels on the boxes in my shop. (Jig saw, cordless drill, misc brushes, clamps, homeless hand tools). To this day, I swear I can still find even the most obscure tool in dad's shop. Take me into my mom's kitchen and I can't find the spoons. So now I know, why I'm happier with power tools and paintbrushes and sand paper than I am with rolls of vinyl, my mouse and squeegees. It just isn't any fun if you don't get dirty.
Hmmm, forgot to see if my old tool box was still on the shelf under "my" workbench. It was painted Allis Chalmers Orange and I had a matching hammer.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Chris, as I read that I could see a man smiling proudly as a dark haired litttle girl dressed in overalls climbed on those benches. That was a beautiful post. He must be a wonderful man!
-------------------- Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist. Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Really cool. Brought back memories of me with my Grandfather working in the barn on just about anything and everything. I'm sure I was in the way more often than not but he never complained.
My father was never much for mechanics but he did projects with wood. My dad was (is) my fishing buddy (or was I his?). I'll rememeber as long as I live fishing Little Mahoning near Rochester Mills at night for catfish and hearing the race cars just over the hill.
-------------------- Dave Johnson Saltsburg, PA
724-459-7240 Posts: 228 | From: Saltsburg, PA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Chris you make sure you remember to return those memories you took....er, borrowed...to your father. Just when you had me convinced you were a bad ass, too. LOL
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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I certainly hope the legacy will endure with my kids! Building memories should happen as a result of parenting, not trying to build memories. Thanks for sharing some of your treasure with us.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6817 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'm finding that my kids are teaching themselves things even when I'm not there, because the work area is set up and ready to go. Did you learn alot of things on your own?
Thanks again for the post. Was anything painted Farmall Red?
P.S. The blacksmith's website had a neat tip about kids in the work area. They said go to Wallyword, buy some Daisy brand kid's size shooting glasses, which will work as safety gogles. I tried it, but all they had was Smith and Wesson brand, ten bucks a pop. But worth it, now the kids squable over who gets to wear them, and be cool lookin'. (They're yellow tinted.)
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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My dads birthday was yesterday June 9 and he passed away in 1977.He would have been 73-what a wonderful bunch of memories we shared together.He too was my teacher of the art of fishing.Thank-you Chris.
-------------------- Randall Campbell Randy's Graphics, 420 Fairfield N. Hamilton Ontario Canada Posts: 2857 | From: Hamilton Ontario Canada | Registered: Jan 2002
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While I don't have a whole lot of happy memories of my Dad, there were a few. Building Soap Box Derby cars, helping remodel our bedroom, helping out at the Church.
Thanks for sparking those memories. It is nice to see someone share these kind of things. Too cool.
Have a great one!
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6465 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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Wonderful post, Chris. I can just see you as a kid, probably with scabby knees from being a tomboy. I'm glad to see that others have noticed you soft side. My dad was a lot older than me, having silver hair by the time I came along as the youngest of 7. I loved him, but was always in awe of him so I didn't always talk to him. His dad could build things, including a new cradle when his wife surprised him with twins.(After having about 12 singles) Daddy built houses for almost all of the older kids. He was too old to build one for me, but he checked mine out before I bought it & proclaimed it OK. I have his old hand-drill, a level, and that big grey shelf in my garage I keep my 1-Shot on. I spent most of my childhood by myself, playing dirty Barbies (had to add some smut), rooting around in my Pap's barn, walking in the woods, reading big books,writing stories,and drawing. Sounds like you had a lovely childhood. See ya at FKAB if not sooner! Love- JILL PS now I have a kid who likes to be with me in the garage!
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Cool, Kissy! I don't have to look far for my roots or beginning. They're all still right here. The Graphics Studio has changed a little with new additions, but the weapons room where I spent so many winter hours with Dad hasn't changed at all, cept for all the new Dillons. I'll never have to miss any of it cuz I'm never leaving Lost Prairie and the big old house where I was born. I've been to the city and both coasts, and I didn't like it. Maybe you have to be born there, no? Cool post!
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Yeah, I thought Kelly's reply was cool too. & like Linda said, "I like where that post took me..." except since I'm older then you Chris I went to an older place...
do me a favor & edit that "cordless drill" out of your post, it totally shocked me awake out of my imaginary old time workshop memories. Maybe you meant a brace & bit, but the Makita I pictured popped my bubble!
PS. I got some of that Allis Chalmers Orange Krylon & I had to ask a few times before I found out where such & strange name came for a color.
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Really nice post,timed well too,w/Fathers Day right around the corner. Made me think back to some good times with my Dad. Hopefully my son has a few as well.
-------------------- Bob & Marcia Peach Peach Signs Inc Sandwich, MA rpeach9828@aol.com Posts: 1021 | From: Sandwich, MA | Registered: Jan 2002
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Doug, you read it wrong sweetie. I have the cordless drill. Dad bought it for me. It's so cool, for Christmas, mom sends dad to buy me power tools! My hubby got a George Foreman & clothes. hehe
Forgot to add: Allis Chalmers Orange is NOT a strange name. I'll have you know I was on an Allis Chalmers at the age of 5.
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