Coming up on 2 years still enjoying it!

[Motorman1946]

Been retired 12+ years - as other folks have said, don't know how I ever found the time to go to work. Being old brings health issues it's true, but it also means when you want to go and play you can, providing Senior Managements says so of course.

My SWMBO says she never stops me going to my shed, and she doesn't, but she does then mutter something about being left on her own....... but then goes off shopping and chasing around the charity shops and enjoying herself.

That sort of fun (for her) leaves me dead, I have stones all ready for my shoes when she suggests I go shopping too. It's OK if I need something from the fasteners store, or from somewhere like Axminster Tools near to me (but they've gone all pricey now and heavily into tools for that brown stuff, more than metal bashing) and I can take her, drop her off, get what I need while she plays, but otherwise it's a real pain, and don't mention having to go Christmas shopping - my mind goes completely blank! I would cancel Christmas if I could (yea - bar humbug, that's me) due to acute lack of interest, but I usually turn it around these days and give the family a shopping list of things that would be useful in the shed, complete with supplier part numbers and contact details, which cheers them up as then Dad's pressie is sorted, and the good thing about having daughters is the help they give then sorting out pressies for SWMBO, and of course the pet dog has to buy for her as well....... How did I get onto Christmas shopping? Call it old age, or having a 'Senior Moment'.

Got told over the phone one day when I was still working (sorry to swear on here) I wasn't allowed to say Senior Moment these days, you had to say 'Age-est Moment'. Oh no I shouted back down the phone, not another blooming PC directive. The caller then gave me the info I was after and finished the conversation pronto. I regarded that as an insult, age-est indeed, when I say I'm having a Senior Moment I'm taking the p**s out of myself and thats fine, but age-est, what an insult, how do all you oldies like me take to that?

My real regret is that I never started model engineering - despite being an engineer all my life - with my own shed until I retired, even though I got a Stuart Models catalogue from back in 1981 or so which is when I wanted to start. Never had the money or the time, family came first which is fine, but in many ways now I wish I had found the time, just a little, and started very modestly, because in reality it was 25 years wasted. Now I have the time and (most - you can never have enough) of the kit needed I find age is slowing me down and progress is alarmingly slow. Plus I'm having to learn how to do stuff at an age when the little grey cells are generally on a go-slow. Typical. You can never win!

Chris

 

[a41capt]

My dear old father- long gone, made everything apart from a brass folding two foot rule and a stick of French chalk. We were too poor to buy things then, Dad made them whilst my Mother taught me how to use a sewing machine by stitching old newspapers. I've still got a little axe that Dad made on the anvil and when we got a bit richer, an 'electric' sewing machine. Between Dad and myself we grew and sold spinach to pay my school fees.
As Dad, a farrier, laying dying he commented about my late wife who 'would take me over jumps, hurdles and ditches in Life which I never would have thought possible' He was right.
Along my way, I had a Freemason as a boss. I was just out of school and he taught me how to think. I suppose that isn't a secret

A winding staircase leads to a better understanding and the improvement of one’s life immeasurably!

WBLA,
John W
Camp Verde, AZ USA

 

[fcheslop]

My Father and Grandfather were cabinet makers and I still use some of there tools to this day.Some are stamped with there initials always a reminder, and I can often hear the old bugger in my ear when I use his favourite old Bailey hand plane although its never as sharp as he had it
My father and I used to fight like cat and dog dont think he ever forgave me for taking up metal work although he often had me making chucks for his Arandal lathe.
The gentleman who gave me the metal piercing saw once dropped a stone he was setting and I still use most of the expletives he taught me as we ripped up floorboards to find it
One of his few printable saying was Its not how hard you work but how clever. Never been the sharpest knife it the draw it took me a long time to realise how true it was
My uncle Jimmy had a farriers shop in Hetton le Hole and my education in drinking and expletives gained greatly under his supervision. We used to rattle around the stables on his old BSA sloper with a box on its side full of kit.
I would not swap my education under those guys for a gold pig
cheers

 

[goldstar31]

A winding staircase leads to a better understanding and the improvement of one’s life immeasurably!

WBLA,
John W
Camp Verde, AZ USA

Amazing what this corn and oil does.
S&F

Norman

 

[lathe nut]

Gosh guys what interesting reading, we were bless to have learn from people who saw potential in us, I was raised on a Rice Farm we built a lot of what was called "flood gates" to control the flow of water in the rice field or close off, made from 2"x 12" cypress four fee wide four feet tall and 8 good long at 8 years old he put a nail bag on me and bought me a new hammer, (which I still have) it was an art to hit that nail bet I hit 20 times before i finally got the hang of it, he said you will get it, he had a lot of patience then when I got that mastered he said now you build one, I was 20 when he passed on I am 69 and still miss my Dad, I like the word that a41capt, Apprentice, that is a dirty word today, these young people can google and then think they are experts, remember we are old school ? This Lady that I am selling things for I asked her how about the kids and grandchildren I asked before I start selling these antique tractors, tractor parts and tools should they come and have first choice, she said I will call them and you will see, when I asked each one do you want anything here, they were insulted, one told me I am not getting my hands dirty and I will never do manual labor, I said you better get a real high paying job, don't respect yourself you will not respect others.

 

[OrangeAlpine]

Motorman 1946 said "Never had the money or the time, family came first which is fine, but in many ways now I wish I had found the time, just a little, and started very modestly, because in reality it was 25 years wasted."

Reminds me of the old cowboy who said "I spent 90% of my money on booze and broads. The rest of it I just wasted."

Bill - Retired 15 years and finally getting into the basement machine shop full time.