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Inspirations and Aspirations 2

2K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  clieb91 
#1 ·
Inspirations and Aspirations 2

Just needed to put this down somewhere, after a very long weekend that apparently is having a hard time ending. My grandfather past away on August 3 just a month shy of his 92 birthday. Due to all kinds of issues which I will not bore anyone here with it was decided we had to go down this weekend to pick up stuff from his house. 3 guys (my Dad, BiL and I) in a pick up truck for a 14 hour drive is a bit much, but we made it and after some interesting adventures in "Middle of No Where" Florida we made it back. Now for the part 2 part.

My Grandfather was a retired master machinist and a jack of all trades. He taught me so much that I never knew he taught me until much later in life. I am very thankful that I got to spend so much time with him for so long. There was not a lot of stuff that was left behind but one of the biggest things was his tools. He worked in his little woodshop almost everyday building and figuring stuff out for the past 11 years after my grandmother passed. He loved to build doll house and miniature gazebos and porches. He rarely received much money for the things he built just loved to pass the time by building them. I spent a few hours this weekend cleaning out his work shop and packing up his tools. He told me many times that when something happened to him that I was to get his tools. I am both thankful and a little overwhelmed. He still had a number of his machinist tools as well as some basic tools that I remember him using on various jobs. I am looking forward to using a number of the tools in my own shop and more then likely going to build a small display shelf to put a few of the tools I may never use. I do also plan to share some of those tools with my best friend who knew him and of course put a nice toolbox of tools together for my daughter, who also thankfully got to know him over the past 7 years and share some fun times with him.

Even now that he is gone he will continue to be a man that I will look to for my inspiration. He is someone that I looked up to no matter how much taller I was then him.

Thanks for reading.

S.S.S. Rest in Peace, you lived a great life and left a legacy behind.

CtL
 
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#4 ·
I had to smile at "He taught me so much that I never knew he taught me until much later in life." I know exactly what you mean. You're lucky to have had him in your life and you have treasures to remind you of him for many years to come.
 
#6 ·
You are very lucky man. I have hand tool from my father and my wife's father. Every time I get to use one of there tools I still thank them out loud. It just makes my day more complete. They both also gave me tools which are very special.
Always take care of them. In time you will be glad you did.
 
#7 ·
Thanks All. I started to really look at some the tools last night. While some of them are just basic stuff he has bought over the years I found some others that he more then likely has had for a good number of years. These of course will be the ones I thank him for when I am using them. I have a few small tools from some others that have passed and I do find myself remembering them and the things that they tried to teach me when I was young, I am very grateful that some of those things seem to have stuck :)

CtL
 
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