"A man with a Plan"

Rick, it sure sounds like you had a busy day. I am not the kind of person to sit around all day watching tv or taking a nap. I have to be busy doing something. If it wasn’t for this site and working in my shop I might actually have to either get back into the work force or start doing things around the house (that my wife assigns me to) like cleaning windows and dusting. :(

I had rather be in the shop I assure you. Even a day of maintenance is far preferable to cleaning windows.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Great story Rick. It sounds like you live in a beauitiful area. I know what you mean about the back trouble. I have had a couple bouts over the years with sciatica and its got to be the worse pain I have ever been in. Back trouble is not fun. I dont do a lot of woodworking in the summer. Just too much yard work etc. I also do my shop equipment tune-ups during the summer. Everything is set to go again. I have been working on a small panelled door for my brother. We are installing it in his his house…its an entry to a room he has. After that I will start a grandfather clock. The door should be done this week. I am waiting on the clock plans so I will start that once they arrive. The clock will be my early winter project. It’s starting to get cool here. Heavy rain today and its about 45 degrees…typical Minnesota fall. Take care.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN

Hey Scott, like you, I don’t watch t.v in the daytime—never have. But after 2 back surgeries, and probably need a 3rd, I’ve got to get off that hard concrete for awhile, although I have rubber mats to stand on at nearly every tool. I can’t hardly stand to just sit around. Sometimes it hurts to move, but you either move or get stove-up!!

Hey Snowy: Sounds like you got things going ,too. I think this time of year we all like to be in the shop.
And yes—it’s beautiful up here this time of year. Cool here too, this morning, but mighty toasty in the shop!!

-- Remember--- one good turn-- gets most of the blanket!!!!

Who has time for TV when there’s Ljs and the shop. Enjoyed your story Rick.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

I try to schedule all my MUST DO stuff in the mornings (as much as possible) so I can spend the afternoons in the shop – if I want to. (I make sure that any projects that I am doing for other people do not have a deadline.) The TV is not turned on until noon when I might catch the local news. It goes off again until the 6:00 PM news.

I take the laptop to the shop unless I’m creating a lot of fine dust so I can periodically check what is happening here, Facebook, email, and play a little chess. Life is good.

-- Joe

Thanks a1Jim: It’s actually a true story. But it happens to me all the time with my back.

Joe, I don’t have any local channels around here close. We get our l.c. from Springfield, MO, a 2 hr. drive from here. That’s what happens when you live in the sticks!! What we get sucks for locals being close. Thank goodness for satellite. And I really don’t care what’s happening there. Either that or Little Rock, and that’s 3 hrs. away—I’m screwed either way!!!!

-- Remember--- one good turn-- gets most of the blanket!!!!

Sorry to hear about your pain… That can be a pain.
Just to think…... What would you of done if you never had your tools or a workshop?
Brings me to think what do people out there do with their time if they do not have a hobby…
Sad to speculate…
Good on you Rick….. chip away…it all comes together sooner or later… Just hang in there…
Not too many Advil’s hey… Youre working with machinery… :-)

-- "Even small steps makes a distance." (Shawn Phillips, musician)

I can relate to your back pain, too. in 1986 I had two lumbar vertebrae fused and it helped until 1994 when I had a very severe attack of sciatica which kept me out of work for six weeks. Since then, I have been referred to a pain center where I have at least semi-annual spinal injections of steroids and live on pain killers. Except now, since I had three stents inserted in my cardiac artery and have to take Plavix, I can’t have the injections. So the pain is even worse and more constant. Usually when I’m working in the shop, I can stand for about 15-20 minutes then have to sit for a half hour or so before I can continue. Real pain in the …...... back!!!

JimC

Great story. Makes me want to be there.

Bothus.

-- Professional kitchen designer, amature woodworker.