A lot has happened since my last post, and though for a while I worked hard at not doing so, I’ve been thinking about this blog quite a bit.
Over the Summer my father died of lung cancer. It was a gruesome ordeal. I know the experience changed me – probably not for the better. I’m still sorting through how and suspect I’ll be doing that for some time.
One comparatively trivial change has been figuring out my approach to this blog. My father had also taken up woodworking, and this blog was a way for me to share the hobby with him.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what the hobby means to me now, and how I will approach this blog – whether I will still do this blog – going forward.
I think things will continue both with woodworking and this blog much as they always have. Eventually.
Right now, I lost so much time this summer caring for my father and family, that there hasn’t been time for woodworking.
I think that is going to change relatively soon. Another month or so and I hope to finally get a workbench built in the new garage/workshop that has been just near a year in the making.
Winter is coming fast, and I think I’m ready. Here in Minnesota you’ve got to be sure and get a lot of things taken care of before winter hits in force. We’re raising chickens this year, and preparing housing has taken up a lot of time.
When work allows (not often – work is only as busy as it is now every eight years) I’m cleaning up tools. Lots more tools. I’m not even able to make a list of the tools I own now. That’s my message for beginning woodworkers, as like I did not very long ago, they wonder how they’ll ever have all the tools people say are essential: don’t worry too much about it. There comes a point where the tools just start finding you.
The high temperature tomorrow is forecast to be 58 degrees. A low of 41. The leaves on the trees are just starting to change. It’s quite noticeable that it’s getting dark earlier each day, as the air dries out and thoughts shift direction toward things you might try to get done that don’t involve being outside.
I hope to be back at the bench soon.
wesleyworkswithwood 
My condolences on your loss. It’s never easy and always changes us. I know my father’s passing changed me.
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Sorry for your lost, I lost my dad 7 years ago. It’s hard but you have to keep on.
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I’m saddened by the news of your loss Wesley, truely I am. This type of loss always comes with a transition period, as I am all too aware. What I have found is that the things that brought me joy before the loss work their way back to the forefront. It takes time, but it works itself out.
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Wes, so sorry for your loss. When my son passed away it took a long time to get back to the woodshop (our hangout) but as the years have passed – that is now where I find solace – and he is constantly with me – still correcting and giving advice 🙂 will keep an eye out for your continuing woodworking adventure!
Best
Michael
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Thanks everyone for the kind words. I’m fairly certain I will be back doing more woodworking, just as soon as we get this garage that is going to also be my workshop completed, and I get a bench built.
It’s off topic for this blog, but right now I’m still very angry at my father. Angry that he didn’t come around to accepting what was happening to him. Deciding you’re going to fight is fine. There’s lot’s of examples of people who didn’t give up and lived a lot longer than the odds said they should have. There comes a point when it’s clear that isn’t going to happen for you. I wanted him to accept that his time had come; that while it’s a sad thing to have to die, we all have to do it, and we should be able to do so with some satisfaction in having lived a full, enjoyable life. I fought like hell to give him the opportunity to come around to that, to find peace, and he just never took it.
Anyway, insulation is up in the garage on all but two walls upstairs, and downstairs the sheetrock is all up, may have the seams taped today. Then we’ve got to score the concrete. I’ll have to get insulation put in on the two end walls upstairs soon too, else I’ll be losing too much heat, but that’s out of the way enough and will take much less sheetrock to cover. Should be able to clear enough space downstairs to be able to get work apart from the garage done, and finally I can start putting the workshop together.
Of course, every time I think we’re done my father-in-law reveals additional tasks, so who knows. I swear he mentioned painting the sheetrock this week.
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