Grampa's Work Shop and Opa's Too

  My Grandfather was a wood worker, before it became a popular hobby.  My Dad's family lived in a small village a long walk from a small town and a serious train trip from what passed for a city in rural Ontario. So my Grandfather was a wood worker, because they wanted storage shelves and an ice house and skis and all sorts of other things that we now have some one in china make for us.  In my Grampa's workshop I learned the names of the tools, and how to use the basic ones and watched and helped as day to day things were created or repaired.  As well as basic domestic things my Grandfather, with my Father's help made boats before I came along.   They made 5 or 6 wooden boats, car top boats or slightly larger boats that would easily carry three men and their fishing tackle.  My Father and I helped a friend make cedar strip canoes one winter, my Father and my friend are gone now. 

  I was rummaging around in my shop and found the last project that my Grampa made.

  It's a door stop that he made in the wood shop in the seniors home in which he lived the last few years of his life.  The door stop needed the leaves glued back on, as with real leaves they fall off after a while.  I have a few tools that where in my Grampa's shop and then my Father's shop.  I think the old saying 'saw dust isn't just up your nose, it's in your blood." is true. 

  This last week has been filled with Christmas music and Christmas shopping. (I think we are expecting 167 people for Christmas, or at least we've got enough food to feed that many) and a couple of projects that will become gifts.

  My Grand Daughter Clara got a wooden 'blanket box' last year and this year she is getting her own middle sized rocking chair.  The chair was a cast off that I got for free, and it didn't need anything but soap and paint to make it as good as new.

  The original finish was long gone so all I needed to do was clean it up and put an entire spray can of gloss white paint on it.  My wife is making a colourful throw to go on the chair.  Clara is going to have a very special custom furnished bedroom.  I have a plan for one more interesting piece for her room.  Maybe for her birthday?

  Nut crackers have become a thing.  I am working to refine the thread cutting process.  These last two nut crackers has the dowel soaked for 24 hours, not quite long enough for smooth cutting but the dowel didn't swell.  The next attempt will soak the dowel for three days.

  Anyhow the wheels keep turning and it is winter, though you couldn't tell that by looking out our windows, so Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Glorious Long Weekend....whatever your family says at this time of year.

  We are having a gang here, not nearly 167 but lots so...see you in 2019.

cheers, ianw

An ancient Christmas Carol sung wonderfully.  The Wexford Carol