My dad couldn't build or fix anything to save his life. He'd pay someone whatever it took to get a job done. My grandfather, on the other hand, taught me most of what I know now about building and fixing. They're both great men but they instilled totally different skill sets in me.
My grandfather died last month at 88 and he had the same depression-era mindset. I inherited his whole shop of tools and machines and, while going through it all, I was amazed at the silly stuff he saved over the years - old phone parts, used plumbing fixtures, broken thermostats, just things that should have been tossed. With the exception of his tools, he never spent money on much of anything and still had $400,000 in the bank for his kids. Sad in a way, but, then again, it's hard for me to relate to that thought process.... In a lot of ways, he lived like a pauper but he could have gone and brought a brand new whatever with cash at any given time.
When he passed, I took possession of some really cool stuff that he owned and I have to say that it puts a grand smile on my face whenever I use the same hammer that I remember him teaching me to pound nails into scrap boards when I was just a little kid. The projects that I have done since he died have been really cool because I feel he's with me just by using those old, worn tools that I grew up playing with. All of a sudden, his old hammer has become my main hammer. You gotta love a man with a heart of gold who would have done anything for you (and who bought quality tools!). I'll certainly miss him and I glad I have some material things to always remind me of him.
My grandfather died last month at 88 and he had the same depression-era mindset. I inherited his whole shop of tools and machines and, while going through it all, I was amazed at the silly stuff he saved over the years - old phone parts, used plumbing fixtures, broken thermostats, just things that should have been tossed. With the exception of his tools, he never spent money on much of anything and still had $400,000 in the bank for his kids. Sad in a way, but, then again, it's hard for me to relate to that thought process.... In a lot of ways, he lived like a pauper but he could have gone and brought a brand new whatever with cash at any given time.
When he passed, I took possession of some really cool stuff that he owned and I have to say that it puts a grand smile on my face whenever I use the same hammer that I remember him teaching me to pound nails into scrap boards when I was just a little kid. The projects that I have done since he died have been really cool because I feel he's with me just by using those old, worn tools that I grew up playing with. All of a sudden, his old hammer has become my main hammer. You gotta love a man with a heart of gold who would have done anything for you (and who bought quality tools!). I'll certainly miss him and I glad I have some material things to always remind me of him.