I used to have a lathe

The lathe is gone—my brother came over on Friday and took it away. I had forgotten at how well the lathe was mounted on the door I had the neighbor anchor it to. A lathe is an awkward tool, very gangly when not attached to its base. Carl was over by himself and clearly he was going to be doing all the work and the best I would be able to do is sit by for moral support. He also has a smaller car but a car which has a respectable trunk and he felt that he would be able to get the lathe into his car. He finally opted to remove to remove the machine from the door. It was surgical strike. A man with his tools, bolt by bolt the pieces came off and soon the white door was stripped and left resting on the saw horses. Carl worked quickly with a focus making sure he stored the nuts and bolts where he would be able to retrieve them at a later date. I really had not seen my brother as excited in a while.

As I said I was out for moral support not that Carl needed any, this was an adult version of unwrapping a gift, a manly thing, steal and wood and a bit of grease. The days are warm comparative speaking ; warm especially for the first week of February. I took the time to start shoveling some of the debris which had accumulated over the rains and snows of the winter. Leaves decaying and branches which had been trimmed from trees or small trees which had tries to get a footing over the previous summer but had been wacked down before the winter began the gangly branches and treelets has to be nipped and placed into garage cans. This job would have taken me the better part of the afternoon but Carl saw my struggles and soon had the branches processed and the leaves scooped and placed in the cans waiting for Tuesday when they will be taken away. No word spoken but there was an agreement this was payment for the lathe.

At some point in the morning Mark A called and wanted to stop by with a belated birthday gift. The lathe was process and in the trunk by the time Mark and Jasmine arrived. I was glad to see them. Mark A, could have offered help if needed—very Waltonish-family helping family it warms me. Mark, Jasmine and Carl all let about the same time. Carl rearranged a stock of hard wood, mostly oak, I have scavenged from the mill behind my house—more then I remembered. The wood is neatly organized where the lathe used to sit on the white door, still covered with sawdust knocked off the lathe when it was being removed. I am glad the wood was there for the door, I could tell the door was already lonely and I have to admit I am kind of excited because even with little amount of attention the garage is looking cleaner and easier for me to get round in. One of my palm sanders surfaced and one of my Japanese saws; I can reach my table saw and I think I’ll be out ripping in a few weeks when the weather warms a little. My older brother assured me that I was welcome to his garage anytime. Any time.

I was supposed to have given Carl a couple of thank you card from my granddaughter, Anakah for Christmas gifts and other niceties Cark and his wife, Jean, have done for her but I had forgot to deliver so on my errands yesterday I stopped by his house to drop them off. Carl was on his way to a soccer came. He had not had time to mount the lathe but wanted be to come by in a couple days or weeks and see the operation. That was cool, I was just on my way to the store and I thought I would drop by. No big deal. I used to have a lathe.