Heroes and Hand Tools

Since we down sized last summer there has definitely been some adjustment in my carving and wood working; used to be able to use the garage, basement or the "man cave" to make as much mess as I wanted.  I have a wonderful wife that tolerates the planes and knives but does not tolerate power tools-just think how much dust can be generated!  So other than going some place with a band saw to rough cut out the decoys, leaves, or blocks for Santas, everything is done using the tools you see in the pictures.  When I read about the history of early decoy carvers and how they did their work with axes, draw knives and the like, I almost feel honored to be working with hand tools only.  The work goes slow but one does draw a sense of patience needed to complete the work plus going slower allows an appreciation of the wood and the finished product.  So just as the hare and the turtle race, the prize goes to the slow!  I worked with a carver in Maryville, Missouri, who took me out to meet a priest at a local seminary who talked about taking big cuts instead of so many small ones as the project would be completed quicker but more importantly the carver should be willing to take risks to make the project more detailed.  Maybe a message about life there?
So anyway here are some pictures of a 1/2 size loon decoy that I am working on and the tools. Sorry had to slip a picture of Sam here-he plays on an AAU team out of Wolfeboro, NH: they went 3-1 in their first tournament last weekend.  They went 35-4 last year.

Sam walking the walk at AAU Basketball

Pretty rough looking Loon

Still need to build a bench to sit on and carve

As for the heroes part, I recently posted to another blog commenting on college sports and the coaches who drive them.  The discussion was about Tressel football coach of Ohio State and was he right in not communicating with the University about violations that he knew had occurred with his players.  I mentioned John Wooden, his success and how his father played such an important part in his life and coaching philosophy.  Pat and I sat in the lobby of a hotel in Topeka, Kansas, trying to decide where to eat when Wooden came over and sat down; he proceeded to ask questions about us, our family, why I taught (not why I coached) and directed the conversation at us.  Several weeks later I received a copy of the poem "Why I Teach" and a copy of his pyramid for success.  As I read many of his books and heard him speak I knew that his methods were how coaching should be done.  Vince Lombardi, coach of Green Bay, took over a team in total disarray, set some high standards and pushed a team that had never won to become winners.  His big piece was loyalty and hard work to the program.  So these guys are people who helped me form my philosophy of teaching and coaching-Later Dr. Rick McGuire, former MU track coach helped  me know that I had been on the right direction all the time.

Anyway as I posted to the blog about Wooden, the responses from two individuals was as hard as I have ever heard.  Both charged that he was one of the most dishonest coaches ever to work in the profession, he paid players under the table, had favorites that got special treatment with the final statement being something about "there is no way he could have been that successful without cheating"!

The Internet is a wonderful piece of technology but....how much disservice is done by rumors, falsehoods, and people (like me) who post much of which if their (my) opinion.  The sad thing is that many people take anything said as fact and can't wait to spread the news.  So just how hard is it to have a hero and to keep a hero when their every moment is open for review, beyond the playing field.  I haven't asked the grand kids who their heroes are but think that who ever they say, I am going to work hard to help them preserve the admiration of that person. And then just hope that the "hero" doesn't do anything to screw it up.  As far as John Wooden goes, I went back and looked for evidence that he was not all he was revered for and could find nothing factual that he was not a fair and respectful man.  I guess the final test for him was, when he was on his death bed, how many of his former players came to see him-Kareem Jabaar (spelled right?) returned from speaking engagements in Europe to speak with him.  No greater evidence is needed as far as I am concerned.

It is closer to spring here, blue skies and some of the flowering trees are beginning to flower-of course they will be short lived as we still get some frost.  Remember when you get ready to build (or plant something this spring) to measure twice and cut once.
Peace
Pappa R

Spring and the Supermoon

So will all the crazies be out tonight or will I just be by myself?  The moon is going to be cool, as this only happens every 20 years or so; just think what the Native Americans thought when this happened?  When we vacationed in the great Southwest years ago, and visited many of the old Native American villages around the Grand Canyon and I heard historians speak about the volcanic activity that took place in the area.  Can you imagine not understanding what was going on and how afraid those people must have been or just how much faith they must have had?  I just finished reading Pat Williams' book "Coach Wooden"; recommend that it be required reading for all wether you are into sports or coaching.  When we talk about faith and making every day special, this book will fire you up for the rest of your life!

John Wooden had a huge impact on my teaching/coaching career-here is a bit of wisdom from his career: "Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished but  by what you should have accomplished with your ability."

So now let's talk some carving projects;  as we have down sized I have stored boxes of shore birds and miniature decoys since we have no place to display them.  I have posted some pictures, if you are interested in buying any let me know; shore birds vary in price from $30 to  $60; miniature decoys are $30.  I also have posted a couple of pictures of some birds that I am entering in the Keene Art Walk show in June.

Entries for the Keene Art Walk Show 

Currently have a 1/2 size loon on commission, a cardinal and a shoveler nearing completion.  Next up will be a 1/2 size blue heron.  Will keep you posted on the projects with pictures next post.  So much for being philosophical-don't forget to measure twice and cut once.  Peace

The Armoire Story

Pardon me for the delay in updating this blog. Rehab is harder now, takes 90 minutes out of my day but the progress is off the chart.  Most of the time I am without my cane, working resistance vs weights.  Today have walked the halls and the steps in the building to the tune of 800 yards; amazing thing is getting up and down the steps much easier but still get into the ice as soon as back in room.  Pat has been walking with me, spotting on the steps and making sure that everything stays in line as I walk; of course she might just enjoy the view from behind!  Weather has made it hard to get much outside, temp isn't the problem, but ice, frozen snow and rain add to the difficulty and I definitely don't want to fall down.

Have some pictures of a piece of furniture that has traveled with us since the mid 80's.  I was teaching PE at St. Gregory's school in Maryville at the time; classes were in the big play room, no gym, so space as at a premium.  In one corner was a pile of boards plus the frame of some kind of cabinet; it was continually getting stepped on, hit with balls and the like and was always in the way.  After several months, I approached the Sister who was the principal (and I am so sorry that I can't remember her name because she was one of the best people I ever worked for) about how to dispose of the piece.  She always accused me of drinking the sacramental wine that was stored in the PE teacher's office.  She didn't want to throw it away because it had been moved several times into the new facility but had fallen into disrepair and she really didn't know what to do with it.  She suggested that I just take it home if I wanted it; after going back and starting to put some pieces back together I saw some really good possibilities- my thought was that if I just took this I might make the "Big Guy" angry because it was in a Catholic church building.  I went back and offered her $50 for it, she said it was too much money and made a counter offer of $35 so it went home with me.

We lived in an apartment at the time because I was working at Northwest Missouri State University coaching Linebackers; the complex manager offered a vacant apartment under ours for temporary storage.  I stripped, refinished and glued the piece back together and what you see now is the finished piece.  Inside of one of the doors is a label reading that it was made in the  Springfield Furniture Company in Springfield Missouri, I can't read who it was shipped to.  The coolest thing is that the Springfield Furniture Company started building furniture in 1875 and continued until 1949; the building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 "This firm manufactures chamber suits and bedsteads, all their articles being made of Arkansas hard oak wood, which is one best adapted for beautiful finish and lasting qualities. The motive power is furnished by a Corliss engine of eighty-five horse-power, and constant employment is given to about ninety workmen. Their goods are sold by traveling salesmen, and the territory covered embraces Texas, Arkansas, Indian Territory, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. There are -no better or more perfectly fitted up furniture factories in the country than this, for all the machinery used is of the latest and most modern makes, with all the improvements known to furniture workers. Each machine is connected with the furnace, all shavings being conveyed thereto by means of air-pipes, thus economizing in fuel and doing away with dust and lessening the chance of fire." (Pictorial and Genealogical Record of Greene County, Missouri)

So just how cool is this?  Now I feel like one of those "Pickers"and am so glad that I didn't modify the Armoire into a TV cabinet, but did add some removable shelves and  some handles on the drawers.  You just have to love furniture with a past!

Thanks for reading; and remember to always measure twice and cut once.!

Wives

If you have a wife you are a very lucky person; I have a great one!  I remember the vows that we took several years ago and always thought that the words were meant to be followed, but after the last three weeks I know that Pat is the best.  I have never felt more loved and lucky as I have been over the last 26 days; from that first night when she slept in a recliner next to the bed, getting up to turn the sound up on the TV because it didn't work right, to making sure the nurse arrived at a prompt time; telling me that she couldn't understand how some one as smart as I was could eat meat loaf just after the surgery and getting very, very ill as she held my head as I vomited all over every thing!

She drove home the next day-from Portland Maine no less-with the aid of the Tom Tom but trying to miss all the bumps.  She helped me into the house, got me into bed, then parked the car in the cold.  Every four hours for the next 14 days she would wake up to make sure I took the pain meds; she  kept a record of the time and what I took, she helped me to the bathroom, kept me hydrated, kept me fed a balanced and healthy diet (I have lost weight).  She is my coach during the rehab exercises and the walks in the hall, keeping me on a constant gait and a proper alignment.  The book that she used to record the medications shows just what happens when one becomes sleep deprived; we went to the use of my alarm clock so that she might get some sleep, but she still checked in.

I have completed my in home care and now will start out patient rehab.  I really believe that I would have never made it to this stage without her help.  Yesterday, she took me to Home Depot so that I could walk some place besides the hall; today, we went to the book store because the carpet is easier on my legs.  She "spots" me as I learn to walk up and down stairs, she wraps my leg to cut down on blood clots chances and she puts on my socks.  It makes no difference how tired that she becomes or how grumpy I might become she has never complained and throwing in the fact that she is the primary care giver to my 96 year old mother, there are no words to describe how I feel about her.  I do have to admit that I did enjoy the showers-no not that stuff-just getting my back scrubbed was the best!

But today at the book store, she picked up a new John Wooden book plus the fly fishing edition of Gray's Sporting Journal, bought me a cup of coffee and a donut for my rest breaks as I completed my "intervals" around the store.  Anything related to John Wooden should be required reading for everyone, plus the Gray's Sporting Journal has some of the best art and stories when it comes to fishing.  As we were checking out, she picked up a stuffed bunny rabbit-I assumed she was getting it for one of the grand kids-she said that it was for me, a reward for my efforts!  That is what make Patricia such a carrying and special person.

I realize there is no talking about wood and projects-some how those are not real important right now-just a picture of her at one of her favorite places.  Much peace to all and yes keep measuring twice and cutting once.