“I’m fixin’ to get back to work …”
In case you don’t recognize this patois, it means I’ve just returned from a short vacation in southwest Texas — where the only wood I was intimately involved with was still part of mesquite trees that tried to impale me as I walked by. My Texan bird hunting buddies showed me the local culture and enjoyed playing “guess who’s the Yankee,” with their friends. (Everybody always knew … hmm.)
As the conversations turned to what I did for a living, I was struck by the universal interest and love of woodworking (and woodworkers) that exists. People told me about parents, uncles, grandparents and friends who made things out of wood and how much they admired them for it. They were talking about you. They like what you’re doing and are impressed by your efforts. And so am I.
So take this as an exhortation to keep on keeping on. While the process of woodworking is its own reward, it sure is nice to know that what you’re doing is held in high esteem.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
