Was a phone call.
A friend of mine is a single parent (as was I for many years) and she
doesn't have a lot of luck with men, health or whatever. She does have a
bright engaging ten year old boy.
A couple of weeks ago I was bored and sifting through the eBay items closing
in minutes when I came across a single Robbie Williams ticket. This was a
Gold ticket usually going for about $170 and it was closing with no bids for
$50. I jumped in, sniped it and got it for the $50. I then called my friend
and asked her if she'd like to go. She jumped at the chance and we said we'd
look after her boy while she was at the gig. I had an ulterior motive, as
when she left to see the concert the boy and I disappeared into my workshop
and I told him we were going to make Mum's present, or more exactly HE was
going to make it.
I'd bought a piece of 40mm pine and told him of the plan to make two
breadboards. Why two? I would make the first step on mine then he would copy
it on his. We then did the safety briefing. I showed him exactly what damage
the equipment would suffer if they had the chance cut his arm off - none.I
got the face mask and the ear protection on him and we were set. He cut the
board to size on the tablesaw, chose a router bit, routed a design around
the edge, rough sanded and then fine sanded the board top and bottom. We
then heated it in the oven and coated it with olive oil. Each step I did
first and then I hovered over him to make sure he was as safe as I could
make him.as he did it himself.
The phone call came today with Mum ecstatic over the first functional gift
he had made himself and him as proud as he could be. One of his other gifts
was a keyboard and when he saw it he tried to guess what it was inside the
wrapping and jumped with joy at the thought that it might be woodworking
equipment like I have.
I think he has the bug. He has already told me about Mum's birthday in May.
Mekon
> I think he has the bug. He has already told me about Mum's birthday in May.
>
> Mekon
Birthday? Is she a flower person? May I suggest a (or a pair of)
simple plant stand/stool, 12" high, with 3 legs (stands firm on any
surface). I've made lots of these with nice scrap. And log slices make
for a more natural and decorative piece, when the log's natural edging
is maintained.... Suits the display of the plant, itself, rather than
having a straight-cut-board look on the edges. Limbs for legs, if you
have them available. Easy to make and a nice gift, not to mention a
good beginner's project. I have pics to share, though I can't post on
the ABPW boards.
Sonny
Mekon wrote:
> Was a phone call.
>
> A friend of mine is a single parent (as was I for many years) and she
> doesn't have a lot of luck with men, health or whatever. She does have a
> bright engaging ten year old boy.
>
> A couple of weeks ago I was bored and sifting through the eBay items closing
> in minutes when I came across a single Robbie Williams ticket. This was a
> Gold ticket usually going for about $170 and it was closing with no bids for
> $50. I jumped in, sniped it and got it for the $50. I then called my friend
> and asked her if she'd like to go. She jumped at the chance and we said we'd
> look after her boy while she was at the gig. I had an ulterior motive, as
> when she left to see the concert the boy and I disappeared into my workshop
> and I told him we were going to make Mum's present, or more exactly HE was
> going to make it.
>
> I'd bought a piece of 40mm pine and told him of the plan to make two
> breadboards. Why two? I would make the first step on mine then he would copy
> it on his. We then did the safety briefing. I showed him exactly what damage
> the equipment would suffer if they had the chance cut his arm off - none.I
> got the face mask and the ear protection on him and we were set. He cut the
> board to size on the tablesaw, chose a router bit, routed a design around
> the edge, rough sanded and then fine sanded the board top and bottom. We
> then heated it in the oven and coated it with olive oil. Each step I did
> first and then I hovered over him to make sure he was as safe as I could
> make him.as he did it himself.
>
> The phone call came today with Mum ecstatic over the first functional gift
> he had made himself and him as proud as he could be. One of his other gifts
> was a keyboard and when he saw it he tried to guess what it was inside the
> wrapping and jumped with joy at the thought that it might be woodworking
> equipment like I have.
>
> I think he has the bug. He has already told me about Mum's birthday in May.
>
> Mekon
The kid needs a toolbox.
Thanks for the heart-warming story.
r
"Mekon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Was a phone call.
>
> A friend of mine is a single parent (as was I for many years) and she
> doesn't have a lot of luck with men, health or whatever. She does have a
> bright engaging ten year old boy.
>
> A couple of weeks ago I was bored and sifting through the eBay items
> closing
> in minutes when I came across a single Robbie Williams ticket. This was a
> Gold ticket usually going for about $170 and it was closing with no bids
> for
> $50. I jumped in, sniped it and got it for the $50. I then called my
> friend
> and asked her if she'd like to go. She jumped at the chance and we said
> we'd
> look after her boy while she was at the gig. I had an ulterior motive, as
> when she left to see the concert the boy and I disappeared into my
> workshop
> and I told him we were going to make Mum's present, or more exactly HE was
> going to make it.
>
> I'd bought a piece of 40mm pine and told him of the plan to make two
> breadboards. Why two? I would make the first step on mine then he would
> copy
> it on his. We then did the safety briefing. I showed him exactly what
> damage
> the equipment would suffer if they had the chance cut his arm off - none.I
> got the face mask and the ear protection on him and we were set. He cut
> the
> board to size on the tablesaw, chose a router bit, routed a design around
> the edge, rough sanded and then fine sanded the board top and bottom. We
> then heated it in the oven and coated it with olive oil. Each step I did
> first and then I hovered over him to make sure he was as safe as I could
> make him.as he did it himself.
>
> The phone call came today with Mum ecstatic over the first functional gift
> he had made himself and him as proud as he could be. One of his other
> gifts
> was a keyboard and when he saw it he tried to guess what it was inside the
> wrapping and jumped with joy at the thought that it might be woodworking
> equipment like I have.
>
> I think he has the bug. He has already told me about Mum's birthday in
> May.
>
> Mekon
>
>
I don't know if you or the boy is the bigger winner here. You receive a
satisfaction which can't be bought when the young fellow learns something
fun and useful, makes something useful and then, gives it away and you enjoy
his joy as he lifts his mother's spirits. Jeez, I'm getting a good feeling
just writing this. *Very* nice story.
"Mekon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
And you were the biggest recipient of all. The gift of giving.
Merry Christmas
"Sonny" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > I think he has the bug. He has already told me about Mum's birthday in
May.
> >
> > Mekon
>
> Birthday? Is she a flower person? May I suggest a (or a pair of)
> simple plant stand/stool, 12" high, with 3 legs (stands firm on any
> surface). I've made lots of these with nice scrap. And log slices make
> for a more natural and decorative piece, when the log's natural edging
> is maintained.... Suits the display of the plant, itself, rather than
> having a straight-cut-board look on the edges. Limbs for legs, if you
> have them available. Easy to make and a nice gift, not to mention a
> good beginner's project. I have pics to share, though I can't post on
> the ABPW boards.
>
> Sonny
Thanks for that... Can you post the pics on
alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking? Alternatively the email adress works. :)
Mekon
>
Would that we all could make such a gift happen.
All three of you got something precious!
Old Guy
"Mekon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Was a phone call.
>
> A friend of mine is a single parent (as was I for many years) and she
> doesn't have a lot of luck with men, health or whatever. She does have a
> bright engaging ten year old boy.
>
> A couple of weeks ago I was bored and sifting through the eBay items
> closing
> in minutes when I came across a single Robbie Williams ticket. This was a
> Gold ticket usually going for about $170 and it was closing with no bids
> for
> $50. I jumped in, sniped it and got it for the $50. I then called my
> friend
> and asked her if she'd like to go. She jumped at the chance and we said
> we'd
> look after her boy while she was at the gig. I had an ulterior motive, as
> when she left to see the concert the boy and I disappeared into my
> workshop
> and I told him we were going to make Mum's present, or more exactly HE was
> going to make it.
>
> I'd bought a piece of 40mm pine and told him of the plan to make two
> breadboards. Why two? I would make the first step on mine then he would
> copy
> it on his. We then did the safety briefing. I showed him exactly what
> damage
> the equipment would suffer if they had the chance cut his arm off - none.I
> got the face mask and the ear protection on him and we were set. He cut
> the
> board to size on the tablesaw, chose a router bit, routed a design around
> the edge, rough sanded and then fine sanded the board top and bottom. We
> then heated it in the oven and coated it with olive oil. Each step I did
> first and then I hovered over him to make sure he was as safe as I could
> make him.as he did it himself.
>
> The phone call came today with Mum ecstatic over the first functional gift
> he had made himself and him as proud as he could be. One of his other
> gifts
> was a keyboard and when he saw it he tried to guess what it was inside the
> wrapping and jumped with joy at the thought that it might be woodworking
> equipment like I have.
>
> I think he has the bug. He has already told me about Mum's birthday in
> May.
>
> Mekon
>
>
On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 08:46:16 GMT, "Mekon" <[email protected]> wrote:
... snip
>
>The phone call came today with Mum ecstatic over the first functional gift
>he had made himself and him as proud as he could be. One of his other gifts
>was a keyboard and when he saw it he tried to guess what it was inside the
>wrapping and jumped with joy at the thought that it might be woodworking
>equipment like I have.
>
>I think he has the bug. He has already told me about Mum's birthday in May.
>
Heartwarming story in the true spirit of Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you and yours (sounds like it already is)
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
"Mekon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Was a phone call.
>
> The phone call came today with Mum ecstatic over the first functional gift
> he had made himself and him as proud as he could be.
Don't you just love a story with a happy ending? You did good. Everyone is
a winner.