It’s been a while since I started this account and blog. I’ve been busy dealing with a life running on its own mindset—no batteries needed, and definitely with no input or a ‘by your leave’ from me. Not all that unusual, I guess. Still, not what I signed on for. I’ll highlight the important bits.

I took a crack at some for-profit woodworking last year. Limited scope. Just around my area, and last in a local show for artisans. The latter was a total failure, only because I was the wrong product line at the wrong venue. I was the only one presenting hand made wood-based goods. The theme of the event was ‘autumn harvest’. Quite a stretch, considering most everyone else was presenting food products. The main sponsor was a large yogurt manufacturer. I came to realize that 1) I no longer want to be in the vending booth style of selling; and 2) I couldn’t take the long hours of being on my feet. There were other considerations. I terminated my LLC and accepted retirement like a good ol’ citizen.

Recently, my father passed on. He had been predeceased by Mom six years earlier. No longer needed to manage his health care and needs, the wife and I made the decision to move across the state to be close to our kids. The decision kicked up our daily living metabolism to get this house in shape, to finish loose ends, and to find a new place near to our kids by no later than summer of 2020.

For the sake of easing the move, I’m in the process of thinning out tools and equipment, stuff I really don’t need anymore or never got around to seeing a use for. I’m also culling stored lumber and sheet goods. Some haven’t fared well in The Dungeon Workshop’s humid environment. that I know are not needed or have gone bad.

The first tool to be fired is my Hitachi C10FL hybrid contractor saw. Too big. Too heavy to want to disassemble, haul a couple of hours, and then assemble again. And that is assuming the new place will have a workshop or something close enough to put it in right off. ‘Best to let her go. The new owner will be by this Saturday to pick her up. Afterward, I’m off to Lowe’s to pickup a DeWalt DWE7491RS, which will better handle current and future construction tasks, as well as have a portable footprint in The Dungeon.

This is but a micro-recap of the changes I’ve experienced in the past year or so. More to come, I’ve been assured. The positive takeaway is that I will be, in the near future, in a better place (to woodwork, not death) and that’s an encouraging motivator toward the getting through the hard work ahead. Moving forward is preferable to whining in a rocker about old dreams and accomplishments that are quickly fading into the past. The only real challenge is in getting the ol’ body to keep up with the fading mind.