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Sunday, January 3, 2016

My Expensive Christmas and Why I Loved It

Both of my kids wanted to build their own shop areas in the garage. ["like yours, in the basement, but not by you, mom." Assholes. DEAL. Like I really want to share with either of you anyway.]

My teenage boys think I'm the best mom ever. But I think they're the best kids ever.
Did I read these lists right? You guys want tools for Christmas? 
[I almost cried. It still gets me...sniff...]

What? That means you're going to need my help putting things together? And teaching you everything I know about tools and shops and making things? Oh darn, what a nightmare. And I hated every extra trip to the hardware store for the CORRECT thingamajig. All that "extra time you made me waste"? For me, that's not wasted time, that's SPENDING TIME WITH YOU. 

"But yeah, you're totally welcome. And you're right, I'm the best mom ever. Just next time, make a list, ok, son?"  So I know what to forget ;) haha

I wasn't kidding about it being a Christmas miracle. They have no idea what it means to me. I tell them, but they shrug and say "I love you mom." *thinking about it makes me laugh* But to be needed, and in such areas that I actually feel competent and interested in is a parent's dream. It's awesome to know we have great times to look forward to. They both have projects in mind and I'm excited to help them. I mean, I am REALLY excited. 

And just to make sure that I took advantage of every damn day of vacation: when the boys went to their Dad's, I learned a thing or two myself. I spent a lot of time at the range, shooting and improving. And I worked in my own shop - in the basement - with heat. [SO THERE. ka boom.] I learned how to pull bullets apart to make pendants and key chains out of the components. It was way more complicated* than I thought, but it was important to me, and it feels great to be creating things again.

I'm looking forward to work in the morning. It feels good to be past the unknown and just getting to it. It is going to be a tough quarter, for sure. There are always growing pains when things change so drastically. I need to find a way to make it work. And I start that, and stop just talking about it, finally, tomorrow. That feels good. 

Just sayin, DM.

*because anyone can glue components together - but in order to take a specific bullet that has sentimental value to you and use IT, I had to figure out how to safely deactivate it so that I could use those components, without an ammo press. Now that I know, the possibilities are only limited by time :)

2 comments:

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  2. OK cool, you are absolutely the only person I have ever met (beyond them who have actually been shot) that claims sentimentality over a bullet? Yes I read where you got your stash from and who left them and all--but seriously... Did you get choked up and let loose a little tear?

    AND the very thought of YOU and tools just seems so anathema in light of your past history--now you sound like you're trying to be a clone of my wife. My wife whom I normally give a variety of tools both power and hand for our many anniversaries. I love getting out of her way when she fires up that power pole saw.

    But DM for comparative purposes I'd like pictures of your basement (heated) work station the boys (freezing cold, mom tortured us) work shops. Ya know if you buy a wood stove and an axe they can cut firewood out of your wall studs.

    And finally congratulations and well done for finding your new rhythm during this break, you actually read like you're finding contentment. The best of all gifts one gives to ones self.

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