To all my LJ friends
I just wanted to let you all know that I am now back on-line and looking forward to renewing our dialog. I have missed sorely being a part of LJ over the last year. I have turned my LJ email notifications back on and to my surprise found quite a few messages from LJ friends that I have yet to reply to. My apologies and I will get back to you shortly.
My sad story (No crying please)
As you might recall, I was finishing up my wooden gear clock project just before last Christmas. I was hanging it on the wall in our den when something went very wrong with my back. I have been having serious back problems most of my life, but progressively worse into my old age. I was diagnosed with a degenerative condition which was not possible to operate. This left me sitting most of the days in my recliner. I also have arthritis and just sitting around put me into pretty bad shape, so bad that I now find it very difficult to move around and especially to walk even short short distances.
I haven't improved physically a whole lot in the past year, but I have learned to cope with it better after a rough time, but only recently have I had any interest in woodworking or doing anything at all in my shop. Last month I decided that I would try to do some easy scroll saw projects so I could mainly sit while working. I got a basket pattern and made 6 woven baskets for the ladies in the family. That worked out real well so I looked around for some other simple projects and found a motorcycle with sidecar puzzel project from Make CNC and I made 6 of those for the men in the family. These projects kick-started my enthusiasm to return to woodworking. The motorcycle was just flat cut-outs using plywood, but I did have to prepare some solid maple stock for the baskets, so I learned to drag my shop stool with me to the bandsaw and the drum sander and of course to my workbench to prepare the patterns. Anyway, it seems that I can still make stuff, but I get tired out pretty quick, so I am hoping that this might improve and that I can become more active with time and exercise.
I hate to post just words, especially ones filled with self-pity, so I have included some photos of my not too interesting projects just completed in time for Christmas.
Motorcycle puzzle approx. 120 pieces
I painted the edges of the plywood with acrylic water based paint to hide the plywood layers. It is otherwise unfinished.
Woven Baskets cut from a single board except for the vertical strips.
In closing I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!! and I hope that I am welcome back.
Thanks for reading.
Mike
I just wanted to let you all know that I am now back on-line and looking forward to renewing our dialog. I have missed sorely being a part of LJ over the last year. I have turned my LJ email notifications back on and to my surprise found quite a few messages from LJ friends that I have yet to reply to. My apologies and I will get back to you shortly.
My sad story (No crying please)
As you might recall, I was finishing up my wooden gear clock project just before last Christmas. I was hanging it on the wall in our den when something went very wrong with my back. I have been having serious back problems most of my life, but progressively worse into my old age. I was diagnosed with a degenerative condition which was not possible to operate. This left me sitting most of the days in my recliner. I also have arthritis and just sitting around put me into pretty bad shape, so bad that I now find it very difficult to move around and especially to walk even short short distances.
I haven't improved physically a whole lot in the past year, but I have learned to cope with it better after a rough time, but only recently have I had any interest in woodworking or doing anything at all in my shop. Last month I decided that I would try to do some easy scroll saw projects so I could mainly sit while working. I got a basket pattern and made 6 woven baskets for the ladies in the family. That worked out real well so I looked around for some other simple projects and found a motorcycle with sidecar puzzel project from Make CNC and I made 6 of those for the men in the family. These projects kick-started my enthusiasm to return to woodworking. The motorcycle was just flat cut-outs using plywood, but I did have to prepare some solid maple stock for the baskets, so I learned to drag my shop stool with me to the bandsaw and the drum sander and of course to my workbench to prepare the patterns. Anyway, it seems that I can still make stuff, but I get tired out pretty quick, so I am hoping that this might improve and that I can become more active with time and exercise.
I hate to post just words, especially ones filled with self-pity, so I have included some photos of my not too interesting projects just completed in time for Christmas.
Motorcycle puzzle approx. 120 pieces
I painted the edges of the plywood with acrylic water based paint to hide the plywood layers. It is otherwise unfinished.
Woven Baskets cut from a single board except for the vertical strips.
In closing I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!! and I hope that I am welcome back.
Thanks for reading.
Mike