Once a woodburner, always a woodburner

[Mrs. Krabappel]

My dad ran a jotul in the basement for much of my childhood. Used a maul to split the wood. He hasn't worked a stove in 25 years.

He spend a couple of nights here early in the month.

First he started poking around at my fire. Then he started loading the stove.

Next thing I know he's out with the fiskars "cutting you some kindling." Dad, I have plenty of kindling.

Next he wants to take a trip up to the sawmill to load the truck with some slab wood. Dad, you're only in town for one day. We're going to hike the waterfall, drive the parkway, and have lunch in town.

Then he's down at the hardware store buying saw oil. He's just going to "play with the saw" and get it oiled, etc. All of a sudden the saw is cranked and he's working his way through the pile of hemlock. Dad those can wait.

I talked to him once he was home and asked him if he told my stepmother about cutting and splitting. "nope, and don't you tell her either."

 

[GAMMA RAY]

Sounds like you have a "gem" of a pop there Kat...

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

Actually I was really hoping he would fix the bathroom sink and the kitchen light while he was here.

 

[BrotherBart]

You don't understand. Somebody else's wood cutting and splitting is like somebody else's kids. You can play awhile and then go home.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Kathleen, what he was doing was a combination of, "I love you," and also, "Gee, I miss doing these things." But methinks the biggest part is the, "I love you." I know when we visit with the kids (a long drive), and we don't get there often, it seems a normal thing to sort of help out with a few things to give them a break. We remember how it was back then and want to make it a bit easier for them if possible.

 

[begreen]

A good dad and daughter time indeed. Sounds like you made his day. Cherish the moment.

 

[yooperdave]

Maybe it's a guy thing??? I catch myself doing that when we are visiting others...

I hope your studies are going well!

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

Haha it had nothing to do with me. He got that gleam in his eye and off he went. Y'all know exactly what I'm talking about.

 

[firefighterjake]

Actually I was really hoping he would fix the bathroom sink and the kitchen light while he was here.

Ah . . . but cutting and splitting wood is much more fun than plumbing . . . and it gives one a sense that he is helping to keep his loved ones safe, secure and warm in the winter.

 

[begreen]

True, with splitting you have a sense of accomplishment. You see your progress and can stop whenever you want. Not so with plumbing, especially old plumbing. For every joint or valve you touch, two more problems will spring up.

 

[blacktail]

It's a guy thing that gets in your blood. My dad is a wood junkie and will go out and cut wood just to bring it out to my house. He gets the fun of cutting it and then dumps it at my place for me to stack. A friend of mine has a decent chunk of property and wanted to have a wood-cutting party this spring. My dad keeps asking about it, wanting to know when we can go up and cut wood.

 

[Jags]

Kat - sounds like your pops is a typical guy. Old timers were built a little different back then.

Caught my old man in the shop this winter "re-sizing" a few splits as he calls it, with a long handled axe. "Dad, there is plenty of small stuff sitting there". "I know, I just wanted to see if I remember how"

He is 79 and had just completed a radiation/chemo regiment for cancer. He is gonna do what he wants to do.

 

[Thistle]

Kat - sounds like your pops is a typical guy. Old timers were built a little different back then.

Caught my old man in the shop this winter "re-sizing" a few splits as he calls it, with a long handled axe. "Dad, there is plenty of small stuff sitting there". "I know, I just wanted to see if I remember how"

He is 79 and had just completed a radiation/chemo regiment for cancer. He is gonna do what he wants to do.

Sounds my old man too,will be 83 this October.Went out to their acreage today to finish up s/s the last rounds from last fall & do some Morel hunting.When I came back from the trek through the woods around noon I found him using a pick,spade & round point clearing out mud & leaves from this culvert /drain we installed underneath the hard packed gravel driveway some 25 yrs ago. So I immediately took over & said 'you should sit down & watch me finish the job " He didnt mention doing this 2 hrs earlier,I asked before I went on my walk "Is there anything you want me to do before I go?" He replied "Nope" And people say I'm stubborn?

 

[Pallet Pete]

Sounds like an amazing dad !

Pete