Dad hasn't lost his talent

[Bart Leetch]

I was real pleased today when I talked to my Dad who is 82 years old. He has a building that he is remodeling to make a 2 bedroom apartment in part of it. He took in some drawings he made of the floor & wall cut aways as well as other drawings as required, they all passed.

I'll be helping him to do the framing. I use to be his helper & go for when I was younger & he was building custom homes, now the shoe is on the other foot. He still had a sharp clear mind & still works around the place 4-5 hours a day but isn't up to real heavy work or long hours. This will probably be his last big project .

Just to think he got out of recovery 3 years ago this last memorial weekend for a compound fracture of a vertebra between his shoulder blades which was a result of a wall falling on him in the Navy Seabee's in WWII. The doctors said he would never walk again. His 88 year old brother said do you think he'll ever be the same again? Well he's not quite the same, but he is unbelievable.

I know this will be work that I'm not use to anymore but I sure am looking forward to it. The next part of the project will be helping him make the kitchen & bath cabinets. :)

[Greg Heppeard]

You know Tyler is gonna want pics. But then so do I. I'd love to see a master at work.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I know you will enjoy the job Bart. It's always a great thrill to spend time with my dad in the shop or on projects. With my parents living 400 miles away, the chances come too infrequently and I savor them even more because of it. My Dad's a youngster compared to yours, only 79.

[Brian Austin]

Don't count on the 'last big project' part. My wife's grandfather is 94 right now and, as your father, sharp as a tack. His body is failing and has been for 10 years, when the docs gave him six months to live if he didn't have bypass surgery.

One (yes, just ONE) visit to ICU in that 10 years and he's still going strong. I installed a hoist system for him during our recent visit. Not for him. It's so he can lift up the riding lawnmower to work on it without straining himself!

The mind can do a lot of things to a body that wants to live.