Is it just me or does this happen to you too

[mark page]

Do you ever just not feel right going a day without touching wood or being in the shop??? It seems the day just isn't complete without cutting something or loading up the devilbiss. My LOML works opposite shifts than I do so we get to see each other little except on weekends that I don't have to work too.
On to the root of the story. Her night off and me off. She laid down the law and told me shop was off limits and had to watch a "so called chick flick" with her and could not move my ass off the couch under any circumstances. Low and behold the UPS man delivered some items that day. Can't remember all of them, router bits, new TS blade, buncha small items. Ok got them all scattered on the coffee table for inspection, close scrutinizing, and general fondling. She reinformed me no shop. Asked me if I was going to sleep with some of my new purchases to ease the withdrawal pains. I did sneak a couple in under my pillows just so she could find them later. Now she states she has to find a twelve step program for tool-a-holics......

[David Weaver]

I get a similar feeling if I don't either use tools or strum something with either five or six strings. Some nights don't permit, sometimes the "boss" doesn't permit - those nights don't feel right.

I've also gotten lines about "can you sleep with" or "did you get married to" tools, guitars, banjos or dobros.

[Chris Jenkins]

Mark,

I'd have to agree with this statement, but now that I am married and am a homeowner there seems to be a project or something that needs to get done almost every night and unforatently most of the time it doesn't envolve my shop.

Back when I lived in my own place a few years back I used to come home from work and rush down to the basement to play with the tools I had. There were many a night I would come up from the basement and find that it's 10 pm and I missed dinner hours ago.

These days I come home and rush into the kitchen to get dinner started instead. I do my best to get down to the shop, but it seems like it Saturday mornings are really my only dedicated time in the basement.

[Jim Becker]

In an ideal world, I'd love to be able to fondle things in the shop every day, but that's just not going to happen with work and family. But I at least do try to look in the window whenever I have the opportunity... LOL

"Community involvement" also helps keep the flame stoked...SMC is more than a place to idle away time!

[Mario Lucchesi]

I know for me it is a matter of having time to do the things that I want and not what work dictates that need to be done.
I have tried to arrange the work at home in the same manner. I work the things that need to be done without wood a few at a time so that I can do some that do at the same time.

The shop is my kingdom.. and I do things on my timetable. ASAP is a four letter work. or maybee an acronim for Accident Soon APproaching.

[Greg Cole]

I try to "accomplish" something every day. I can't just sit & balnk out in front of the boob tube, unless there is a Red Wings game on.
LOML & I hammered out guidlelines a few years ago now..... I cook, she cleans. I do all the outside work etc etc etc.... she gets the laundry.
Can't say as I have dedicated "shop" time every day of the week, but in the colder months I spend more time in the shop even if it's just picking up from whatever I was last doing out there (do shop is "the apartment" according to LOML). The warmer months of the year I try to get outside as much as possible... picking weeds from flower beds etc. Oh yeah, the 5 year old little man seems to enjoy my company... and I like having the help or at least someone to talk to (more like listen to).
Lately, I haven't had to try too hard to fondle toyls daily as I've been working on a deck project for @ 2 weeks in my evenings & weekends. Like last night, after mowing the lawn I managed to get 2 sections of railing installed @ 5' L each. Not a serious amount of work, but baby steps make a big project seem to progress some every day instead of putting it off til the weekend and trying to get everything done in 2 days.

[Dave Ray]

Greg says..."but baby steps make a big project seem to progress some every day instead of putting it off til the weekend and trying to get everything done in 2 days." Very true words, I know this works for me.

[Brent Dowell]

It's been a tough year. LOML and I have been working on moving, and the shop has been packed up and put away. To make matters worse, I'm moving from a 3 car garage where I had about 1.5 bays devoted to my shop to a 1.5 car garage that needs to be used for storage AND my shop. Well, at least until I get my dream shop built. Hopefully that will happen next yet.

I finally managed to get some of my tools setup and spent one night this week out in the garage just puttering around. Boy did that feel good. I knew something wasn't right, but being able to get out there and use the old power tools really felt good.....

[David Giles]

Does this preference for fondling tools over one's wife increase with age? I understand that "variety is the spice of life", but Dewalt should not come before Debbie.

[glenn bradley]

I get a similar feeling if I don't either use tools or strum something with either five or six strings. Some nights don't permit, sometimes the "boss" doesn't permit - those nights don't feel right.

I've also gotten lines about "can you sleep with" or "did you get married to" tools, guitars, banjos or dobros.

Well no one should give you grief about treating your Dobro well.

I will sometimes just go out to the shop in the morning with a cup of coffee and think about what I'm going to do next; even though it won't be till 'clear after work' that day.

[Jude Kingery]

I have to say my husband is wonderful about my shop time; anytime I want to turn's fine with him. We have our various chores around the house, but both of us just pitch in and do whatever needs to be done. One thing that makes me laugh though is he said he thinks we need a his and hers shop each! I've rather taken over the garage (turning tools, two lathes) so his reloading bench is rather neglected/crowded, poor guy. But he turns every so often as well so it works out fine. Jude