Birthday Present for me!

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  • Miami Mike
    Member
    • Jun 2002
    • 154

    Birthday Present for me!

    Hello All,

    I’m really more of a lurker than a poster but I thought I would share what I received yesterday from my wife as an early birthday present.

    I am currently building (real-ly slowl-ly) a Penobscot 14. What this experience has taught me so far is that I must have been delusional to think my woodworking skills were as good as I thought they were. I had completed a few small pieces of furniture and I think I was feeling a little cocky. As I was driving home yesterday I thought it might be humorous to breakdown and post a little blurb here from the perspective of someone who is not turning out one of these fabulous show pieces that are normally posted here, but something that upon ones closer inspection, one might turn their head and wince in a “that must of hurt” sort of grimace.

    Now don’t misunderstand me, I’m not frustrated or annoyed by my lack of ability. Actually I feel quite the opposite. I think it’s kind of funny and I’m finding the whole experience incredibly enjoyable. It’s been a great learning experience and I’m happy to be attempting something that I have thought about doing for years….building my own small wood sailboat.

    I also think it’s only fair to point out that this is not one of those ”oh, I’m such a wood butcher” posts that is shortly followed with a slew of photos of a craft whose finish is just short of The Presidential Yacht Sequoia and then standing back to reap the praise that follows....trust me it’s bad! To say that there will be no bright work on the finished product is an understatement (and to think I originally had posted here claiming that I wanted to build a boat that would be finished completely bright when searching for the type boat to build.) If I ever overcome the twin evils of procrastination and lack of skill to finish this Penobscot 14, trust me it will be hard to make out the hull for all the epoxy and paint covered mistakes.

    So what does this have to do with my early birthday present? Well, after driving home laughing to myself about all the foibles and follies of my project that I was going to post when I came in to work today, I was met by my wife with a gift wrapped envelope. She said that she thought that it might possibly be the best present she has ever given me and to go ahead and open it. Imagine my shock to open it and see a home made coupon for an all expense paid week long trip to The Woodenboat School in Maine!

    I was completely taken by surprise as I didn’t even know she knew they had a school there. She had been surfing on the WB site because she has seen how much I've been enjoying my excruciatingly slow project and she thought there might be something I would like on the site. When she saw the school she called up and spoke to Kim who, with the help of others at WB, discussed my current project and which of the classes I could benefit from most. It was decided that the June 5th, Building the Dory Skiff class would fit my time schedule and be the most beneficial. She called my boss and arranged for my time off and booked my flights.

    I called a few friends, my brother and my Mom but I don’t think they quite understood the greatness of this gift….so hence I’m posting here!

    Watch out Maine, hide the sharp tools………
  • Bruce Hooke
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2000
    • 14297

    #2
    You've got yourself quite a wife there! Take good care of her!

    And have fun at the WoodenBoat School...

    Comment

    • dmede
      Member #6948
      • Jun 2003
      • 2426

      #3
      Very cool gift!

      I know how you feel (I think), but you should take some solace in knowing that I have found that posted pictures of boats have a magical way of looking much better than in real life. For some at least, Im quit sure many of the boats posted here are horribly under-represented by thier online pics. Theres some real talent here.

      In my case anyway I was pleasantly surprised by how much nicer my canoe looked posted online than it does up close and in person, 6 inches from the planks! Of course I think she's lovely in person but I know all her secrets.

      dave

      Comment

      • km gresham
        Senior Member
        • Mar 2003
        • 4543

        #4
        She's making things tough on the rest of the wives! Enjoy your birthday gift. [img]smile.gif[/img]
        Karen

        Comment

        • Ross McDonough
          Member #2814
          • Jan 2001
          • 2864

          #5
          You must be doing quite a bit correctly on the domestic front, Mike. Keep up the good work on that end and enjoy the Woodenboat School!

          Ross

          Comment

          • Concordia..41
            Senior Member
            • Mar 2002
            • 3076

            #6
            Happy Birthday & Congratulations on your obviously fine choice in brides

            - M
            - M<br /><a href=\"http://www.sailingwithsarah.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.sailingwithsarah.com</a>

            Comment

            • ionbarnes
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2002
              • 1008

              #7
              Thats awsome!

              Comment

              • mccmia
                Member
                • Jun 2002
                • 154

                #8
                Thanks everyone for the responses and well wishes.

                I knew that people here on the forum would grasp the significance of this gift more than those I’ve told about it in person and yes, I do count myself as a lucky guy in the bridal department!

                dmede, thanks for the encouraging words. The funny thing is I posted a few photos in imagestation to send to my brother-in-law and I was amazed at how good they looked, all though I was fairly careful to stand beyond the point of detail when I snapped the shots. It reminds me of an old saying “good from far, but far from good”.

                Having bought Woodenboat Magazine on and off for at least 10 years, I have to say that even with my poor workmanship, I experience a cheap thrill when I pull into my driveway and see that upside down boat frame in the carport. I’m not sure how my neighbors feel about seeing it, but I love it!

                Comment

                • Norske3
                  Senior Member
                  • Jul 2002
                  • 2100

                  #9
                  SUPER!....now when is her birthday?

                  Comment

                  • Chancie23
                    Too Young to be a Senior
                    • Sep 2004
                    • 13902

                    #10
                    Yeah, there better be some expensive jewelery involved when her B-day rolls around.
                    Pet photography, the degree you get when you fail aromatherapy - Duck D.

                    Comment

                    • mccmia
                      Member
                      • Jun 2002
                      • 154

                      #11
                      Good question Norske3!

                      Hmmm.....jewelry, I hadn't thought of that. Her birthday is in August. She grew up in Toledo, Ohio so I was thinking a long weekend trip here:

                      Cedar Point Amusement Park

                      Jewelry, eh Katherine? Hmmm, maybe the reliving of your youthfull days at your favorite childhood amusement park might not be the right call for her 40th birthday after all!

                      jewelry you say.........

                      Comment

                      • Chancie23
                        Too Young to be a Senior
                        • Sep 2004
                        • 13902

                        #12
                        It depends, does she want to got to Cedar Point? If yes, by all means, take her, sounds like fun. Just make sure the gift is something SHE wants and not something YOU think she wants.
                        Pet photography, the degree you get when you fail aromatherapy - Duck D.

                        Comment

                        • km gresham
                          Senior Member
                          • Mar 2003
                          • 4543

                          #13
                          Gifting. Always tricky. [img]smile.gif[/img]
                          Karen

                          Comment

                          • miloc
                            Senior Member
                            • Nov 2002
                            • 683

                            #14
                            Toledo? Hmmmm, I spent a week there one day.

                            Seriously though, If you get that nonpareil of a wife up to Toledo, I'd like to drive down and buy you both dinner, just so my wife gets to see a positive role model for how other wives handle the wooden boat building obesession.

                            Comment

                            • Fred Gasper
                              Senior Member
                              • Jan 2004
                              • 170

                              #15
                              Hey Milo!

                              How come you never offered to buy us dinner?

                              Kathy is a good role model. She insisted I build her a boat. (It's almost done)

                              Comment

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