A Year of Blogging: March 11, 2011

Today is 'Worship of Tools Day'. Tools have always been a part of my life. My father was a heavy equipment mechanic. That means he worked on earth moving equipment: bulldozers, bucket loaders, excavators, you get the idea. He worked for Caterpillar for as long as I can remember. Not quite my whole life. He started at Caterpillar in May, 1977; about a month before my first birthday. He retired 2 years ago. I do not like the color yellow, with the exception of Caterpillar Yellow. It is one of my favorites! Before Dad went to work on the bulldozers and other fun equipment, he worked in the truck shop. He worked on school buses and eighteen wheelers. If we were near his work on a Sunday, he'd take us into the yard and show us the pretty trucks waiting to be serviced. It was always so much fun. As a mechanic, Dad had a lot of tools. He used to work on our cars, before they became computers on four wheels. When it was Dad's birthday or Christmas, there was a good bet he'd get a tool. Or a gift certificate to either Sears or the 'mom & pop' auto parts store nearby. Sears carried Craftsman tools, which had a lifetime warranty. This was incredibly helpful for Dad- sometimes he was hard on his tools. The nearby store could special order hard to find items for him. Dad taught us about the tools. We knew the difference between a flat-head and philips head screwdriver when we were toddlers. We also knew about various wrenches, and their uses. Being female was no excuse in Dad's mind. My mom knew the tools too- often she had to go to Sears to buy something for him, and she had to know what she was talking about. The tools are one reason I have told my parents when they do decide to sell their house, that I will not come to help them move. They think I'm joking. Even though Dad sold a lot of his tools when he retired, their garage is still full. See, Mom's father was also a mechanic. He also tinkered in carpentry. When Grandma and Grandpa Wager moved to Florida in 1980, Grandpa left most of his tools- with my dad. Grandpa had tools from his father, and possibly more generations of Wager men. My dad doesn't do any carpentry, so many of the tools haven't been used in 30 or more years. When they do sell their house, they'll likely be downsizing to a condo or apartment. I'm not going to help them pack up all those tools!