It was known as "the shop". Much of farm life began, ended or happened in "the shop". Many families have a place where much of life happens. Some families have "the den". It is there that one sits and reads. It is there that Mom or Dad reads the daily paper. It is there that company often settles into an easy chair before visiting. It is there that the family television is ALWAYS turned on for soap operas or news or sports. It is there that Mom and Dad go with a drink in their hand after coming home from a hard days work. We had "the shop". Many families make the kitchen the hub of family activity. It is there that Mom fixes meals for all. Usually the kids sit at the kitchen table with homework in front of them. It is there that holidays memories are made with festive meals and great conversation. We had "the shop". Many families make the living room the place to be. There on the wall is a huge 65" television and all around there are comfy chairs and soft couches. It is there that decisions are made. It is there that everyone gathers around the television with popcorn in hand and the remote near by. It is there that the card table is set up for a puzzle or a game. We had "the shop".
What was the shop like? It had NO door, only a doorway that one could drive a car or the Ford tractor in. There were two windows on the west wall. The window near the NW corner had two broken panes that were never fixed. It had two windows on the east. Again the window on the NE was OUT. As you came into the shop there was a dilapidated work bench with a huge vise on it. It was there that wooden guns were cut. It was there that angle iron was bent for bale hooks. It was there where the rope making devise was attached as we made lengths of rope. It was a valuable item "for sure" On the west wall in the middle of the garage was the drill press. It was so huge that it looked like it could have come out of a commercial building. Did it have a stand? Well I think a barrel would do! That was the culprit when I slammed the drill head up onto my thumb and had to tie my thumb up above my head on the bed post the first night! In the back, the north, sat several pieces of equipment that attached to the Ford tractor. Some pieces like the mower, the scoop and the plow were used often. Some were never used including the dis plow which I never saw on the tractor. Actually the BEST was on the middle of the east wall. There sat a forge that was so so fun to use. Dad would put coal in the center and light it on fire. There was a huge wheel that we could turn which would blow air into the fire. That was where bale hooks were heated before they were formed and much else was done there as well. In the SE corner sat ALL the garden tools and any tool that was used to work the soil. It was there we would go to get a hoe, a shovel, a rake or ANY tool like that. They were not neatly hung on the wall but rather stacked in the corner as if they were meant to be an Egyptian Pyramid or some other earthly structure. It was also the place I often stored my coffee can of worms. I usually kept some handy in case I wanted to walk to the lake and fish. Whenever the Ford tractor was not in use it was parked in the shop but on days Dave and I could get out of work the Ford sat out of the shop so we could use "the shop" for whatever we wanted. On any given day we may cut out more wooden guns, we may make a length of rope, we may set up an old board and do our knife throwing (I would say I got really good), or we may just hang out with visions of what may be in the many years ahead. If we really got into serious talk about the future we may both use the "outhouse' with the busy sign down and just dream. I am not sure any of those dreams came true BUT it was fun. The "shop", the place on our farm where life happened.
I play tennis at 10:30 today and here it is about 8:30. I may get dressed and bike on over to just see who is playing now. I have 3 things to mail today but will only put one in the mailbox. That way I can mail things on Wednesday and Thursday as well. Sometimes I think my mind is still on the farm as getting the mail is still a big deal! BUT "for sure" there will be no delivery of 100 chicks here in Naples! I should mention that I am mailing the paper work for a new drivers license which will last me through January of 2028. At that point I will need to have my picture taken again. But until then I will have my picture on my license that was taken in 2012! I am guessing IF I were to be pulled over in November of 2027 and the patrol looked at my picture on my license he may think I have someone elses license!!! Crazy I think but I will not complain. Here in Florida a driver license is good for 8 years and you need a new picture every 16 years.
No, the FP is finished and so am I.
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