My dad was a handyman. He was especially good at woodworking but he was a welder for Jeep for over 20 years so he was a good metal worker too.

I was always amazed by what he could make. He always had projects going on and was very meticulous with his work. He wasn’t just a handyman, he was a craftsman. I remember watching This Old House with him. It was an old show about woodworking and making beautifully crafted furniture and house renovations. My dad would implement what he learned into his own work.

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When I was a kid, he redid our entire porch. It use to be a small, dinky thing made from concrete. Thinking of it now, it wasn’t very attractive. So my dad tore it all down and rebuilt a bigger, better porch from scratch out of wood. It became a familiar and comfortable place for my family. We would sit out there often, watching the horses in the pasture, watching storms roll in or simply just enjoying the breeze rustling through the trees. I even remember falling asleep on the porch as a kid because it was so relaxing.

As I get older, I realize my dad was one of the last of his kind. He was a tradesman, he worked with his hands and he was a true master of his craft. Luckily, he passed his skills to my brother so there are still some true craftsman out there. I hope to one day have my own little place that I can fix up and make beautiful like my dad did. My mom would come up with the ideas and my dad would bring them to life. His work ethic was inspiring and his attention to detail impressed me. I think watching him master his art inspired me to master mine.

My dad taught me so much just by being himself and I strive to be like him everyday. I hope he knew that. It’s important to share little things like that. You never know if you will get another chance to. So do it!

Thanks for reading. I apologize for getting behind on my Inktober posts. I have all the sketches done up to the current one and I’ll be working on getting all my stories published tonight and tomorrow! Thank you for your patience and check back soon for more!

Get inspired, free spirits!

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