Roads to Joy

Actually, I’m not interested in selling anything I might make. As our dear friend opines about his amazing bird houses, which decorate several walls around our smallholding in Sparty Lea, ‘if I had to sell them, it would take all the fun out of the activity.’ Same for me. No, what I want is to be able to create something useful for ourselves.

I dropped in to the Men’s Shed in Balmaclellan yesterday morning to see if they might have a router in the workshop, with which, if I could source a couple of pine boards, I could learn how to chamfer off the leading edge to match the other shelves in the bookcase we brought with us. When it arrived, we discovered that two shelves were missing that we hadn’t noticed during purchase. No matter, I thought, I bet there’s a solution.

And there is. There are routers and lathes galore in this delightful, welcoming workshop, and kind advice as to where to source the boards as well. This morning, we nearly purchased a simple kitchen towel holder, before I realised that such an elementary piece of woodworking (a round platform base with an upright thick dowel) could be another easy project for a few minutes at this friendly meeting place.

I hope I can join the group, dipping in and out to work on various projects that might be useful. And share a bit of good craic too, it felt like. There’s something about older men and wood, isn’t there? Good for the soul and for mental wellbeing, I guess.

Although I confess, I don’t drink tea that much. And a cuppa seems to be de rigeur at the workshop, as the guys get together in the cosy meeting room. I shall have to try to learn to experience the delights of that social pastime too.

Meanwhile, today we’re off to our scheduled appointment at the recycling centre to dispose of the collapsed cardboard boxes we used in last week’s mini-move, and then on to the wet fish counter for tonight’s dinner. If we’re lucky, we might make a visit to a junk-with-antiques shop too. And still have time for that promised walk to the river.

Comfortable retirement, eh?!