This was originally posted on Black Hole weekend, last Saturday evening,
when nothing seems to have made it to the list, so I'm trying again...

Hello GGs,

I'm a retired computer programmer living with SWMBO (Pat) on 5 acres
near Oregon City, Oregon.  SWMBO raises a small herd of cashmere goats
and has a knitting business on the side.  She is heavily into the fiber
arts.  If this sounds more like a SWMBO bio, that's appropriate 'cause
she's much more interesting than I am.  I help with the goats, try to 
keep up with the grass, weeds, etc, and work a little wood when I can.
I also spend far too much time on the Internet.  My woodworking hobby
began in 1982 when I bought a Sh*psm*th.  My shop at the time was a
spare basement bedroom, so, fortunately as it turns out, I didn't have
room for all the usual tailed things.  Actually, for the kinds of
projects I like, the Sh*psm*th has done OK.  Lately, I've used it mostly
as a lathe which, IMHO, is really a hand tool in disguise.  I also have
a c*rc*l*r s*w for those few times when I must deal with (ugh) plyw**d.
                                                                      
My rebirth occurred a few years ago when I took a few hand tool classes
and discovered, as someone called it here recently, "the quiet side of
the force" (a truly wonderful name).  Working with hand tools makes me
more conscious of what's happening with the tool and the wood, and the
slower pace of things feels right to me.  Also, shavings are much kinder
to my asthmatic lungs than s*wd*st.  I have accumulated only a few old
tools but that may change.  I've recently joined the Pacific Northwest
Tool Collectors and am looking forward to my first meeting/auction in
April.  I'm also eagerly awaiting my first FMM.

Future projects will include a spinning wheel, a loom, and a recorder.
I've always been fascinated by spinning wheels (another old tool) and
of course, the wheel and loom projects will get immediate SWMBO approval
and generate many hubby points, of which I am usually in need.
I'm learning to play the recorder and what self-respecting woodworker
wouldn't think she could build something that's so simple, just a
cylinder of wood with some holes drilled in it ;-).

I've been fooling around with the word "galoot", a sure sign of someone
with more time than brains.  If you play it backward, it spells Toolag,
which when added to the front of Galoot, makes toolagaloot, or Tool A
Galoot, which is a nice thought.   Anagramwise, if Paddy were to sing
the praises of his latest score, would that be an O'Gloat?  Considering
GALOOT as an acronym, we have: Got A Lot Of Old Tools or God Absolves
Lovers Of Old Tools.  Like I said, waaaay too much time...

Tool A Galoot,

Don Groves  
Oregon City, Oregon USA
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Galoots Are Lovers Of Old Tools
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