[GH85Carrera]

Back in the "Leave it to Beaver" era where I was raised...........

We moved to San Marcos, TX in 1963 and it was a rental. Dad wanted to repair some areas of paint that needed attention in the living room and one bedroom. He went to the local hardware store and the man at the store asked the address, and instantly said, Oh that living room has this brand and color on the wall, and the bedroom would be this. Of course, he was right. No computers, not special mixes, just an old man with a good business.

When I finally bought my first house here in Oklahoma City I went to a local hardware - lumber yard. Old school, with bins on nails, and lots of old grey haired men that hung out there for the free coffee and donuts. They were all retired tradesmen, and I wish I still had access to that knowledge base. ANY home repair question I ever had, they knew a way to do it. My house was built in 1950. Not one item was standard to the way it was done when I moved it. It had lead pipe drains, and faucets that were nothing like what was sold then. Those guys could show me how to rebuild a faucet with or-rings and seals of the day, and make it work perfect, and fit back in place. If I needed a real tradesman, they would give me a number and tell me to tell the guy I call, tell him Fred gave you the number. I would get the buddy treatment.