Several years ago I took his old crusty double barrel shotgun that he had not used regularly since the late 50's home and repaired/refinished it for him and he INSISTED that I keep it after he showed it off to some of his old hunting buddies. The hammers are worth just as much to me
He built lots of very nice homes, but he was never one for detail work, so he enjoyed seeing many of my woodworking projects over the years and still tells the nurses at the nursing home about how his first grandson built violins, airplanes, boats and his cherry cane. He is proud of me, but I am more proud of him for how hard he worked all his life and how he instilled strong family values in all of his kids.
Several years ago after he had his first stroke, I took a couple of dusty rough sawed cherry boards from him that had been cut from his woods and made some music stands for my girls and a cane and picture frame for him for christmas. He loved that cane and only used it when he and grandma "went out".
Sometimes I wish I could turn back time to spend some more time riding on the tractor with him or fox hunting with him and his buddies.
I am going to polish one of the hammers up and take it to the nursing home and let him hold it again.... sounds corny, but I think he will appreciate it.
