If this hammer head could speak!

If this hammer head could speak it would tell you the first time I had an encounter with it I was around six or seven years old.

It would tell you that we were introduced by my father. He was a foreman at a truss plant at the Bartow Airbase and the year would have been around 1970. There was a building boom at the time and my dad was responsible for the trusses on many of the homes and businesses in this and surrounding counties.

It would tell you that my father made a mistake one day at the plant and did the ultimate no no! He was pulling up a metal truss plate off of a truss. He had the claws of the hammer under the plate and he struck the head of the hammer with the head of another hammer. A piece of the head of the hammer under the truss plate chipped off (see photo) and he felt a burning sensation in his left arm. He looked down and there was blood on his arm. The chip of metal had buried in his arm just missing an artery. He was taken to the emergency room where it was removed and he recovered. He learned his lesson that day and he taught me to never, never strike two hammer heads together for any reason.

This hammer head would tell you it was not finished after the mistake at the truss plant.

The next major project it would participate in would be the construction of a work shed that my dad would build at our house around 1972. It nailed the trusses together and built the walls and was used to nail the tin top and sides to the shed. Even with a chipped head it was still a workhorse.

Now as a boy my Dad’s tools was a totally cool thing to me. This was not a cheap hammer but an American made one. I dreamed of the day that it would be mine and I could build my own projects with it. I remember the words be careful, don’t smash your thumb, hammer the nails straight etc. as my dad would teach me to use it. He was a patient teacher. I will be forever grateful for those hot summer days spent helping my dad on all of the projects. It seemed that the hot summer months was the best time to do anything outside.

The next project for this hammer head would be around 1975. My dad’s shed was full of junk I mean stuff so it was time to build more room for more stuff. It would have been a crazy notion to just get rid of some of the stuff! So again the hammer went to work adding on a 6 x 8 addition to the shed. It worked hard once again nailing the walls, the top and the sides on.

So by now you would think this hammer would be ready for early retirement but not yet there was a lot more work to be done.

Now the next project for this hammer would be in1976. This was the big one and I can sum it up in two words (The Roof). This was the year of the USA’s 200 years of independence! This poor hammer was looking for its independence. I would have opted to have a year long independence celebration. The hammer would be used to nail on every asphalt shingle by hand four nails per shingle. I was 12 so I pounded quite a few of those nails. Now 30 years later and my back still Aches just thinking about it.

It would tell you it took a little rest for a couple years and was not used except for minor repairs and stuff. It was used to build a small garden fence during this time but after the roof, the hammer would have been glad to accept almost any job with gladness.

The year was around 1978 and this was the time of redwood patios and redwood patio furniture. You guessed it my dad pulled out his old trusty hammer and went to work again. Once again the hammer nailed the walls and nailed the top on the patio. This hammer had 8 years of experience that I knew about.

Surely it was time for the antique display case. The hammer had help make so many improvements to our home. It was like family. Then in 1980 my dad decided to buy a pallet business. The hammer was probably thinking I should have finished you off at the truss plant! It would work for ten more years hammering nails and repairing 1000’s of pallets.

Then the day came that my dad said son I want to give you this hammer. I was in my twenties and I was over whelmed with excitement. I had dreamed as I said earlier of some day owning this hammer. I didn’t put it in an antique display case nor did I replace the worn out handle. I did not build any of the projects I wanted a build as a boy with it but I put it in a box with some of my other keep sakes. My dad passed away four years ago and I the words you read today speaks to me through my memories of this hammer head. I still have it and I will never depart with it for any amount of money.

I will never forget the important things that my father taught me. He was my very own Superman. He could do anything he wanted to do. He was an achiever. He was a man who loved you for what you are. He was a funny man. If he had something he made sure you had one just like it. He gave to the poor. He helped his neighbors. If you were around him for a short time you would sense his warmth.

Had some people owned this hammer all it would have ever done was maybe tap a nail in the wall for a picture. Because of the dreams of my Father this hammer and I had a lot of adventures together. Thank you Dad!

You might be wondering why this story now. My company supported a Habitat for Humanity Home for a disabled lady last year. We volunteered time and built a house for her.
One of my coworkers brought in a hammer that he borrowed from another coworker for this project. When I saw the hammer this story and the memories began to brew in my mind and the thought came to me “If this hammer head could talk”.

To be honest with you I penned these words on September 13,2006 and put the story in edit mode. We are once again this year building another house for a family and I remembered that I never posted this story.

Lacey's Surgery

Well its been a little while since I have posted anything. No excuse I just haven't done so.

We just got back from San Antonio, TX last week. Lacey had another surgery on her back and she did awesome. She is such a trooper. She had it on Sept 11Th and on Sept the 12Th was back at the hotel. I am amazed. She has not complained about pain and she has almost a 5 inch incision. The morning after surgery I tried to get her to eat breakfast and she said "dad I am not really in to hospital food" She always has a line.

We are preparing to possibly go to Seattle, WA to have surgery on her knees either in late Oct or early November. Tammy went there in May with her and they are almost certain she will be able to walk after surgery and therapy. She wants it so bad. Please help us pray we make the right decision. There is no question in her mind.

If it happens I will keep this blog updated.

Take Care and thanks for your prayers!