At one point in my life, I envisioned an era when a more mature nature (brought on by the passage of time and an ingathering of resultant wisdom) would result in effective fore-planning and the timely production of my woodworking gifts. No longer would I be completing my gift projects by working through the night before, or even the morning of, the gift event.
Sadly, either I have failed to garner wisdom, or my maturity is still in short supply, because my last-minute woodworking efforts continue in full measure. My middle daughter’s graduation gift? The night before. A good friend’s birthday candle holder? The day before. And that was just this month. With my recent experiences in mind, I have few illusions of what the holidays will bring. Oh well, why change a process that has been working for 30 years? Which just reminded me, my girlfriend’s daughter’s birthday is this weekend!
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
