So that’s where it came from …
I had a good day yesterday. I went to visit my Dad, timing it nicely so that I could mop the water from the laundry floor when the trough decided to overflow. It felt good that I could do that - though Dad’s face was a picture as he stood on the soggy doormat and it squelched. That is just such a disgusting sound … I know where I get my snigger!

One of the reasons to visit Dad yesterday was to ask if he would make a gadget for me. I have decided to try my hand at carving bone (mostly because it suddenly appeals to me for some reason) but I need something against which to rest the bone as I carve, not being overly keen on my chances at holding something in one hand while wielding a sharp chisel with the other. I wanted what I called a “jeweller’s bench hook”, which looks like an ordinary bench hook, but with a couple of wide prongs either side of the central working area – I can probably use it for other things too.

Dad was more than willing, and it was nice to see him muttering happily to himself as he pottered in the shed making something, choosing scraps of wood and drill bits and using the big circular saw with a totally unselfconscious flourish to turn it off. When he caught me grinning at him, he explained that it was necessary to wait until the blade stopped.
True, but the flourish was like the squiggle he underlines his signature with, un-needed but necessary as an expression of who he is.

It is probably where I get my drama queen tendencies!