Perseverance.

[wm460]

Guess everyone is familiar with "If fate hand's you a lemon, make a lemonade", here is a little variation on this subject......

PERSEVERANCE

Two frogs fell into a can of cream,
Or so I've heard it told.
The sides of the can were shiny and steep,
The cream was deep and cold.

"Oh, what’s the use?" croaked number one.
"‘Tis fate, no help's around.
Good-bye my friend! Good-bye, sad world!"
And weeping still, he drowned.

But number two, of sterner stuff,
Dog-paddled in surprise.
The while he wiped his creamy face,
And dried his creamy eyes.

"I'll swim awhile at least," he said,
Or so I've heard he said;
"It really wouldn't help the world,
If one more frog were dead."

An hour or two he kicked and swam,
Not once he stopped to mutter,
But kicked and kicked and swam and kicked,
Then hopped out, via butter.

 

[edlea]

That's what it's all about..........

 

[Jed Baxter]

Yup thats life lol

 

[sbwertz]

Totally off the thread, but my dad loved to tell the story of how my grandfather finally figured out how to make the weekly butter-making easier for my grandmother. She had an old gasoline powered washing machine. My grandfather put the cream into half full glass jars with tight lids, wrapped them in padding, and wedged them on their sides between the paddles on the agitator. Then he turned on the washer (without water, of course) and in no time, he had butter. My grandmother never touched a churn again.

 

[wm460]

She had an old gasoline powered washing machine.

Havent seen one of them for years, though there are a few kero fridges still knocking around.

 

[sbwertz]

This would have been about 1930 or so, in Oklahoma, USA. I don't think they had electricity in the house at that time. The washing machine was a real luxury.

My grandfather was a mechanic/machinist/cabinet maker/inventor. I spent every summer with my grandparents from the time I was five until I was seventeen. He taught me to use tools when I was just knee high. When I was about 10 years old, he brought home a bunch of crates that were made of hardwood, and bought me my very own nail puller. I dismantled the crates, and the wood was mine to use for whatever I wanted to build. I was allowed to use the drill press and (with supervision) the bandsaw. Everything else was done with hand tools. I still have his big 1940s era south bend 9" model A metal lathe, and his 1948 delta bandsaw.

I remember the air driven garage door opener he made, using a fire extinguisher for an air tank. He took my grandmother's old kirby vacuum and made a dust collection system with the motor. He made it when I was a kid, about 60 years ago, and it STILL WORKS. My dad had it in his shop when he died this spring at 93 years old.

My grandfather had all boys. I was the first grandchild, and he didn't know what to do with a girl, so he taught me to use tools.

Sharon

 

[Jim]

My grandfather had all boys. I was the first grandchild, and he didn't know what to do with a girl, so he taught me to use tools.

A very enjoyable read Sharon ...

And a damn good teacher was he ...