I guess it's NOT ALL his fault

Those of you who have followed our story for a while know I love to blame everything on Tracy. 

Even tho he's not here now that doesn't stop me.  Some things never change.

I used to nag Tracy for spending so much on tools.

Yes.  He was a fabulous builder but Tracy LOVED NEW tools. 

He loved the BEST tools. 

He only wanted ME to have the BEST tools.

I would Never spend the money on top quality and had the make due mentality. 

Made Tracy crazy!!!

Every time I hear a slap stapler or electric saw I have to look.  The smell of warm sawdust will be like perfume to me forever.  Our love of wood was one of our common passions.

Tracy would see all the craft creations I cut out and laugh that he could build a million dollar mansion with all that wood.  I often would dive into the flames at the job site burn piles rescuing future imagined treasures as Tracy called to Jim -

 QUICK!!!  Here she comes!

Throw the rest on before she gets here!!!

I was at Home Depot today to get things for work and was drawn like a magnet to the tool section (via the ooopppsss sale paint shelf).  I pretended to look at sand paper for upcoming classes for Studio Bella and even a drill bit or two but really...

it was the power tools I was interested in.

As usual, I just HAD to check out the drill press and the band saw, both tools I miss so very much as they "didn't make the cut" (yes, that was a tool pun) when we moved from Peoria.  

Do you know Ryobi makes a 9" table top model for just $129?  It's not the grand JET mega model Tracy gave me as a gift that was adopted out before we left but what a deal right?

I bought a used Demel scroll saw here for $40 at a garage sale in the neighborhood a few years ago as a birthday present to myself that I have used and abused as a replacement for my Frankensaw from back home.  I wish I would have taken a picture of that monster band saw that was an old cast iron Craftsman. It was missing parts including the rubber on one of the wheels and had a wall switch box for the on/off switch.  I am pretty sure I got it as a hand me down from my sister Suza when she upgraded about a billion years back. 

Then I saw the portable table saw which I most likely would cut my fingers off with ( I know I know- the preposition at the end- I hear ya Tracy) but I lust after anyway.  Tracy would tell me that it's CRAP and to do a good job you have to have a GOOD TOOL.  He could justify ANY tool like I do a book or can of paint.  I would huff at the expense then secretly hope he would buy it, leave it out, think it got stolen or forget he had it when he got a new one and I would acquire it.

As I looked to upgrade what I did bring sadness set in.

I couldn't even find batteries for my 2 old Ryobi drills that I love because they have the magnet for extra bits when you change back and forth from drill to screwdriver tips.  Tracy was smart enough to get me 2 drills so I didn't have to stop and change bits.  I didn't even SEE Makita batteries for anything much less my other drill.

The Hitachi Reciprocating Saw Tracy got me before he left has the Lithium Ion battery so that should be good for a while.  People thought, what a dumb gift to give me when I needed clothes or could have gone to dinner but I assure you I have enjoyed it more than make up and a bucket of popcorn.

 I can't replace the battery in my old Black and Decker electric screw driver which I'm bummed about.  I still have it plugged in even tho it doesn't hold a charge any more. I keep hoping it will come back from the dead.  

(Reoccurring theme in my life at this time).  

The DeWalt construction radio uses the same battery as the small circular saw Tracy gave me but again...huh...it doesn't hold a charge well enough to cut and the blade is the same one I had 5 years ago.

I sure wish I could find someone to work on the Porter Cable Jigsaw that was Tracy's.  I have a junker jigsaw but man the Porter cuts like butter when it works.  I think it's just a faulty cord but Tracy thought it was more than that.  I couldn't justify the expense (cause I'm a cheapskate) of finding out but I keep hoping I find someone in the neighborhood who likes to tinker.  

I think of all the silly things we brought with us from Peoria like they were so important and how we sold off all the tools we both loved because I thought we would never have time or reason to use them again and I could just kick myself.

Now that I am working with Studio Bella and sending projects to DecoArt and working on my ETSY shop my old addictions are kicking back in.

I always thought it was MOSTLY Tracy who had the thing for tools but I can see now....

I might have misjudged that.