Hello I Must Be Going

I leave you with those words uttered by Groucho Marx, who also said "I
wouldn't want to join any club that would have someone like me as a member".
So unless the sky falls down, we finally close the book on my career in SG
next week. I've been lucky as hell to get out at this time, even though I'm
a bit too young to retire. My buyer is a younger basement competitor doing
this for 30 years, that has consistently been doing more business than I
have for the last few years. The deal is quite perfect for both parties.
The writing was on the wall the last couple of years when I very slowly
realized that besides various arthritis ailments, I just wasn't enjoying it
anymore. The leaning over the table to cut and solder all these years have
taken a toll. I won't miss the cutup fingers, the lead smell deep in my
throat, and dirt under my nails no matter how much I scrubbed. I also won't
miss the sweating out of paying my escalating and outrageous taxes,
($12,000/year) or the utility and supply bills. What I'll miss are the
smiles on the faces of my customers when I held up their finished window...
the smooth score of the carbide wheel on a piece of dark cathedral glass,
and the perfect outcome of a really deep inside curve in a one shot
breakout. Goodness so much accumulated junk to go through. I keep thinking
I've packed up the last box, when I discover yet another tool I want to
keep. The best part of selling to another SG guy, is that he appreciates
and wants most of my silly handmade gadgets. It's been a blast being a
member here, and want to wish you all a happy and healthy rest of your
careers. As an oldtime SG man would say when I was walking out the door of
his shop... "work it slow".


JK Sinrod
www.sinrodstudios.com
www.myconeyislandmemories.com