The Mathey in Me

Don’t know if other families have similar interests, but in my family if it was mechanical, or involved problem solving we were there. A piece of paper and numerous pencils and pens lived on the kitchen table for those moments you had to draw out what you were describing.

My dad grew up on a farm in Wisconsin in the 1930’s, problem solving…you farmers know what I mean…was a way of life. He ended up working in a factory, but he was the ‘tool and die’ man, that is the guy that fixed whatever broke on the line and made sure the drill bits and any other cutting edge had an edge that would cut. He was so good that he could get the proper angle on a bit by eye-balling it. He was checked, and damn if he didn’t have it right! Sharp objects and problem solving.

My family can, or could when we were younger, demonstrate the primate skills of tree climbing. All three of my brothers had amazing upper body strength, climbing the trees in the yard was…child’s play.

So when it was time to ‘trim’ or cut down trees why bother getting anyone to come in and do it, get the Jonsered fired up and go to it. (Chainsaws are/were a preferred tool…Dad and Uncle Nick cut the opening for a new sliding door with a chain saw…doesn’t everyone?)

So where is this leading? How about that quotation, “I love work, I could watch it all day.” For unknown reasons, the neighbor behind is having (‘has had’ by now) a 50-60 foot tree taken down. It might have been taller, not a good judge of height, just know this is a BIG tree. I’ve been watching the guy in the tree, place ropes (on the piece he is cutting to lower and his safety rope) for the last day and a half. A primate ballet in the treetops if you will with sharp objects.

I find it interesting…it’s the Mathey in me. And then I get to thinking about all that ‘free’ firewood they are cutting up and carting away. Yeah, we like our fires too. Can’t quite work up the nerve to ask for the wood. The last time we had tree work, I did ask our guys to chunk up the wood into pieces at least smaller than three foot, so I could burn them in the fireplace. Honest I can get three foot lengths in there. Problem is ‘lifting’ a three foot piece of wood if it has any diameter at all. But hey, it’s free. (If you don’t consider you paid to have it cut out of the tree.)

So there, climbing, cutting up trees and fires…it’s the Mathey in me.