I discovered I had stepped in a pile of dog pooh and had it on
my socks, shoes and hammock. I washed out the socks, shoes and took
down the hammock to put it away. So went the first moments of
retirement. The first couple of years I enjoyed working with wood and
built many birdhouses, selling quite a few. I only charged enough to
have money to buy materials for more.
For two summers I painted my sister Dorothy's house for her. I only
worked a few hours each day and didn't charge her anything for labor
as I was doing it Just to keep busy. It is a big house and I realized
it would be the last time I would be able to do anything of that
size. Working with high ladders was getting difficult.
In the early spring of 1985 1 decided to try oil painting. I sent
away for an artists outfit and bought some materials at an art shop.
I had never tried anything like this before so I made a painting
studio in the basement and started out with pictures from an
instruction booklet. Even the early ones I painted were okay so I
decided to continue as long as I could see improvement. I have done
more than 150 paintings over the past two years and am still
improving. I have sold some pictures and given away the rest. I also
build and finish the frames for them. It makes a good hobby for the
cold winter months.
This coming July 23, 1987 will be my seventieth birthday and I have
enjoyed five years of retirement, keeping active with gardening,
reading, lawn care, oil painting, helping my brothers and writing
this autobiography.
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