Woodworking was the therapy I didn’t know I Needed

My dad was a carpenter; I can only remember small pockets of time, but in those times, I remember him building some of the best furniture and toys from wood. I myself did not get bitten by the woodworking bug until I signed up for shop in the 8th grade. It (the bug) followed me around in the Army (building random shelves and tv stands more on the utilitarian side of things). Woodworking was therapeutic in a sometimes-stressful career such as the military. Once I retired from the Army, woodworking came back full circle. At the suggestion from my wife, I allowed myself some time to dedicate myself back to what I loved doing, and as they say...the rest is history.

Disney 2024
Me and my wife in the shop. She is wearing her version of overalls. I guess she is ready to make some sawdust!!
A man wearing a camouflage cap, glasses, and a blue athletic shirt, poses with his arm resting on a piece of wood in a woodworking shop. He is smiling and wearing work gloves and ear protection.
Me and the fam at Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park, with roller coaster rides and park entrance in the background.
A man wearing glasses, a camouflage hat, and work gloves is using a hammer to work on a piece of wood in a workshop filled with power tools.

As a Soldier, I was taught how to understand a problem, visualize a solution and then execute it.

-I still use that process each and every day in my shop.

A man in military uniform standing outdoors on a sidewalk, holding hands with a young girl in a pink shirt and denim shorts, and a young boy in a striped jacket and jeans, in front of a gray house with a red door and a small tree.
A U.S. Army soldier in camouflage uniform holding a fluffy baby bear and looking at it with a smile indoors.
Two military personnel in desert camouflage uniforms and helmets, one pointing and giving directions, standing in a barren outdoor landscape.