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I thought readers of this board may appreciate this situation.
Last week, wife calls me while I'm working to let me know she's okay but the brakes went out on the truck. Older f150 brake lines corroded through. Meanwhile, I'm stewing as I can't do anything about it for a week due to work commitments.
So after my stretch of back to back 12 hour shifts, I am finally looking forward to a few days off and being able to work on the truck. Innocently, I ask her the night before, "I CAN go into the garage can't I?" (had odd feeling for some reason, that she may be stashing my gifts in there). She doesn't come out and say NO but, weakly argues that I shouldn't be out there anyway since it's so cold (20's) and there' no heat. (detached garage/shop). I remind her that I have to work on the vehicle and that's where my tools are. So after an hour or so this, she calls the oldest daughter downstairs and says they are going to the garage. I quietly laugh. Daughter comes back inside and tells me I have to go the bedroom and stay there while they relocate whatever it is they are moving. I laugh and say "ummm, I'll be in the bathroom!"
They move things around and in the meantime, my (ahem) library time, is interrupted by an unusual "Clang" sound. I can't help but try to associate this sound with something. It's part of my nature. By occupation, I am constantly paying attention to that type of detail. Sounds, stories, actions out of place, etc.. Sometimes it means danger, sometimes it just means stupid lying people. Anyway, the point is, I really pay attention. It's metal, with a low pitched tone, and I KNOW I've heard that sound before, somewhere. Instantly, my mind races through all of the sounds in memory. I can only come up with one possible source of that "Clang".
Fast forward to last night. Oldest daughter has friends over. They are joking around and she starts goading me about whether I have AGAIN figured out what my gift is this year. I am notorious for this. Drives the wife crazy. So does watching Wheel of Fortune and me blurting out the answer after 2 letters; getting most of the Jeopardy questions; figuring out the movie only 5 minutes into it and stewing until I tell her "Who done it".
So I of course, tell them I have indeed figured it out but won't reveal the answer. They keep ribbing me so I get an envelope and make the following prediction and even provide how I came to this conclusion: It's a bandsaw. Rationale is that "Clang" I heard. Remember, I was in the "Library" concentrating (i.e., reading shopnotes) when that "Clang" happened. The "Library" is on the second floor, adjacent to the oldest daughter's bedroom. Now, anyone who has ever assembled a open stand woodworking tool has heard this noise. Particularly, anyone who has owned a BT3100. It just makes a loud Clang that is not reproduced in nature. But I already have a table saw, drill press and planer. I don't have a jointer but there is NO way that my wife and daughter would have been able to carry a jointer in the house, then up stairs and stash it. Trust me here, not even a benchtop model. But, a bandsaw? An open base version? Yes, that's it! Absolutely has to be what the "Clang" was from.
So the morale of this rambling is that a I will be the proud new owner of a bandsaw come Xmas morning. And how do I know this you ask? She opened the **** envelope then proceeded to storm about the house complaining that I once again figured out what my present was going to be.
I then spent an uncomfortable night on the couch, dreaming of what make, model, size, etc and what wonderful projects I will make with it!
p.s. I love you babe and thanks for trying to surprise me.
Last week, wife calls me while I'm working to let me know she's okay but the brakes went out on the truck. Older f150 brake lines corroded through. Meanwhile, I'm stewing as I can't do anything about it for a week due to work commitments.
So after my stretch of back to back 12 hour shifts, I am finally looking forward to a few days off and being able to work on the truck. Innocently, I ask her the night before, "I CAN go into the garage can't I?" (had odd feeling for some reason, that she may be stashing my gifts in there). She doesn't come out and say NO but, weakly argues that I shouldn't be out there anyway since it's so cold (20's) and there' no heat. (detached garage/shop). I remind her that I have to work on the vehicle and that's where my tools are. So after an hour or so this, she calls the oldest daughter downstairs and says they are going to the garage. I quietly laugh. Daughter comes back inside and tells me I have to go the bedroom and stay there while they relocate whatever it is they are moving. I laugh and say "ummm, I'll be in the bathroom!"
They move things around and in the meantime, my (ahem) library time, is interrupted by an unusual "Clang" sound. I can't help but try to associate this sound with something. It's part of my nature. By occupation, I am constantly paying attention to that type of detail. Sounds, stories, actions out of place, etc.. Sometimes it means danger, sometimes it just means stupid lying people. Anyway, the point is, I really pay attention. It's metal, with a low pitched tone, and I KNOW I've heard that sound before, somewhere. Instantly, my mind races through all of the sounds in memory. I can only come up with one possible source of that "Clang".
Fast forward to last night. Oldest daughter has friends over. They are joking around and she starts goading me about whether I have AGAIN figured out what my gift is this year. I am notorious for this. Drives the wife crazy. So does watching Wheel of Fortune and me blurting out the answer after 2 letters; getting most of the Jeopardy questions; figuring out the movie only 5 minutes into it and stewing until I tell her "Who done it".
So I of course, tell them I have indeed figured it out but won't reveal the answer. They keep ribbing me so I get an envelope and make the following prediction and even provide how I came to this conclusion: It's a bandsaw. Rationale is that "Clang" I heard. Remember, I was in the "Library" concentrating (i.e., reading shopnotes) when that "Clang" happened. The "Library" is on the second floor, adjacent to the oldest daughter's bedroom. Now, anyone who has ever assembled a open stand woodworking tool has heard this noise. Particularly, anyone who has owned a BT3100. It just makes a loud Clang that is not reproduced in nature. But I already have a table saw, drill press and planer. I don't have a jointer but there is NO way that my wife and daughter would have been able to carry a jointer in the house, then up stairs and stash it. Trust me here, not even a benchtop model. But, a bandsaw? An open base version? Yes, that's it! Absolutely has to be what the "Clang" was from.
So the morale of this rambling is that a I will be the proud new owner of a bandsaw come Xmas morning. And how do I know this you ask? She opened the **** envelope then proceeded to storm about the house complaining that I once again figured out what my present was going to be.
I then spent an uncomfortable night on the couch, dreaming of what make, model, size, etc and what wonderful projects I will make with it!
p.s. I love you babe and thanks for trying to surprise me.
. 
Loring in Katy, TX USA
twistsol
Glad it worked out.
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