Midstory with Brandywine Joinery
This one is going to be very unpolished, but I don’t want to overthink it.
Also, before I even start, don’t end this thing without having looked at his work. He is now primarily serving the Jackson, MS area, but he has done work all over. He is a true craftsman
web page >> Brandywine Joinery.
instagram >> @brandywinejoinery
Growing up I didn’t really like my dad. He was never home and often missed my soccer games. He got home really late and he just wanted to read some giant, lame book called, like, Lord of the Rings, or something after a late dinner. What I saw then, through my tiny, selfish eyes, was a tired Dad that wasn’t home often. He didn’t want to be around us. He didn’t care about watching my soccer games or track meets. What I can see now was a father working tirelessly to put food on the table for his wife, 5 children and all the many drifters that showed up at our door. He didn’t want to miss my games, he just had to do it so I could afford cleats to play in those games. His shop actually backed up to the ball field. He could probably hear the cheers and longed to be there, but what stuck finishing up a job.
My dad wasn’t a workaholic. He didn’t work because he was obsessed with it. He didn’t work extra hours to build an empire or pay for private school or a bougie lifestyle. My dad longed to be home with us. He woke up, often before daylight, headed to work and returned after the sun went down. He missed recitals or games because if he didn’t finish a job, we might not eat or the lights might go out. That may sounds dramatic, but I’m not exaggerating. Of course we had high times when he would have some good jobs in a row and we would be set for a bit. We might even all get to go out to eat together at Ruby Tuesday’s or Logan’s Steakhouse, which was like Christmas.
I often wish I could take back all those years that I pretty much hated my dad because I was just so small-minded that I couldn’t see that he was doing all of that for us. I knew how much he loved reading to us, and what great stories, but just to spite him, I would often make some excuse up so I didn’t have to listen. I so wish I could turn back the clock and take in all those stories. I wish I would have eagerly perked my ears toward them like my siblings did. I wish I would have been the one to fight to sit in his lap in the rocker every night.
I did secretly love when we would go visit him after school sometimes. We would go to Sonic Happy Hour and get him a Diet Coke and bring it to him. We would raid his little office or go get wood scraps to sand down and make swords. I don’t know how many swords we made over the years. Sometimes on the weekends he would pay us to sweep up all the saw dust. I don’t know if my favorite part of that was the money I earned or getting to you the air compressor to blow ourselves off afterwards. We would blow it into our mouths and I still remember the hilarity of how it made our faces look.
He taught us to be resourceful and make everything an adventure. We never had much spare money beyond the necessities, but he did make sure we had an adventure or two. I can have just as much fun camping at little Rocky Springs Camp Ground in Mississippi as the Smokey Mountains. I learned to make a trip to Grandma’s an adventureful road trip, soaking in all the sights along the way. We could make a good time out of anything, plus we grew up knowing that the adventure is really about who you are sharing it with, not what you are doing.
I could go on, but the evening is running out and I wanted to share some about us getting to build a bike ramp with my dad this afternoon. Don’t worry, I’m pretty close to obsessed with my dad now. These past few years have been really sweet and I am so thankful I can finally appreciate how hard he worked for us. I can also see how crazy similar we are. I may have avoided him like the plague, but he rubbed off on me. We love the same music, have the same sense of humor and I definitely got his love for adventure. It’s funny, though, however resentful I was towards him all those years, I never once actually doubted his love for us.
Now, to the ramp. We had such a blast repurposing some bunk-bed platforms into the ramp today. Here is what he took and made into one RAD ramp:
He disassembled this bunk bed platform and a used a few more pieces of scrap wood from the garage.
We were inspired by Seth’s Bike Hacks family ramp. We didn’t have to buy a single piece of wood, thanks to Dad’s resourcefulness! Graham and Dad built it and Gabriel and I cheered them on. Emory provided intermittent entertainment for us as well.
There is so much I love about these photos. They were quick and dirty. I didn’t stage anything, I just shot what was happening between making sure Emory wasn’t dumping out stain or touching table saws. I love that Graham and my Dad are so close and comfortable with each other. I love that Gabriel and Emory were so interested in watching and helping. I love how patient and gracious my dad is and that he let us all come over and do it together. I’ve always loved how any time we hire him for things, he takes my concepts and somehow executes them perfectly. That is the sign of a true master. He doesn’t mold our wants to what he can do. He uses his expertise to figure out how to execute what we need. He also always let’s Gabriel help on the install. I love seeing the delight and pride Gabriel gets helping him.
Here are some photos I will forever love and then a few more notes after the gallery.
The process was as fun as the product. The ramp is perfect and Gabriel has already mastered it! Graham can also pretty easily make one on his own now that Dad taught him how to do it!
Morals of the story:
// Hire my Dad.
He is a true master of cabinetry and not many can still do it like him.
He can execute what you dream up in your head pretty perfectly. For example, this bed below is something I asked him for (excuse the photo quality). I wanted bookshelves around, drawers underneath and a minimalist, slight mid-century look, and boom:
// It’s never too late to salvage a relationship. I had to let my pride die, but I treasure the relationship I have with my dad now and I treasure the time we have together.
// Let your kids help. Make sure you have extra hands and eyes to make sure they are safe, but whether it’s letting them help in the kitchen, with the laundry or in the workshop, let them help. It is so good for them.
