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I grew up in Oregon. My father was mechanic/shop foreman/service manager for an IH dealer for most of the time I was growing up, so I was always around engines, trucks, equipment, etc. The area was mostly orchards & logging, so us kids grew up picking fruit every summer. I've always had an interest in things mechanical and electrical, & grew up in a family that was pretty self sufficient, to the point of building our own house. My father was always interested in antique cars, engines, machinery, etc., but couldn't really aford to play with anything until after I was off at college. Of course within a couple years after I graduated & got my first engineering job on the east coast I ended up married & with a family, so other interests kind of took a back seat. My father died about 15 years ago (lung cancer, smoked all his life) right after he finally retired, & my mother paniced about money & sold almost everything he had. At the time, my wife & I had adopted some special needs kids out of the Los Angeles county foster care system, & I had neither money nor time to pursue much in the way of hobbies. Finally at a point in my life where most of the kids are out of the house & my career has progressed to where I actually have some extra spending money. We moved from southern California to Colorado about a year ago. We have 4 acres on the outskirts of Denver, and I just got a shop building put up. Got lots of projects to keep me busy. Been fortunate to have jobs I mostly enjoyed, and will be eligible to retire in about 6-1/2 years. Maybe then I can get some of this stuff finished! Have a Farmall H that more or less earns its keep mowing & moving dirt, a 1950 McCormick WD-6 with a loader, a 1930 Farmall Regular (my toy), a couple old vehicles, & a bunch of little stuff. Also fortunate to have a wife that realizes I'll never survive if I have to sit around & do nothing when I retire & encourages me to acquire projects. Keith
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