What is your legacy ?

[axisg]

OK, I feel in fairly common mindset then. Seems though my dad cherished the farm tools / musical instruments his "elders" worked / played in an era pre- war / pre- machinery / even pre-radio. He would re-furbish what needed, then give them to friends and family to be put back to use. He hated going in to a restaurant and seeing something like a scythe with a hole in the handle so they could screw it into a wall ! My generation has a certain fondness for the pre-war stuffs but we tend to put the artifacts in museums instead of to use. I am proud to say that even though we no longer reside on the property that we emigrated from Ireland to in the 1800's that it's still in family hands and the land being worked. Fact that some of the machinery that my grandfather used ( whim I had never met as he died when my father was young ) is still there and being worked. Its kinda neat to jump on a tractor that I know he worked and work it never meeting the man.

I guess in a nutshell your legacy can be something you worked with ( being it some machinery ), or a business you built, or even your kids 😉

 

[Kennybill]

Without writing a book I'll tell you something I experienced 3 years ago. A guy called me up and said he had an engine that had my name an telephone number on it. I didn't know what he was talking about. He said it had $300 written on it. He was 2 hours from my house. I asked him what kind of engine. He said Pontiac, he thought, the guy had a TransAm. Hmmm, I asked, is there a 4A on the corner of the heads? Why yes there is, says he. He tells me a guy died and he helped his buddy clean out a large Quanset type building. The buddy paid him plus gave him the engine so he wanted to sell it. He sent me a picture, all painted up, when I sold it to the Pontiac guy 4 years ago it was a greasy 403. The guy wanted a spare engine to rebuild for his factory 403 powered TransAm. I sold it to him for $300. I drove down that morning. The engine looks like it was all fresh rebuilt, new pistons, all new under valve cover, rockers, bridges, springs, looks like new fasteners. It came with a nice cart. I bought it, still never used it though.
He told me the story, old guy (2 years younger than me) got Pancreatic Cancer, went fast. Guy had been a Machinist and besides the TransAm, he was building an airplane and he had a lot of machines, Bridgeport, Lathes, drill presses, welders, lift, tools, building was loaded. The guy's Son-in-law wanted everything cleaned out right now! He sold or whatever the TransAm. S-I-L called his buddy (a scrap yard owner) and told him he wanted a building cleaned out for a fast sale of hid Father in laws property. His buddy went to look at it. S-I-L says take all this sh*t out of here. Buddy said how much? S-i-l says, how much do you want? Scrap guy say, what about the stuff? S-i-l says you can have all that sh*t, I want it completely cleaned out so I can sell the place quick. The scrapper said I'll take everything off your hands and just some money to pay the Helpers. S-I-L said fine. He said his buddy made $80,000 selling the machines, airplanes and parts, tools.
So, basically all the "stuff" means a lot to you but it's just sh*t to some after your gone.
It was an eye opener for me.

 

[DRIVEN]

Its kinda neat to jump on a tractor that I know he worked and work it never meeting the man.

Yup. My tractor has been used by 5 generations and still goes to work regularly. I used it to mow my field this morning.

 

[airboatgreg]

Good point, will turn 62 in November. Just went through surgery for Melanoma on my jaw. I think we caught it early as I go to dermatologist every 6 months. Married 34 years, 1 son that works with the same company I do. Proud to be his Dad. Financially stable with plenty of insurance as I will probably pass before my wife so my son will not be burdened. I have set a date for leaving what I do as the contention gets old. Have an in at the local sporting goods place and a hardware store so that will be my next thing. Will work as long as I can as I would go bat s**t crazy being at home. My legacy... good guy, never met a stranger. I don't know.