ruthh
2007-12-06, 12:16 AM
Hi,
I started life in Manchester, England over 5 decades ago. Since them I have had an interesting life to say the least.
I was the first 'coloured' woman to join the police in Manchester in 1972 (followed by 5 of my siblings) After 7 yrs I retrained and came to Canada on a 6 months work permit, fell in love with Victoria within my first 24hrs and emigrated 2 yrs later.
After surgery put an end to my cabinet making apprentice I moved to Vancouver and went to University. Starting when I was 30 I again set the stage for most of my family in the UK to start going to university. I graduated from SFU with 2 degrees in Communication and the beginnings of a new career in Emergency Management.
Over the years I have worked in Canada and the US doing all kinds of emergency management contracts. Emergency management = earthquake, floods, volcano (yup, one rumbling right now in BC) planning and response.
I have always been handy and even built my own house on Bowen which took me 5 yrs. It was made out of straw bales and was quite high end luxury...but I sold it one yr ago.....
Went to Lee Valley to buy some tool or the other I needed for building and ended up booking myself into a pen turning class as a treat for myself.
Although I have not spent too many hours over the last 5 yrs doing turning I have had stints where I had time to spend weekends at the lathe. Finally this July I went to the American Association of Woodturners symposium in Portland and came back with.....a stubby.
It's not really overkill as I do turn bowls, big bowls, and this lathe allows me to do up to 30". I also have a mini Jet for pens.
Wish I was retired so I could just turn.....but a few years yet to go.
I also sign on to two other turning boards plus this one.
That's it...my life story.
I started life in Manchester, England over 5 decades ago. Since them I have had an interesting life to say the least.
I was the first 'coloured' woman to join the police in Manchester in 1972 (followed by 5 of my siblings) After 7 yrs I retrained and came to Canada on a 6 months work permit, fell in love with Victoria within my first 24hrs and emigrated 2 yrs later.
After surgery put an end to my cabinet making apprentice I moved to Vancouver and went to University. Starting when I was 30 I again set the stage for most of my family in the UK to start going to university. I graduated from SFU with 2 degrees in Communication and the beginnings of a new career in Emergency Management.
Over the years I have worked in Canada and the US doing all kinds of emergency management contracts. Emergency management = earthquake, floods, volcano (yup, one rumbling right now in BC) planning and response.
I have always been handy and even built my own house on Bowen which took me 5 yrs. It was made out of straw bales and was quite high end luxury...but I sold it one yr ago.....
Went to Lee Valley to buy some tool or the other I needed for building and ended up booking myself into a pen turning class as a treat for myself.
Although I have not spent too many hours over the last 5 yrs doing turning I have had stints where I had time to spend weekends at the lathe. Finally this July I went to the American Association of Woodturners symposium in Portland and came back with.....a stubby.
It's not really overkill as I do turn bowls, big bowls, and this lathe allows me to do up to 30". I also have a mini Jet for pens.
Wish I was retired so I could just turn.....but a few years yet to go.
I also sign on to two other turning boards plus this one.
That's it...my life story.