So I was getting frustrated with inferior equipment and men in hardware shops selling me 'soft' tools. Not sure if it is my inner feminist feeling patronised but I really needed expert advice and wasn't getting it. Who to turn to? Dad! At 87 years old I found him in his garage talking to a stubborn nut he was trying to fit on his restored Ariel motorbike, the same model he rode as a young man. It was comforting to note that he talks to inanimate objects like I do. That must be genetic. Anyway Master Yoda grunted and groaned his way around the garage and corrected my errors and empowered me in my pursuits of soldering and melting metals. I love that my dad can still teach me a thing or two and so does he. Later that night I get a phone call to tell me where I can get the liquid flux I need to do fine work as he's investigated it on his iPad. While I may have been teaching for 30+ years, if I take after my dad I should still be making jewellery well into my 80s. Here's hoping.