Issue link: https://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/647172
13 It's usually a matter of time before a man completes each item on his "honey-do" list. That's not the case for Dan Farmer. In the quest to stay active, his Eufaula home – from living room to den to bedrooms and baths – is a burgeoning collection of handsome furniture, much of it made by Farmer after he retired. Warm, richly colored wood furnishings add a quaint charm and invite the family to relax in Patsy Farmer's sunroom, where her husband's handcrafted sofa, tables, chest and TV stand find daily use. "I needed something to do," Farmer said about his prolific handiwork, revealing an amiable sense of humor. "My only bad days after retirement – five whole days – haven't happened since. I lacked a hobby. For me, it was, 'What are you going to do with your life?'" For several years, Farmer subscribed to woodworking magazines. About two years after he retired, Patsy suggested he ask a teacher at Wallace Community College Sparks Campus about proper woodworking tools. But the instructor went a step further, suggesting that he enroll in a woodworking class. It's ironic, Farmer said, that after retiring from a 30-year career at Alabama Power, he became a college student, taking woodworking classes four days a week, four hours a day. Making Wood Masterpieces for Home The classes revealed Farmer's talent as a natural born craftsman: He loves working with his hands to meld a piece of wood into a thing of beauty. Farmer's creations include a variety of household objects: china cabinets, tables, shelves, a coat rack with a mirror, benches, quilt racks, serving trays, clocks, plant stands, swings, birdhouses and plaques of Jesus and Alabama. Patsy's favorite is the three-drawer coffee table he made from cherry wood for the couple's den. Farmer has made many items for his three children, four grandchildren and four great- grandchildren. Farmer's son and Dan Farmer enjoys building furniture. RETIREE'S WOODWORKING SKILL HELPS FILL ENERGIZERS' COFFER BY DONNA COPE Crafting for the Cause Photography by Mike Kittrell