A Great Big Serving of Graciousness and Thanks!

[burlesot]

I've been doing some reflecting lately on my journey as a teardrop owner.

When I first found this site, I was dreaming of owning my own teardrop. I lurked for an incredibly long time. Then I decided that I wanted to make a model of my 'perfect' teardrop. So, I did it. All the while, there were tremendously helpful and gracious people on this site who gave me feedback and compassionate guidance.

Then, completely due to fate, my brother-in-law who had just seen the images of my model and a few of my favorite designs from this site, found a teardrop in Cookeville, Tennessee. It was a 1947 Tourette Teardrop Trailer. If I hadn't shown him the images, he would never have noticed it.

This teardrop was not my 'perfect' teardrop. In all honesty, I wanted to build my own. However, after seeing the all-aluminum teardrop that had survived 65 years already, I decided that it might just be a terrific 'canvas' to begin with on my own journey.

After some discussion and lots of photographs, I purchased the teardrop. There were about two and a half months where I could only 'dream' of what I would do to the classic piece of Americana. It was there, I was here and I could not go het it until Spring Break.

I gathered hundreds of pages of images of design ideas and elements that I wanted to include in my renovation.

Again, you all helped me so much with planning some of the renovations I would undertake. I started gathering materials and supplies I thought I would need. I asked lots of questions here and many, many of you answered my ignorant questions patiently and kindly.

Then I got the Tourette and, after a pretty monumental journey from Tennessee, I got her home!

That's when you all truly came through for me. There hasn't been a day when either I have posted a question, or read earlier responses to other people's questions.

Just yesterday I had some questions about electrical wiring and I had, not only thorough responses, but diagrams and detailed instructions.

It's that amazing kindness that I am so grateful for. Thank you to each and every one of you who have either responded or given some guidance to me.

I've been thinking a lot about that guidance. It's kind of like having the 'World's Greatest Father' or 'Uncle' only a few key strokes away. My own father, whom I wish lived a lot closer to me, can fix just about anything. However, with the teardrop, a lot of my questions are teardrop specific in many ways. My dad also doesn't use the internet as much as I wish he would. I could ask him many of the same questions I share with you all, but it would be weeks until I heard from him. With you all, I leave a question before work and by lunch time, I usually have an answer or two.

So there you go, you all are like having the world's greatest dad; someone who knows just about everything. The internet has changed the way I think about my 'world.'

I cannot thank you all enough for your kindness and generosity.

I have a lot more to go on my renovation, but I just wanted to thank you all.

If you want to follow my progress, here is a link to the blog. http://toddsteardropblog.blogspot.com

It has been so much fun to chronicle the restoration. I hope to take all of my entries and make it into a book that will 'follow' the teardrop into the future. If it's lived this long, I'm hoping it will last my lifetime and maybe that of my own children. I plan on chronicling not only the restoration, but the future journeys that this teardrop makes. We already have a cross country trip planned for next summer. My daughter and I will be traveling all the way to California together next summer.

We affectionately have named it the Carpe Diem (Seize the day) as a reminder of how precious each and every day of our lives are. I don't know how many of those days are left; neither do you. However, with the Carpe Diem, I'm sure to enjoy the days I am blessed enough to have.

As I move from "restorer" to "user" of my teardrop, I hope I can be helpful to others in the future too.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Sincerely,
Todd

[Oldragbaggers]

Todd, this has also been my experience.

Wishing you the very best with your vintage trailer!!

[burlesot]

Becky,
See. You exemplify what I'm talking about!

Thank you too!

Happy Trails.

TB

[PaulC]

Todd, a lot of us feel exactly the same as you. This group has become like a family to me although I may never meet any of them. Thanks for expressing your thoughts so eloquently.
Cheers
Paul

[PKCSPT]

Exactly,

[mikeschn]

Todd,

I'm glad you found the answers you were looking for. That's why we're here!

Hopefully many other folks can also find answers here!

Mike...

P.S. Heck, even I find answers here!!!

[pmowers]

Ditto, Todd.
I discovered this site through chance, and now check it everyday. I have found the answers to the many questions that I have had, and to many more that I did not know enough to ask. I think that I learn at least one new thing every time I log in. Paul is right, in many ways the members of this forum are like a large extended family, they help each other out, maybe bicker a little, but overall, you can tell the love the members have for what they do and share. I do not know how many times I have read where someone needs assistance, and others are there to support them.
Thanks again, everyone.
Mike, thank you for all the time and energy that you and the others give to keep this vital resource available, without having to wade through a dozen ads per thread.

Pat

[burlesot]

Mike,
Someone I can specifically say thanks to!
Thank you for all you do to make this board work.

Sincerely,
Todd