My father taught me how to: Never fear failure, if you don't try everything, you won't know if you are good at it, you can live a long time wondering.

Analyse best case/worse case, if you can live with the worse case scenario, you have nothing to lose.

If you have to do something, do it with good grace and be remembered for the good job you did, rather than the bad attitude.

How to catch a swarm of bees and put them in a hive box.

How to use a tension wrench, electric and hand saws, how to change a wheel in the time it takes for the kettle to boil, how to hogtie my sister, things to do with magnets, howtp  look after tools.  

In the days before recycling was "in", as one of eight children, we reused, saved, didn't waste anything.

Gave me the life skills and confidence to be an Owner Builder, I've just built a thermally efficient house, using subcontractors and myself, solar panels, water tank, correct solar orientation to maximise the sun in winter, minimise in summer.  I've tiled the majority of the floor tiles and all of the wall tiles, painted the whole outside, landscaped and built the brick letterbox.  Not bad for a 63 year old woman, my Dad would have been proud. Thanks to my Dad Jim Jones. Yvonne