Sunday, September 23, 2012
Dear Family,
The last few years Al had his shop, Santa Cruz Iron Works, on Pacific Avenue, I was a frequent visitor during my lunch hour. Al and I would talk a little shop ( I am a hobby blacksmith ) and often a little politics. Al was an amazing craftsman in his field. When he closed the shop, I ended up buying most of his tools and stock ( a tough guy to bargain with as well ). Al has always stood out to me as a kind of role model of how one should age..I was in my early forties at the time and All was about 70. There was no sign of aging in Al's mind, he was a modern thinker with a very open attitude and flexible mind....very empathetic to all people..I was a little astonished at the time, as I had been encountering so many locals who had seen the town expand rapidly and could not adjust to it.
If any of you have inherited Al's attitude you are blessed.
Jan Ysselstein
