Great stories guys, life is funny and leads us up and down the winding road to……here 
Paul, I’ve spent more hours on watches, hunting for parts, looking for new ones etc.. than anything else I’ve done, whereas it isn’t considered “physical” work per se, it is definitely time consuming and rewarding. I’ve had the same thought go through my head that this is waay too much fun to be work 😆
mahlon, I started out in underground mining where I stayed for 24yrs before discovering the light.. i.e. the power industry Fortunately I got out with all of my digits intact. Now I take on a few projects a year, just enough to eat and keep the lights on, then I fiddle with our little mechanical friends and go to markets.
I suppose I wrongly thought, yrs ago, that I would be on the ancient Egyptian retirement plan, work until you drop, then they throw your carcass into the pyramid foundation 
I’m enjoying hearing your tales, wish we had some ale..
Chris