Knowledge & Wisdom: Earl Proulx Knew Everything
When Earl Proulx died in March 2002 at age 88, he’d written Yankee‘s “Plain Talk” advice column for 22 years. Jamie Trowbridge, Yankee Publishing’s president, wrote about him on his passing. Even then, Earl Proulx was able to offer advice to readers. “Earl taught me that you should never buy a piece of glass. There […]
By Jamie Trowbridge|Aug 23 2010|
When Earl Proulx died in March 2002 at age 88, he’d written Yankee‘s “Plain Talk” advice column for 22 years. Jamie Trowbridge, Yankee Publishing’s president, wrote about him on his passing. Even then, Earl Proulx was able to offer advice to readers.
“Earl taught me that you should never buy a piece of glass. There were always storm windows at the dump that could be cut to size, and as for any leftover pieces, those could be cut into sharp, disposable cabinet scrapers for woodworking….
“One winter a family of mice made their nest inside the walls of our gas range. I took the range completely apart to get the mouse-infested insulation out of it. But when I turned the oven back on, it still smelled like mice. Without hesitating, Earl offered a solution: ‘Take the stove apart again and rub vanilla on the metal.’ If anyone else had recommended this, I would have hauled the stove to the dump. But I took his advice, and that was the end of the unpleasant odor. …
“Earl’s father once told him, ‘Always do a little more work than you’re being paid for, and you’ll never have to worry about a job.'” –May 2002
I have a very unusual tool?? No one has any idea what it is, if I were to send a picture of it could someone please tell me what it’s called and it’s use. I’ve gotten some pretty bizarre ideas told to me but I would really like an answer. Please e mail me if someone can help and I will send the picture. Thank you so much. Lisa.
I am Earl’s great nephew and I am a tradesman international worker as well as a self proclaimed handyman. Currently I work for Ranger Emergency Viechels and I help build 1st responder trucks. I do lots of trouble shooting and I love a good Challange like Earl did. I remember as a child he would often make or have extra stuff around the shop to give to me to keep me busy for hours. I can try to guess what tool you have if you send me multable shots of it… Best of luck! -Estes
My brother in law gets items that sometimes are hard to determine and items that he repurposes he pretty good at it so if you would like here’s my email pelican.mc@gmail.com send pictures to me and I will past it on hope I can be of some help and looking forward to see some of the things up come up with. John
I always looked forward to Earl’s columns; in fact, I would go to “Plain Talk” before anything else when I received my monthly edition of Yankee. Wish he was still around!
Me too!
I find myself alot like Earl I have run my own business for 20 years as a handyman but that’s what I’m trying to say here I have always valued things that most people would throw away most things still have a purpose it kind of funny because things that I hang on to wind up servings some purpose later Im reading Earl’s book that my brother in law sent me MAKE IT LAST some of the things I read so simple or let me say so practical it suprises me it great let me say this in closing minds like Earl’s are let’s just say not commen I have the same mind set it just that Earl is much more ahead of me Thank You for the opportunity to speak my mind and Thank You Earl
The last comment I sent was in response to Lisa’s request