An elderly man with grey hair and a beard smiling at the camera in a city street, wearing a blue shirt and jacket.

Machinist Dad in Liverpool: Work and Family Life

Technical

"I always say life’s like a lathe—sometimes it spins smooth, other times you hit a snag, but you always learn from each turn. As a machinist in a bustling workshop near the docks of Liverpool, my days are filled with precise cuts and constant measurements, but when the shift ends, that’s when the real me comes out. I’m also a dad to two wild teens, see, and balancing that with my early shifts can be nuts. For meals, it’s a mishmash—quick bites at work, and home’s a whirl of pasta and whatever veggies we've got. Weekends are for the slow stuff, though. I try to get healthier, grilled chicken or fish, but Sunday’s my cheat day, no doubt. There’s this local place, makes a shepherd's pie that could win awards. Food’s simple, hearty, like my granddad used to make. That pie, it’s a slice of home, right? Life’s had its rough patches, like when work dried up a few years back, made me rethink a lot. Was tough, made me tougher. Been picking up new skills, programming CNC machines, aiming to bump up the career ladder, make things a bit more secure for the family. It’s funny, the people you meet in this gig, from old-timers with stories of the old factory days to young apprentices eager to make their mark. It’s a community, really, keeps you grounded. That’s the gig, the life—it’s busy, messy, but it’s mine, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything."