One Last Climb up the Wall - A (re)introduction

Richard Miller

I was recently sorting some papers and ran across a print out from the Wall from 1998. After a lengthy phone conversation with Jeff McGough, he jumped on the Wall and wrote a post about me. (I will attach a couple of photographs of the printout.). Those were heady days for me. I was factory trained at Wirsbo in St. Paul, did my own design, etc. Dan even talked about me in one of his articles in P&M.

I’ve walked through hell since those days. Dark hell after dark hell. Lost everything except my life, my wife, and son. And I almost lost all three of those.

I gradually left the trades somewhere between 2003 and 2008. I was a physically and mentally broken man, diving in dumpsters for our survival. I simply could not perform as needed in the trades. I did my last radiant job in 2004 I think.

But I don’t wanna talk about the hell… I wanna talk about redemption.

Somehow (and I know Who to thank), I climbed out of that hell. It was a long, brutal road. But I made it. No, make that, we made it. It’s straight up a miracle, but our marriage survived, and today my relationship with my wife is one of the most beautiful and precious things in my life. It’s all just a wild and glorious tale of redemption, better told around a fire than on an internet forum. The thing I want you to know is that it happened and it is a beautiful thing to experience all that redemption.

Now, after the hells that destroyed me, and the brutal years of redemption , I am in a better place than I have ever been financially, etc. And I am ready to build my own home. YEEHAW!!! It will be a simple 2,800 sq. ft. home/shop in the southern Missouri Ozarks. But I am installing radiant floor heat! Yippee! No furnasty vomiting out scorched air for me. (Who had those t-shirts made? Anyone remember?) This may seem bizarre, after all the hell, installing radiant floor heating in my own home feels almost sacred. A final raising of a flag of victory against the hell the tried to destroy me. Maybe you think I’m nuts by now. Maybe I am. Just telling you how it is.

Anyways, that the background. I’m gonna need some help. My brain incurred a lot of trauma (no drugs or alcohol involved) and I simply cannot remember all the stuff that used to flow from my brain about this glorious thing about radiant floor heating. So if I ask a lot of questions about radiant in the next few months, and it doesn’t quite make sense that I know so much, but am so ignorant on other parts, maybe you’ll end up here and it will make a bit more sense.

Please forgive me for this self-focused writing… I almost just deleted it. But I am hoping that maybe someone from back in the Wild West days of The Wall reads this and remembers those days. Maybe you’ll read Jeff’s post and you’ll experience a flood of nostalgia and share a few memories of those days. (I’m attaching photos and a PDF.)

PS. Anyone know how Jeff is doing or how to get hold of him?

Scan Apr 29, 2024 at 11.58 PM.pdf

Mad Dog_2

Welcome back, man! Stories of Redemption are the best ones of all! Mad Dog

Intplm.

@Richard Miller_3

Nice you are in abetter place, a better way. And congratulations on building your new house.

Interesting to see the old wally format…and my I wish "Carpe Hydronicum" to you. (So says my old tee shirt.)

Jamie Hall

Been there. We're here for you!

Larry Weingarten

Hi @Richard Miller_3 , To answer your question, yes I'm the water heater guy… still here. This is my Facebook. Here's one more thing from a little while back. Notice the care for detail on the back! And, I really wanted the eyes to sparkle. 🤩

Yours, Larry

SlamDunk

@Richard Miller_3 Your experience reminded me of a quote I saw somewhere:

"God forges us on an anvil of adversity for a purpose known only to Him".

I think a furniture CEO JE Broyhill said it. Best of luck to you!

Richard Miller

@Larry Weingarten so cool on the buckle Here’s my cap.

DanHolohan

Welcome home, Richard.

HVACNUT

A rebound like that deserves to be heard. I'm glad you didn't delete it. Stay happy, healthy, and safe. And there's excellent radiant guys here.

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks for sharing @Richard Miller. And welcome back! Glad you've made it through.