The Final Countdown

Well, after 21 days of stop-start-snow, stop-start-snow, I'm finally on the home stretch with the new workshop. I'm hoping to have the keys by the weekend. I'll be spending next week moving everything in there. Scheduled reopening date is Monday, February 14th. That's allowing plenty of time for snow days, of which we have two coming up immediately. Here's some photos I'd like to share with you. It's been a five year dream of mine and I'm feeling rather proud of it.

After a week interrupted with snow, the frameout finally received its drywall. This part of the new workshop is where my formulary area is going to be.
The ceiling is up, and a nice lick of paint is now on the walls. The formulary is beginning to look a bit more cheerful.
Here you can see the formulary really beginning to take shape. The cabinets are in, ready for the sink, and the freezer is in place, too. I can already see myself working here.
This is the far end of the workshop. It's a small opening at the moment, but there's a full sized door to be hung there yet. The alcove has been purpose built to house the curing shelves for the soap bars.
Here's the other side of the curing alcove. I'm hoping the wall with the sockets on is going to be the new computer station and my personal office space. It will be much easier than crashing Jason's techy space. Oh, and don't worry, the saw isn't staying there. :)
Snow permitting, the formulary is waiting for the next phase. Counter tops, double sink, tiling and overhead shelves. I'm looking forward to choosing the hardware for the cabinets. I'm thinking it's gonna be brushed steel.

Lining Up

We're all lined up for Day 11. Oh, my word... I've just had to check on that. Is it really Day 11? Where have they gone to at all. There's supposed to be seven in one full week! One minute I'm announcing the workshop reno, and the next thing I know we're on Day 11.

Since Saturday, the frame out has been completed. The electrician has done his part, and the plumber came out to get my new sink and formulary area set up in readiness for the next phase. Which is... happening today! We lost two days because of the snow and ice. Today is clear of that, but we have another storm coming in after midnight tonight. I'm trying to hover just a little bit higher than feeling optimistic, but not quite as high as happy chappie.

This morning began early with the delivery of big packages of insulation. Forty minutes ago the delivery of dry wall arrived. We just need to guys to turn up now, and we have the three card trick. They said 9.00am. It's onto the live blogging. Let's see what today brings...

8.45am - Here's hoping we won't be on red for long. I'm looking at the materials that are laying in wait. "Get into position on that framing!", I keep telling the drywall. I so wish we spoke the same language.

9.05am - What is this? We are on green, that's what it is. WE ARE GREEN!!!

9.30am - Insulation rolls have all been carried in to the workshop. Yay! And I've plied the guys with some coffee. I want today to go so well. I'm hoping a shot of caffeine or six will fire them up!

11.08am - The insulation is in place, I think. Haven't a clue what they're doing now. I can hear noise of hammering, and a little whirring every so often. I think they may be driving many screws home. Drywall hasn't been carried in yet. Their radio has been turned lower. Dunno whether that's good or bad. But we are still green. And that's gotta be good!

12.25pm - I've just put a phone call in to The Barbara. Bless her beautiful heart. She is dropping everything and making the 3 hour drive to help with the clean up. My little wonder woman is gold! We're also aiming to load all my recipes and ingredients into a new database. Yes, she's rather handy with the techy stuff too! If you're new to The Barbara, you can meet her here.

12.53pm - Drywall being hung, and the guys haven't stopped for lunch yet. I think they mean business today. Maybe the coffee is working! ;)

3.45pm - And on to red. Deservedly so, I say. Apart from coffee, the guys worked through all day. I'm sure they must have had butties (sandwiches) in their little bags, but if they did they must have eaten them on the wing. 3 walls are done, and they're back tomorrow for the rest. 9.00am they said. And we're on a winter storm warning from midnight onwards. Ohhh, I am so saying my prayers this evening!

The Second Lap

I've been working this morning on finalizing the big giveaway I'm gonna be running here at the Manor. I'm planning on making it easy for everyone to take part, regardless of their social media preference. I'll be making the official announcement later. And with what I have in front of me, I think we might have a great weekend in the making.

So, there's ten minutes to go before Day 6 gets underway. Here's hoping the frame out will be completed before work stops for the day. It's a shorter day for the guys today. It is a Saturday after all. And it's a Holiday weekend too. They could have so easily ducked out of it, had they wanted too. I shall make sure to keep them plied with refreshments.

8.50am - Maybe this should really be amber cos I'm kinda on standby, really. Okay... 10 minutes to green.

9.10am - Okay... so we're still red. Maybe I'm a bit more patient this morning, what with Saturday morning traffic an all. Hmm.

9.20am - Just keep your head in the giveaway, Susan. Time is not important right now.

9.35am - WE ARE GREEN!!!

9.51am - Now I am truly in love. The guys asked for music. Like... men after my own heart, or what? The "Music To Soap By" compilation is blaring out, and this place is rocking! Guess the guys love percussion too.

11.00am - I've just halted the guys for some food and coffee. Gotta keep them fed. It's a Holiday weekend here in Massachusetts, and they could very well have spent today doing something else!

11.20am - Work is underway again, and the sound from the machinery is sweet music to my ears. Think we got a couple of pics too.

2.30pm - I thought the guys would be packed up by now. They said today would be a shorter day, and I was thinking okay... well maybe that's around 1.00pm. I can't believe we're still on green!

6.17pm Frame out completed. The guys worked to get it finished, making tomorrow an off day. It's well deserved, I'd say. Y'know... it feels great to be on red! The electrician arrives Monday, all being well.

It's All Go

Okay... half an hour before the workmen are due to arrive, and I've been watching the clock since 6.15am. It's killing me! I'm gonna try something today that I've often seen, but never done. I am gonna do some live blogging. Well, "live" in the sense that I'm gonna keep updating this post as the day progresses. I have excitement like I've not had for years. It's running through me like I'm on a roller coaster. My poor heart keeps welling up to my throat when I think about it.

It's happening today. I'm looking at the empty workshop, its eerie echoes, and... I am in awe! So keep checking in, and come along with me for all the ups and the downs of the roller coaster ride that is my workshop renovation.

8.30am - Heart racing. I've been outside half a dozen times already, in the hope that I may see the first truck or car to arrive. Can't stay away from the windows.

8.50am - They're not here yet. Drumming fingers.

9.05am - The kettle's on for a cuppa. I am pacing the workshop floor. No, they haven't arrived yet.

9.20am - Sitting on a wooden chair in an empty workshop, cuppa tea between my hands. They said 9.00am!!!

9.30am - There's a reason these posts are in red. Green means go. Not that you would know it right now.

9.50am - Yup. Still in red. If you're wondering how it feels on my happy scale right now, lemme tell you: "What happy scale???"

10.20am - You know what? Handsome only cuts it so far. Needless to say that was a short crush I had. Nope... they still ain't here. Let's see how they feel about the song that's gonna be blaring out on repeat all day. Guess someone shouldda told them about what kinda gal I am.



10.45am - WE ARE GREEN!!!

12.10pm - Okay... get the happy scale back out. The guys are here! All the wood for the framing out has arrived, been unloaded, and is now sitting on the workshop floor. I'm surprised at how neatly it's all been stacked.

12.34pm - Oooh, didn't like that noise. Sounds like some machine they got hammering at the concrete. Nope... I'm not feeling that groove at all.

12.41pm - Guess the guys didn't care for that groove either. They just nipped out to get the right size metal pin thingies for the cleats. Still figuring out if I heard that right, but they were using some noisy tool and it was shooting something small when it should be bigger. We're now on red!

1.04pm - Yes... they are back and we have noise! A bit of hammering. A bit of sawing. Y'know... I think they're taking on that handsome appeal again.

3.07pm - Just popped my head into the workshop. OMG... they've framed one wall, framed out the utilities area, and they've gotten the footings done for the boiler room? Yes... I'm loving these guys right now!

4.32pm - The guys haven't stopped since we were last on red. I mean, come on... 3 cheers and all that! Dunno yet what time they're working till, and I can't wait to take another peek. I'm resisting that urge though. I don't want to bring their attention to the time.

6.39pm - Work has now stopped for the day, and I am one happy chappie! The guys have been gold. It's looking good in there. They're back tomorrow morning for a shorter stint to complete the framing out. They said 9.00am, and I'll be live blogging again tomorrow with a new post. So, see you at 9.00am then. Hopefully we will be green!

Under Starter's Orders

I finished work today a little earlier than I have all week. Consider the office tidy! To be honest, I don't think I've got much more lifting in me, so I'm not sorry to see the back of that chore. I couldn't have lived with it in a mess though, even if it isn't open. Okay... a couple of days, maybe. But no way was I gonna slalom between the chaos of dismantled shelves and packing boxes for two to three weeks.

So, it's the end of Day 4, and I've waited until now to make my post. I've been feeling a little skittish about tomorrow morning, and whether this renovation is ever gonna begin. Of course, it's gonna begin. It was only delayed because of the snow storm and though I've dreaded a phone call, none has come.

Work begins tomorrow morning. It's a few days later than I'd have liked... but I've got a great crew in the workmen and I know they'll make up for time lost. I'll see you tomorrow.

Snow Go Day

It's the end of Day 3, and today was a snow day. We got dumped on here, and then some. Only I could pit the first days of a workshop renovation against what's being called as the biggest blizzard to hit Massachusetts since 1978. The whiteout has been so bad that cars were actually driving down the wrong way of the Mass Turnpike. Like... get outta here!

The snow plows are still at it all around the city. I heard earlier that the schools are gonna be closed again tomorrow. The roads are pretty slick to say the least, and I also heard earlier from the contractor. The workmen won't be working tomorrow either.

I'll be working though. I'll continue with the TidyFest, and organization of the office the way I have been doing since the workshop was cleared out. I might even find time to sit and dream about my new formulary space. I was choosing the cupboards and counter-tops last night. I wish I could say what I'd done today was but a dream. Unfortunately it wasn't a dream, and I leave you with a pic of today's workload.

Wall to Wall

No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. Those boxes really do go as high as the ceiling, and if the lower foreground wasn't so chaotic right now, I'd have given you a long shot. Don't worry... that one should come tomorrow. I'm not spending all day lifting all those boxes in place and not sharing. Oh, did you think the workmen had done that? Not on your life, they didn't. That's all the work of Yours Truly. Just don't go trying it yourself if you don't know how to use a gym and free standing weights. Not that I didn't have anyone spotting for me, because I did. The real heavy ones are on the bottom though. I just wanted to make sure they all fit snugly in place, with no chance of toppling.

So... almost the end of day 2. Tomorrow I'll be continuing onwards with the rest of the boxes. I can't believe just how much stuff there was to pack away. I keep saying where did it all come from. But it's five years worth of my Manor Hall Soap Company, and right now I'm looking around and feeling rather proud of where I am.

Tomorrow is snow day here in Springfield. It's supposed to be really clouting us some. The workmen aren't showing up, but they've promised they'll be here first thing Thursday. I shall be in there with the camera, and you'll get a proper look at the start of their handiwork. But first, the snowstorm...

Morning After The Day Before

Okay... Day 1 down, and 20 to go.

I had fully expected to blog last night at the end of the day. We didn't finish until turned 10.00pm though, and all I could think about by then was bath and bed. I was so aching. But I'm an exercise junkie, and in that strange way that only exercise junkies can understand, it felt so good to be sore.

The workshop is all but emptied now, with maybe only a few hours more to spend in there. The office is upside down though, and it's driving me daft. I tried to keep everything organized as the stuff was carried around, but by late afternoon anything boxed up was just carried out and dumped in here.

So that's my job for this morning set out. The workmen can't be expected to navigate a snake pass to get to where they want to go with their huge 8x4 dry wall sheets. Day 2 is gonna be demanding, but I'm up for it!