It just sits there, dreaming in its bed, which is a suitcase. A lovely vintage suitcase, my lovely vintage suitcase. He gets out every now and then for some grub or a walk of which he takes himself, and can shit were ever he likes. How lovely it must be, to be that dog.
I’m sat swinging in my hammock wraped in a blanket staring at it… or him. I’m wandering if he thinks about the year that’s past, does he feel acheived, relieved or think “by… that was a rough old year”?
A rough year is what i would call last year… it was one of those years where there’s only enough of you for one. Yet thinking back it was an incredibly productive year and overall a very good one. Which makes absolutely no sense but then this is my mind. I think I’m trying to say, it was filled with so much change. But changes which on reflection are absolutely for the best.
With change comes uncertainty. Stopping the workbench business was a massive thing. Launching our first Premium Video was also just as huge, and we were already running on half a cylinder after the shite of the year prior.
This year will be the first year that this blog has been integrated fully in to our working life. It’s a positive start although if I could have one thing it would be to delay the ‘new’ year until Feb. Until then it’s just loose ends and there’s a lot of them. Since closeing the benches we’ve been busy trying to get ahead of ourselves, (which hasn’t happened yet) and many of the daily jobs have been neglected whilst we get in a new driveway, some drainage and other fun stuff.
The next and final job is to rearrange the workshop from bench production to hand tool furniture workshop. And get to grips with the new filming equipment that’s just arrived.
Then the New Year begins.
Best wishes for the new year. I can certainly relate to the feelings about a year past. I’ve had a few that I only look back upon in order to impart experiential knowledge to my kids. “Hey kid, don’t do that it really sucks. Trust me.”.
Thanks Steve Best wishes to yourself also. What doesn’t kill you might make you a bit wiser… might!
I must say I never had the desire to be able to shit wherever I wanted but I take your point 🙂
Haha.
It’s not so much that I want to. Just that he can…
Dog wasn’t much cop at catching that mouse, I seem to remember!
best wishes
Yep, that’s the dog!
Ha ha.
Take the time you need. Get it right. We’ll wait. It’ll be worth it.
Carry on.
Thanks Polly, we certainly appreciate that. I hope you’re having a lovely New Year.
Hey, you’re your own boss. You can start the new year whenever you bloody well like!
Anyway, best wishes to you and Helen!
Yea, I might try taking that perk of the job. The thing is though, I’m not actually the boss!
Happy New Year.
Hello Richard, this should make you feel Better. Just so you know that this happens to everyone. And sometimes I wish I could be that dog.
I saved enough money the past two years to add on to my shop because this year Im starting to build Classical Guitars in addition to my furniture. So I come home from the holidays to find my home covered in 1″ of water. The main busted inside the wall behind the kitchen cabinets.
That was 6 grand. Then a week later I’m walking home from the shop and some drunk teenagers driving by threw a beer bottle out the window only to hit me dead square in the kisser and broke two teeth clean out of my noggin. Ouch!! Anyway there goes my addition to my shop. Oh yeah Happy New Year. Lol
Chris
Hi Chris,
I am really, truly sorry to hear that. Life can be a complete sod at times. There’s that saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but we all know that aint true. All I can say though is keep on pushing, it’ll turn around.
All the best,
Richard
May I remind you both of one more years accomplishment. You have brought a great deal of joy to a great many people. We thank you for the generosity of your time and the inspiration of your Journey.
That’s very kind Don. This blog keeps us going, and for ourselves it’s everyone else’s input that makes it.
We have two Cairns. One is slow, lazy and smells worse than the other. The other was the last one born out of the litter and also the biggest. She is having grand mal seizures from a non functional thyroid. She also thinks she is starving all the time. I wouldn’t want to trade with her although the seizure thing is hard enough on my wife and I just to observe. Would I trade with the slinky stinky Cairn? I don’t know that I would like to smell like a hibernating ground hog so chances are not. I would rather make sawdust and shavings. : )
I would imagine you are quite proud of what you accomplished last year. I know I would be had I went through all that you two did.
I can only wish you two the very best for whatever is on your horizons.
I’m staying tuned to this blog, that’s for sure.
Mike
Hi Mike,
There’s nothing more saddening than when something as innocent as a dog has troubles. Our little bugger’s got it easy though, although he does stink.
We are proud, and we’re really looking forward to this new year.
All the best to you and I hope you have a lovely new year.
Richard
Richard and Helen
I echo much of what others have already said and when you get further away from last year’s events you will see them more clearly and realise just how much you both achieved.
I think the new venture will also be an adventure and I have no doubt you will get to the end of 2016 and realise what a great move it was and look back on so many more accomplishments. I wish you both every success in all you do and rest assured we will keep in touch not least to let you know of my progress using this beautiful last bench of yours you kindly installed just before Christmas. No blood has been spilt on it yet but it was a very close thing as my blood dripped all over the saw till I was making at the time! The evidence will still be there years after I have gone.
So just sitting back looking forward to Chapter 2 of the Workbench video and later the ‘Make a Plane’ videos.
All the best
Len
Thanks Len,
You shouldn’t have rescued it, until you’ve bled on it, it ain’t your bench! I’m pleased to hear it’s getting used.
It was lovely to see the last one off and put it in to it’s new home.
We’re up to Chapter 5 on the Workbench today so you’ll have lots of catching up to do!
All the best,
Richard
Richard
I am glad you said that you were up to Chapter 5 as I was sitting waiting patiently thinking Chapter Two had been held up due to Christmas and New Year. I don’t recall seeing any notification. Wow now I have a bundle to watch all at once – it is like Christmas coming all over again. My good lady wife bought me 6 new chisels for Christmas – it was after sharpening them to perfection that I sliced through my finger on one of them!
Boy do I feel a chump on two counts now!
Len
A happy and prosperous New Year to both of you.
And the same to you Paul.
I thought this was gonna be about bench dogs.
Well he kind of is…
I shall shit where I desire….but there are consequences.
Ha, my dog’s called Jeremy. He knows no consequence 😉
Best of the best for 2016.
No worries if you take a wee whlie and a wee dram to recharge your batteries.
Not only does the dog go where & when he wants, but I have to pick it up and ferry it to the bin. Such is city life. Then that doggy grin comes out, & all is well with the world.
Yep, they have us trained!
Thanks and Happy new year.
Looking forward (the past is a foreign land) to sharing 2016 with you. Onwards… ?
Such a wise dog…
Teaching his master by example – to take it easy.
Wishing you continuing success in the coming year. I too look forward to your future projects. We all have years that define who we become, the choice is ours if we become stronger or bitter. And bitter helps no one…
I too have a dog that follows me around, she finds a place to lay so she can keep an eye on me. But I have to let her out , to do her business. If I did not, it would be unbearable quickly as she’s a 150 lb Great Pyrenees. My wife’s dog but she adopted me. And she loves time in the shop as much as I do. Try to get Helen to post some more pictures of improvements on the farm, I enjoy seeing whats going on, and am sure I’m not alone.
And this.. We could say every day! Have a good year! (tomorrow as well!)
Cheers, Igor (and my dogs).
There is a german singer-songwriter, called Reinhard Mey. He wrote a song about “Wish I were my dog”. Well, he assumes in his song, that it would be a great pleasure to be the dog, `cause you are out of the business and can behave like a — let’s say: pig, without giving any efford to the opinion of others (the humans).
But, well, the punch line is kind of this: “At one point I am sure, my dog wishes to be me. That is, when he realises, that I am the one who opens the fridge without others help.”
So, well, I wish to you, that there will ever be something delicious behind the door that you open next – whether for you or your companions!
Richard, I can tell you there is an excitement in the air over here in the states. I cant wait to build some amazing furniture right along side of you and learn with the best. sometimes the hardships are the greatest teachers. I cant wait to finish this workbench so I can use it to build the spoonrack and a hundred more pieces right along side ya man.