Well, it has been one hectic year, this past 2018 (as opposed to the NEXT 2018???). About 18 months ago, the great guys at Advantage Concrete (Kevin and Phil Ely) finished the slab and metal shell of "The Shop" (or "The Studio", according to my very artistic wife, Rebecca) that will become our new home sometime this year.
The metal building looks like an old welding shop to me, but we designed it that way. The intent was to make it a workplace with living quarters on one side, workshop on the other, and storage above the living quarters. Besides the big shop space, we also each wanted a small "benchwork" shop that could be closed off to keep the big shop flotsam and jetsam (mostly sawdust and metal shards, and hopefully pecan husks and shells from the 80 pecan trees) from contaminating some of the more delicate artwork stuff we do. In my case, you should make that "artwork" but in her case, it is VERY truly artwork.
Anyway, when Kevin and Phil tightened the last bolt, Rebecca handed the keys (actually a combination padlock) over to me and said, "Okay, Tim Allen, get to work." It's been 18 months of framing, wiring, plumbing, sheetrocking, taping, floating, painting, hanging lights, installing sinks (AGGGGH!), insulating, and sweeping, sweeping, SWEEPING!
All of that had to be sandwiched in among
a full-time-plus teaching load at the technical college, a half-time load at Baylor University, and a secret assignment I will reveal later this year when the statute of limitations...er, I mean...the non-disclosure agreement term runs out.
So, we're talking almost EVERY weekend starting after work on Friday night and going until Sunday night. BUT, this last weekend put us almost at the finish line. Soon we will have an actual indoor shower and, as soon as I can get the lines done, propane for heating and cooking. At that point, we COULD actually move in. It's just all that STUFF we have to sort through to decide what goes and what doesn't.
As we get it finished, we'll post more info and photos, so stay tuned.