For the past 13 years,
Every single spectacle frame we ever made started life in our shed at the bottom of the garden.
Mainly it’s been our workshop.
But its also been a design studio, fulfilment station, photography set — and a few years ago, we even slept in there due to a large family gathering.
Many machines have passed through these wooden doors. Too many.
For years, Lucy and I joked about the day when we'd have to "get all this kit out of here."
That day has come
Romantic as it sounds, this shed at the bottom of the garden is in fact at the bottom of a relatively steep slope.
Previously, gravity helped getting everything in.
But last week, it didn't help getting everything out.
Adding to this, some of our machinery is incredibly sensitive, not to mention heavy. (Like 180kgs heavy.) So Lucy and I had the joy of carting each one up the garden path.
It's like moving pianos.
Thankfully our hire van had a tail lift. So once the machines were up the path, they were hoisted and put into the back, ready to be driven 20 miles into Glasgow.
On Mount Everest, there's a vertical rock face that climbers must negotiate before reaching the summit.
A final hurdle called the 'Hilary Step'.
It's also my nickname for the stairway at our new premises because the service lift isn't operational.
Oh yes...
Every machine had to be carried (again) up two flights of stairs.
But we made it
The equipment is now all in.
And let me tell you, the lighting is glorious, there’s ample space, and the floor? Oh wow, the floor is level and solid.
You'll get a proper tour soon. But for now, Lucy and I are doing some yoga to realign our spines after all that heavy lifting.
Thanks for cheering us on and thanks for reading.
Watch the video here.
PS: Huge thanks to Clive and Alec for helping us carry our regrettably heavy machines up the stairs.
PPS: I have a new appreciation for Stonehenge.