Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Google people and kingdom classic designs

What a day... I thought i would be productive last night through to the wee hours of the morning trying to rack up links through various business websites. All I got for my efforts was a never-ending stream of sales calls, not from potential customers, but from the 'free ad sites'.
I give up. Well not quite. If I play with the search words a bit, i'm top of the google list, to this site. Hurrah for Blogspot.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Kingdom Classic Designs Garden Furniture

Been offline for so long, no internet connection at work again, but at last, my fledgling company is up and running.
Under the title of Kingdom Classic Designs, production started rolling off the line 2 months ago. I managed to get a fairly decent range of stuff to kick off with, but the 'piece de resistance' must be the convertible bench / picnic table, or as we call it, the Convert-table.
How I have cried over the initial attempts to construct this. Eventually, I downloaded a set of plans from across the pond...which were wrong, but sussed out where and got that sorted. A new member has joined the workforce, Pipi, our very own workshop cat. After a week hiding below the office floor, she eventually emerged and is now quite happy sitting precariously close to the chop saws without batting an eye. Also caught her first mouse last week. Hurrah.
We can now be found at http://www.visionarymedia.co.uk/ should you be interested in what we do.

Monday, February 4, 2008

shiny stuff

I retract the sale of shiny stuff..... it's gone to the shiny stuff place in the sky, I think.
Well, it had gone when I got in to the workshop this morning.
Hey Ho, saves me getting rid of it. Yet more plywood curtains installed today, so I am now secure, fingers crossed.
Got the office built, and microwave in, so nuked home-made soup on tomorrows menu.
I tried my glass cutting skills today, measured to perfection, a beautiful 'crunchy' score along the intended cut line...and...one ruined bit of glass. Why do the glaziers make it look so easy. I'll ask them tomorrow when I go to purchase my 'glazier cut' piece of glass.
On the plus side, the skips are full and ready to be lifted, thanks to young Richard who has younger muscles than me and is able to push wheelbarrows up ramps. Good lad.
Will even consider letting him buy me a pint tomorrow in appreciation for the job training I have given to him.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Workshop Update

Hurrah, the workshop is now cleared out and we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of 4 rubbish skips on Monday.
Now call me stupid, but when our friendly sparkie was doing the re-wire and pointed out that the large...very, very large lights that were in the premises were actually worth quite a lot of money to the right person, I looked puzzled..... He then proceeds to proclaim, the exceedingly large roll of silver light/heat reflecting 'polytheenee' type stuff, (which was far too heavy for me to move), was also a rather desireable commodity. I still look puzzled.....OK, so you're quicker than me.
It was only the realisation that there was also an abundance of plastic plant pots, in addition to the fact that the ceilings were adorned with the shiny stuff, that my rather slow penny shuffled to dropping mode.
I have popped by to the next door neighbour, who just happens to be a member of our wonderful Fife Constabulary, and asked her just to let her chums know, we are indeed legit, and the plywood cutains we have just installed are for security and not privacy. Please don't raid us.

P.S. Anyone want to buy big lights and shiny stuff?

Thursday, January 31, 2008

New Ventures

Today, I ventured forth on a career change.

I decided to keep the Globetrotter handle, as Work2minutesfromhometrotter is too big a log-in name.

Anyway, this came about as my mate, who has a wonderful bar/restuarant, is giving in to the pressures of government licence demands, new staff licencing policy, Setanta sports and Sky Sports massive price increases, has decided that there is far too much cash going out in the hospitality business than coming in and decided he would rather lead a more sedate life.

We have taken up residence in a workshop in the quaint portside village of Methil.

It's a confusing place, especially when Fathers Day comes around, with lots of lost little souls tripping the streets with undelivered cards in their hands.

It's the sort of place where 25 year old girls answer to Granny and natural fathers are harder to track down than Bin Laden.

Anyway, i digress.

The first job for the new place is a complete re-wire, as the local 'yoofs' have practiced their recycling skills by entering the premises under cover of darkness and liberating all items, including those bolted down, and consisting of every socket, switch and all ring main 3 core cable. What is the intended desination of these much sought-after goodies I wonder?

I've never yet been in a pub and been offered second-hand wire. Come to think of it, I've never even been tempted with a second hand car radio.

Still, we have installed a state of the art security system. This involved the copious use of 8x4 sheets of 1/2" plywood and 4" screws, to barricade the doors and windows. The pristine wood will also provided a much needed clean canvas for the more artistic spray painters in the vicinity, so Wee Tam, who is evidently in love with Sharon (but watch this space), Billy, from Young Team No. 1, and the person who tags with that big red symbol..could it be the artiste formally known as Prince, we look forward to your attentions.

We thought of getting a guard dog, but even Pit Bull terriers never venture forth around here, unless in pairs and a blunt instrument hidden in the folds of their collars.

I don't think we'll get Norwich Union to do our contents insurance either.

Weather Report, B and Q

Hmm, lets envisage the scenario.

You're 61 years old, up in lovely Braemar on hols in January, huddled in the bar of the Fife Arms Hotel, (which is not in Fife incidently, but a rather nice watering hole none-the-less), it's pissing with rain/sleet/snow and gusting 50 m.p.h. and worse to follow according to the news.
What do you reckon tomorrows plans should be? Nice breakfast followed by a trip to the pond to feed the ducks, a warm bowl of broth at the heritage centre restuarant, return to the Arms for a soothing Drambuie and a game of cribbage?

No, lets go climb a bloody mountain. . Why oh why do they do it.
50 rescuers later, oh, and a dog, our heroic 51 year old was eventualy retrieved, by the dog as it happens.

What cost stupidity

I wonder, if he had been entitled to a 10% discount (due in 4 years time), at his local DIY store, he may have stayed at home and built a bookcase instead.

He did however get a free helicopter jaunt...

All credit to the rescue teams who have to combat against stupidity year after year.

Trouble at'mill'o'B and Q

Being male and unable to remember birthdays, the names of my children and what i had for dinner 2 days ago, I have just spent the past three hours trying to remember my password for this site. After being re-directed to the new 'Googlie' signy ony thingy...here I am. Not looking forward to this afternoons outing. According to the BBC, we here in the Kingdom of Fife are to have snow 'flurries', where in actual fact, it's a white-out and the Tay bridge is closed.
I'm about to venture forth to my local B&Q store, where I will embark on a battle againt ageism.
My point is as follows.
If i go shopping with mum, who is 69 and quite happily living in sheltered accomodation, and she decides that a few certain items will make her life all the richer, i.e. the purchase of a thickness planer, table saw, bench press drill and belt sander, she is entitled to parking within spitting distance of the store entrance, ( I have no problem with that), and 10% off her purchases, as she can then shoot off home and do her drilling, sanding and planing, content in the knowledge she has saved herself 45 quid, which she can put towards treatment for her arthirtic ridden hands.
Now my point is, if these DIY stores were to advertise this 'deal' the other way round, and promote, 10% extra to be paid by all under 65's, there would be an uproar...wouldn't there?

Anyway, I have now returned from my jaunt, battle un-fought, as the store never had any of the above tools in stock anyway. What to do with all my pent up and un-used adrenaline now?