Studio 6, or From the Wood, when I took this on, it was just a big empty space. Some 40+ foot square, nice big window down the side looking out to wards Hay bluff and the Cusop Dingle. In the back corner on the right hand side from entering through the front door was a small built in area for a kitchen, wash room and toilet. I decided that if I put up a wall running across from between the windows to the wall that separated us from Studio 5. That would make the Gallery(shop) and Workshop space two separate units. So I set about building up a timber frame work, in this there was to be a door and two windows of toughened glass for visitors to see through to my workshop from the Gallery area. The screen was glade with cedar boards. In the workshop side, I also screened off a seperate space for an office. This was so we could keep the shop and office dust free, or with little dust. Working wood always creates dust. The workshop was fitted out with good dust extraction and a air filter. This would keep things to a minimum. I fitted out the shop side with space down the one end for small items and wooden toys, puzzles etc, small gifts for children and little things for visitors to take home for reminders of their visit. There was a counter close to the entrance window, then display shelves along that wall, in the centre was an Island of boxes and plinths then more Plinths round too two displayed cabinets I had purpose made by John Sagar a fine cabinet maker from the Forest of Dean. I supplied John with the timber, some beautiful olive ash from a tree I had felled and milled some three years earlier. From the wood was open. Day by day visitors came to Hay-on-wye. The town was known for it`s second hand book shops, there was many, it seamed like every other shop sold books. Richard Booth started this, He also got lots of publicity for the town. Apparently, he went to Hereford council, to get planning. They sent him to Brecon saying it was their area to sort. Brecon said not theirs either. So Richard thought if no one is claiming Hay, then he would. He called Hay an independent state. He was now King Richard of Hay-on-wye. The news people from around the world came to record this, so suddenly Hay was on the world map. Then the literature festival came, and so did the crowds. We had people all year round, people from all walks of life, from every country. For a few years all went well. Then my marrage broke up, and I was on my own. Living in a VW camper van for a couple of months, loaned to me by a friend, I slept in it at the bottom of the car park, each morning I would drive up to my allotted parking space behind the craft centre, go into the workshop, usually around 4.30-5.00am each day, have a wash, get my working clothes on and work, work I did. I worked un till people started to come about, then I went into the shop to talk with customers. in the evening and after closing I worked till I was so tired Then just in the van to sleep. But life is always moving forwards, none of us can go back in time, only in our minds. I got a flat over the Laundrette. It was so nice to get a proper place to sleep and somewhere to cook a meal, I had been living on micro wave meals. I started to employ people to look after the Gallery(shop side of the business),that was not so easy. I had several young ladies to do the job, none proved suitable, I wanted someone that was interested, not someone that could not wait for closing time from the minute they walked in the shop. One funny story, One of these first girls, asked me If she could have time off to go to her uncles funeral, her favourite uncle. I said how sorry I was to hear and asked what day was the funeral. I got in reply, " I don`t know, he has not died yet". another girl had sticky fingers, and some paper money did not go into the cash box. We did not have a proper cash till at that time. I was getting suspicious, when each lunch time she would come back with a bag full of goods she had bought while out. I confronted her, she admitted it, but trust is every thing. Then Rose came along. Rose was a retired Lady, she had run her own business, run a pub, so knew how to treat folk, she was always reliable, and I could not ask for more. Time went by, Audrey who I knew from Brecon crafts fair many years earlier, had a studio in Hay. Audrey was living on her own in her studio and worked from there, doing her Bark pictures, We became good friends and often met in The garden behind the Kilvert`s hotel on summer evenings for a drink. Our friend ship grew, and after seven year we got Married. Living together and combining our work, went well, Audrey had her pictures on the walls in the gallery and we worked together. Later Emily, Audrey`s daughter came to work with us. making puzzles with our scroll saw. Emily was also good at doing all the paperwork. I hated doing accounts and all that admin stuff. This freed me to just be at my lathe, doing the work I enjoyed. We now opened the Eagle gallery in New Radnor, Emily run and Looked after this for a while. We worked well, my youngest daughter Abigail had finished collage in Hereford, doing a design course, Abigail did not want to have to move away to find work, so came in and worked with us. It was good. Audrey and I now had time to have a day of together. One evening when I got home from the workshop, Audrey said, she had seen a property for sale that might suit us better, The Shed were we lived, it was called that because it was used by a painter, named Tabby, hence Tabby`s shed was the name put on it when this was converted into a home. This was small, no garden no easy parking and often nosy from being close to two popular pubs. So off we went to see Weir Cottage, It had been empty for nearly four years, slates on the roof where lose and some missing, damp and not very inviting, But I think we both agreed it would make a lovely home with a bit of work and time. So the shed sold and we bought Weir cottage. I will still be following on a lot more to come. We moved into weir cottage on a cold and wet Friday, we got the keys at 4.00pm. Then it was all go. It was only a five mile journey out from Hay on Wye. But I had a pick up truck back then, and with help and several loads we were in. That night I remember, the girls helped get our bed up the steep wooden stair`s and assembled in our room, there was just two bedrooms, both much the same size, we chose to have the one with a nice view out across the weir and fields beyond. That evening, Audrey and I after our helpers had left, just sat on some stools, opened a bottle of wine, Just exhausted from the rush to move, tired after a long days wait, but so happy we had a New home, a home with a big garden, plus plenty of space to build another workshop, and storage space for all my wood, and yes there was a lot, about three good lorry loads. We both slept well. Morning came and there was lots to do. Unpacking and getting our new home tidy. Adam came round so we started on the cottage roof. Up went a scaffold tower, and with in an hour so two all the slates were removed and stacked tidy on the garden. The roof timbers were sound, just the batten to replace, There had never been any felt, this roof had been up there for two hundred years, Clever builders back then, done a proper job. After spray treating the timbers it was time to get Kingspan insulation in place, then a good breathable felt, re batten ready for the slates to go back on. Most of the slates were good, but i did have to go to a salvage yard and buy some replacements, 400 in fact. Well just ten days later and weir cottage had a complete new roof. Quess what, the day we finished, that night we had the heaviest thunder storm in a long while. Good test for our roof. Not one leak, not a damp spot anywhere, JD. Over the next six year we transformed that cottage, it was home, made very cosy and inviting. We done the garden, planted veg, flowers and shrubs. Had a nice summer house in the garden plus a pond with a fountain and water fall. It was a picture. we enjoyed having family and friends round for barbeques on summer days and evenings, We had great neighbour`s. It was a very happy home. Always busy, the six years there we were always working, we built a new porch, kitchen and lots done in every room, I made doors in solid oak, a new floor of solid oak in the dinning room, all the walls were re plastered. Well we thought we deserved a holiday, friends had invited us to go over to the Isle of Wight with them. That will start an whole new story. But not yet because so much more happened, that`s to follow.