The Big Move!

As I have been adrift with news since the middle of last year I thought when the chance comes up, I would catch up the bloggy news I missed.. one story at a time!  Today's turn is work!

Life at STS has been a little bit crazy the past few months. We took on some very complex jobs and as is usual for manufacturing new units the development is undertaken as part of the manufacture.. headaches, teething troubles, they are like humans really!  
Add to this the usual issues you have when you need 20 people to all be well and here every day but things happen to make that not happen..and you would find us finishing last year quite pressurised!

But bright and breezy with the new impetus a brand new facility brings and we are..as the kids would say..'well excited'!  It was only today that I realised just how fantastic it will be when the guys have all that space to work in. The welders are moving in early February and the assembly about a month later. The poor builders will be chased out as soon as the mezzanine wit the canteen and changing rooms are done,and they start work making us a new office for the Autumn.. I can't wait!

Not sure if you can work this out.. but this is the inside of our assembly workshop today, it's about 20 x 40 feet

..and this is where they will move soon..about 50 x 80 feet

 This brake press folding machine arrived last week and the plasma cutter tomorrow. They will make lots of processes so much faster and we should soon be able to have stock of items and less waiting lists.. which for me in sales is my dream!














Our old TomCat Joey, 16 this year is always around somewhere, hiding under the table in the office or enjoying titbits from the workshop guys when they snack!

Close up of the brake press.. tool porn for the boys.

Busy days..

..the last 40 weeks or more things have been going on in our fields! 
Large pieces of machinery moving and shaping, then concrete being laid and a building being erected.  Two new factories have taken shape, the surrounding fields have become landscaped banks and tarmac and cleared areas for car parking.. it's been a big project and this week the tooling is arriving and soon we will be moving in.

Sadly us office crew will have to wait til the autumn for our new site but hopefully we can bathe in the enjoyment of new space across the yard until then!

Orders! The reason we are building.. and the way we are paying for it!

Summer views!

Well it's been one of those weeks .. again! All week I have been counting down to one thing or another, and it isn't any better next week!

Thursday Zac took his final oral exam and passed! He is now an Officer of the Watch and can navigate a ship of unlimited tonnage.. it was actually not so bad as the time approached as he realised he had prepped quite well, lots of group learning and sessions with a port pilot, not quite the repeat learning we used to do for maths and geography in our day!

On Friday Pops travelled down from Col's brothers where he was staying a few days and Zac gave him a look round Southampton port.  They travelled home.. a long hot journey amidst all the holiday makers on the south coast road.

Summer Foods: salady stuff .. outside!

We are having the loveliest of weather, although in the office we see it more than feel it, but it is lovely to have evenings to sit out and eat.. so that's what we did with all the family on Friday evening.. quite satisfying too as Kate passed her driving theory test the same day.

Add to that April passing her Teaching skills exams and we have 4 out of 4 so far!

I have failed on some summer views (feet..and sky today) but have covered these other weeks!

Big Sisters.. Lilly not happy as her burger was cold! Age 3y 4m and 6 years

Baby Annabelle..being like the big girls..age 18 months and just about walking.

Marazion

From my window

Frequently visited.. the building works down the field.. 

Footings!

Zac's home.. cue the family barbecue 

Three!

Well Colin has taken our four design guys away to Farnborough Air Show so I have had a day in the office with Kate helping man the phones..as we have 3 lines in ..and just me to answer calls today!

Jamie sent me this message with a picture Of three of them....He said its his first selfie too!

Another three.. Zac's friend Sean passed his Oral exams so that's number 3 of the little crew of 4..just Zac left now and his exam is next week.

And my photo is showing the three lots of gel nails Kate did this evening.  My fingers and toes... .and now her toes.. its such a nice thing to have her do.. I was just saying to her that as your children get older you are a bit less physical with them. ...less cuddles and carrying.. and it is kind of a nice closeness to have her tend my nails..

I found this little gem the other day.. Jordan's 4th birthday.. and her cake!

Now she is making the cakes! Lisa is still holding the baby ;-)

50!..or a multiple of?

I am smiling here! I was wondering just what I could use for the 50 prompt over at Lucky 7s!  then luckily something came to me... just now!

Things are very hectic in our office, so much work and such a lot of people wanting their items .. like..soon.. like yesterday. The new buildings cannot come soon enough.. the footings were concreted in for the first building yesterday and I took a pic as we went down the field for a peruse..

I was a bit fed up yesterday as I am often the person who ends up apologising for lateness and it doesn't lie very good with me.. I am a pleaser person I think.  So our great partner in crime Ben got a bit of an ear bashing, nice, polite but a bit determined and I apologised later for it.. 

.. then this morning he brought biscuits.. my favourite.. and because they are my favourite and he felt bad about it too.. awhhh... it's just one of those things when you spend lots of time together and its hard not to moan and feel that someone may take it personal.. I am so glad I am not in HR, I would never be able to pull rank on anyone!

And see that number! 

It must be a multiple of 50!!!

5,000,000.. made and sold every week.. who buys them? who eats them?

More windows..and newsy stuff.

Well I have a few different pictures for the finish of this week. Yesterday in Penzance I saw this unusual thing in a vintage shop window.. A birdcage with two naked action men dolls..One in the mouth of a fabric crocodile. ..not sure what that's all about but it amused me! .. but Kate was cringing at my taking a photo of a shop window..These young things, they need to loosen up a bit!

We have the two big grand daughters staying as Mum & Dad are having a couple of nights away being grown ups.. and because I still appreciate when we get to do that I am more than happy to oblige with babysitting. The baby one is with the other Gran so we have divided and ruled!

This morning I ran a bakery stall for Jordan as she was starting a new organic market in Penzance town centre..which went well. Lilly came to help and we had fun..she was a lovely help and when she is on her own she loves to be grown up as being a big sister can make her quite frustrated at times ..;-) She sometimes wishes for a brother but I think it's more about wishing away the sisters for a while as boys don't want to share your toys do they?

This afternoon we took them shopping for a few things and as we left the car park and they were both strapped in we smiled at each other across the roof of the car and remembered how lucky we are to be on the other side of daily child handling! I am quite chilled out though, even let them have a play in an (old giftset) makeup box before tea!

A while ago we bought Pops a golf buggy from one of our friends who buys and sells electric vehicles. ... A little bit of celebrating his 80th year!..and he will enjoy driving up and down to the ex factory and driving his tools about in the back.

It's also proving a lot of fun for him (and us with the girls) as we can take a drive down the fields..that were once a motocross and paintball field..and are now being prepped for parking and landscaping around our new factory buildings.  Lilly and Lyla loved trekking around and I took some pics to send to Zac while he tries to absorb some more facts and information for his final exams in ten days or so. . ( there is a little group of them who we think will remain in touch after they all go to sea.. The 'A' Team...and the two girls have passed the oral this week.. just Sean and Zac to go...)

Finishing this at 9pm on Saturday and both the girls tucked up and reports from the parents than fine weather, fun and rest are all ticked boxes already .. x

Spring field and drinks!

Well this evening was sunny but chilly and we had a walk round the building work. I was amazed at all the landscaping and digging out which has to be done. It is not just foots pace for two buildings it is gates and car parking area and lovely landscaped slopes which will be fantastic when all grassed.

Lisa and Tom came by and looked at it at the weekend and Lisa said my thoughts out loud..'What would Gran and Nan say?' It's so true..they were so supportive of our project, which back in 1997 was simply making a home for the 10 of us and surviving financially...supportive to the extent they lived in caravans whilst we did the house and converted barns for them.

Spring Field View

So this is my Spring view from below the containers.. and I will try and find the winter view to compare..I cannot imagine the summer and autumn changes.

Winter Field View

And as for drinks..well this is my lovely milky coffee .. my last drink before bed..

And this is my Thank Goodness It's Friday G&T. .yes I know it's Thursday but it IS the start of the weekend when you have had a busy week xx

My world in One Word..

'Work'

December Daily :Day 20

Well it's been pretty busy and I have kind of been going through the motions as far as Christmas shopping and prep is concerned. .yes the pictures tell a different tale but they do sometimes don't they!?

But today I have had a nice day and am starting to feel it .. Lyla is here and we are watching some (more) Peppa Pig and wrapping some presents and tomorrow evening we do 'Christmas' with Lisa and her family. 

Life is very busy for them as they run an online shop so work takes over their home.. so they have rented a house ..With hot tub..for the week..not too far away but the miles are not important and it's lots cheaper then Centre Parcs.  As Cols dad is away on Sunday we are seeing the girls and him open pressies and getting takeaway for supper..sounds good. I quite like to vary what we do so no one feels they have to do something every year.

Also this super hamper of wine and cheese..Our favourite foods for when we see Cols Uncle Bill ..arrived in the post from Uncle Bill & Deborah..how lovely to think they may get here next year sometime..

Sadly our Secret Santa in the office has been postponed as one of our young gun designers is off sick but we made sure to give our favourite Scrooge fan his Christmas gifts.. He hates to join in so we make it worse by giving him multiple presents..which he receives with a smile xx

365/340-1 Corner-curly

I tried so hard to upload this last night, but it wasn't playing ball on my phone!

This is Lyla at the hospital,, waiting on a check-up for new baby brother or sister. (all good there.. just need to coax it out of breech in the next six weeks!)  There were two doors and three corners so she loved hiding in them, an I knew the word, so hey presto!

 She also sports a cut eye, hit the corner of the desk! Double prompt word score!

JB had a great birthday, we ate out at the Seafood Cafe and later went on to the Hub where she and Ross worked in the summer and surprise surprise another ten people there waiting for us.. cake, drinks, presents, friends what more does a girlie want?
(mmm, well cooked swordfish perhaps.. but prima donna chefs just won't listen will they!)

Only Zac was missing, well Tom too but he was poorly and babysat instead, so we will try again for the full Bingo Card when Zac is back over Xmas .. x  We sent him this message from Dad while we were out..

Today has been eventful. We are having three phase power pout in and we had no electric from 10am til almost 5... amazing the things you think of doing and then realise you can't as you need power.  So much of our lives are internet based now, banking, email sales and shopping!  The office and workshop used a generator for a while but by 3 it was dark, all the cars had been wahsed and tidy welding bays sorted so we calle dit a day.. call it a Christmas shopping day! 

Col had a better idea for me, he made me a fire indoors and I wrapped alomst 3/4 of my presents!  Still slightly odd, by daylight and with no TV or radio.. but it was nice and made me think of why my folks used to get up early and go to be early in winter to use the best of the day out working on the field.

I did venture into the office a bit.. the guys had been planning some work and ended up using the white board for their own kind of air hockey!!

(or was it curling..ta da!)

Well it will be a day to remember for them!

mmm, curly.. well howabout this lovely cloudy curly sky I stopped to photograph on the way home this morning.. it looked better than the picture to be fair..

365/265 Fruit

Busy blog today.. a few things to cover.. questions to answer...

1. What do we do?

Lynne asked me what our business is.. well we design & make handling equipment. It is probably dreary unless it is your 'thing' but we have been doing it twelve years and it is treating up pretty well (now). We started when Col was looking for a 'not-influenced-by-the-weather' alternative to civil engineering dive works. We met a super guy who held a patent on a trolley mechanism, and to cut a long story very short, we created a company with him and developed the patent application to apply to lifting heavy drums. 

At first Colin was chief sales / development / promo, everything and I was the paperwork behind the scenes girl!  Our first outing was at the Tomorrow's World Live show and we won a prize for innovation to avoid back injury.  The following year we had taken the product further and Colin won their Inventor of the Year show award.. awwwhh. Henry, the original patent holder was at this point 85 and was delighted to see the growth of his idea and evolution of the ideas. He died just last year and we still have letters from him saying how much he enjoyed being part of it with us, though to be fair it was quite an arduos expensive journey at times!

12 years later we now have a designer partner who is also one of our oldest friends, employ 14 people and manufacture a whole range of handling solutions for rolls, drums, doors, all kind of things.. and because we supply kit which meets all the awful H&S regs we sell to big food, drug, chemical companies, hardly anyone close to home really.  Hence Colin's draining trips up country, it is not easy being based in Cornwall, not really the centre of the world for manufacturing but hey, we get boat and dolphin days and all our family is here. 

You can see more stuff at www.sts-trolleys.co.uk It is a bit of a 'we-job', our daughters do the video editing, the website and stuff and our sons get involved with some of the workshoop stuff when time allows. Oh and I make lots of tea!  It really suits us as you can be home and at work at the same time, I even have a washing machine in the office kitchen (for overalls of course) and so can be found folding shirts thgouh the day just after I have answered the phone to someone in the MOD!

Hopefully that gives you a little taste of our lives and Lynne you can see how amazing it must have been for Zac to find one of our trolleys in the engine room of a cruise ship in Oz xx

2.  22.45 update.. (yes, teen taxi again tonight, but everyone is chatting with Zac, his last night so he will be up late playing X box later with our SiL too!..)

 ..well my Samsung tablet updated yesterday and now I can't do a thing with it! (remember the washed my hair and can't do a thing with it phrase!)  I feel like Anne now.. I have had to change the keyboard properties and now I am trying to upload some pics to this blog and it is on standstill!  It won't even upload a picture I know it uploaded before..bah!
I had some nice pics of the new layout I have done for the latest Happy Scrapper challenge, but no luck.. tomorrow I will transfer to this pc and do it the old way.. I still prefer a keyboard to tablet etc but it is great technology!

3. And so to fruit.. I should have photographed the girls today. I had Lyla come food shopping and then we got Lilly from school.   Lyla loves food and fruit especially.. in the few hours I had her she ate grapes, strawberries, raspberries and banana!  Lilly is doing great at school but it's long days. She does the mornings for academic stuff and it seems a shame to bring her home to miss cooking or playing activities..

Well my picture may have been here before it was taken in France, I love their pastries..

365/161 Frayed.

I'm short of inspiration at the moment, seems my pal Karen feels the same about her photography...my Col is away tomorrow, early for a trip away til Thursday so I am thinking that maybe, just maybe I will use the spare half day to sort my scrap space and get going again.  The only trouble is the usual, when you have a free half day you come up with several good things you could do, then waste half the time deliberating about which to do, when to start and so on.. (shouting now).. 'Stop pontificating and get on with it!!!'

(Inserted here, before posting this.. I found one.. a picture of a sad frayed palm tree on one of our holidays!)

So, whilst the prompt 'frayed' perhaps relates more to my state of mind than an image of some worn out jeans (and aren't they just the best that month or two before the fray becomes a fully fledged 'hole' ?)...I have something to tell...

Zac on our website..

So, as you know our Zac is away in Oz, working aboard  P&O cruise ship as part of his training... well you may also know that we make, here in Cornwall, a range of stainless steel drum trolleys and materials handling equipment (STS) which is sold to all kinds of companies all over this country and some abroad.. including quite a few to a reseller called PBA Safety out in Australia.  

Our flagship product which we have been making for about twelve years is a drum handling trolley for oil drums.. it is very trick and really is revolutionary if you ever used it, not like the tragic type of sack truck thing people sometimes use...(well as ever I digress.. end of sales pitch..)

So, (are you keeping up?) Zac is on a ship out of Sydney and he goes down into the engine room for some job or another.. and there it is.. one of our drum trolleys, cut , bent and manufactured here in Cornwall, shipped to Oz and then resold to P&O.. for our Zac to find and feel proud of.. here's the pic.. just brilliant!!

One we made earlier!

Did you read the manual?

Enjoying his work..xx