Surprise!

For the very first time ever, I think that Mike was truly surprised by his gift for Valentine's Day. while he was at a doctor's appointment, Andrew and I sneaked a very large sheet of steel

and a bunch of metal into the farm shop. After much welding and painting, it transformed into a big black shop bench for Mike's new farm shop. Andrew did an amazing job of the welding and after a few coats of black paint and the attachment of the vise that Mike had bought years ago, we were able to take pictures of the table. Mike couldn't come out to see it in person, so I went and took photos and then printed off the pictures. We actually surprised him - which is a very hard feat! It also was a good idea to take the photos while the fumes were still thick in the air, as just minutes after we left the shop, our three pesky cats crawled all over the table and left little foot prints in the wet paint! I don't know who was more pleased with the gift - Andrew or Mike.

The new farm shop has been on Mike's wish list for a very long time, but it was not until December, just before his surgery, that he needed a "make work" project to keep himself busy and his mind off of the upcoming surgery. We started by pouring the cement floor and then a company came and sprayed insulation on the walls and ceilings. A few thousand dollars later, the electricians got it wired for Mike's welder and now all it is waiting for are lights and plug ins. I have been told that it is going to be much nicer to fix broken down balers and farm implements in and that Mike is going to build all kinds of stuff there. Now, if it came with a "helper" (not me) I could get excited about it!