Top Of The Morning To You

When I moved out of my studio last year, I had to break off the top of my cutting table in order to get the cabinets down the stairs. It was just too big to get out in one or two good pieces. When I set up my studio in the mountains, I didn't use all of the cabinets and just had unfinished plywood for a top.

Since I've been back here, I've had all of my cabinets set up--but no top. This is what I've been using for the last month or so. It didn't quite cover everything (but it WAS easier to get things out of the top drawers!). We went to Home Depot--where we had gotten the first top made--but were quite taken aback to learn that the price would be more than double what it was five years ago. (I hadn't thought that the price of wood had increased THAT much). Anyway, while we were there, we got into a discussion with a fellow customer and it turned out that (are you ready for this?) he installed counter tops for a living. Talk about synchronisity. He was very nice, gave us a much better price and actually showed up when he said he would.

Here are the cabinets as he is getting ready to get started and I sure hope he wasn't analyzing me in relation to the mess that was showing in those exposed drawers! My husband helped him carry the materials up the stairs to my studio and it all made it up there without a hitch. And here it is with one sheet in place. He did two more and then added a border (for which I don't know the correct term) around the entire thing. Then he sanded the top so there would be a smooth, flat surface for the formica to adhere to.

And now here is my wonderful finished top. I can assure you that I am really enjoying having it finished. And our guy was not only cheaper, nice and on time--he was a great craftsman as well. This was really the final thing that needed to be done to restore my studio back to what is was before I left. Can you hear my husband saying, "We are NEVER, EVER, EVER leaving again. Do I need to repeat that?"?

I guess I'd better listen.