It's absolutely, positively, completely and totally FINISHED!! ( For NOW, at least!) The LONG - awaited return of The 'MAN-CAVE'!!

 

It's been a slow, sometimes even tedious process! BUT-- at long-last-- the latest version of the 'Loydster-Cave' is FINALLY ready for my faithful-few readers to come in and explore! (by the way--- the pic above is meant to be a copy / goof-spoof, of the one taken for my LONG-ago post (from July 2018!!) about the previous 'Man-Cave'! Time SURE flies, doesn't it? (Well--- SOMETIMES it does!)

What an interesting, bumpy, curvy, twisting road life can sometimes be!! nearly 7 years ago, I was posting about another 'Secret Sanctum', at another location! Through a set of EXTREMELY SUCKY circumstances (a shade LESS than 2 years later!)--- everything in that version of my little hide-out ended-up being put into 'cold-storage'-- for close to 4 YEARS!

 If you've been following along with me here as I've been posting these updates, there's no need for me to go over or rehash the gradual, step-by-step process that's been putting this little (and I DO mean LITTLE-- this space is a mere 8 x 10-foot 'DINKY-cube-of-GEEKYNESS'!) room together! I'm just EXTREMELY glad to see all of this stuff back in the same space, on display again!

For those of you that may be asking: 'So Loydster-- what about ALL the comics collection (10 or so long-boxes worth!), the car magazines (several boxes worth also!) and the remaining collection of vinyl / LPs you still have??' For now-- unfortunately-- all of THAT stuff, along with the life-sized stand-ups that I've mentioned here in recent posts-- has to just stay put in the storage unit! 

Hopefully, in the near-future--I can figure out some kind of 'auxiliary-Man-Cave' (small storage shed maybe?)-- where all of that stuff can at least be with me here on the same property! 'Til then --- it'll just have to remain carefully stashed away!

Anyhoo-doody-roo--- as I OFTEN do here at the 'ol bloggy-woggy-wing-dingy-thing-thang--- I'll stop with the introductory stuff / opening remarks.... and we'll just dive off into the pics! (With the USUAL nerdy / geek-tastic remarks to go along with each-- of COURSE!) Also-- once AGAIN--Forgive the somewhat 'shaky' quality in some of the pics! The 'ol 'Ferrell-mits' aren't as steady as they used to be!!------

Let's start off with an 'unobstructed' shot (meaning me and my extra-LARGE-sized head being OUT of the WAY!-- Like in the pic up top!) of what you see as you enter the 'Secret Sanctum'! Complete with the LED 'tube-lights' turned on-- of COURSE!

Another little 'side-note'--- The pics in this post will just (mostly) focus on the 'now full' shelves & cases in the 'Sanctum'! (Check out my earlier posts for pics of the stuff on the walls, the lay-out with my various books, etc...) Anyhoo--- here's the 'barrister-cases' to the immediate left of the Hot Wheels shelf-- FILLED with all kinds of crunchy-GEEKY-goodness! (Including 'The Phantom', 'Green Hornet', 'The Shadow'-- even 'Robbie the Robot'!)

The case with all the 'Stooges & 'Toons stuff-- right to the left of my teensy-weensy little desk! I definitely break-out in a BIG goofy grin nearly EVERY time I look at THIS one!

The previously mentioned TEENSY-desk! Hey, it's JUST the RIGHT size for me to do tinkering on my lap-top! That's pretty much it's MAIN purpose! Besides-- if I tried using anything even SLIGHTLY larger, all the shelves and cases couldn't possibly fit into the 'Sanctum'!

                                                

Yet ANOTHER little side note!--- This GIANT 'History of The Batmobile' poster, is actually one of SEVERAL items that I'll be 'rotating' out of that space! About every 6 months or so, I'll switch it out with some other WAY-too-NEAT-O-to-STAY-in-storage items! Hey, when you have a TINY little 'Man Cave'--- 'you gotta do what you gotta do'!! In fact, I may do a near-future post about just WHAT the things are, that I'm planning on being 'rotating exhibits'!

Again-- forgive the 'kinda-CRUMMY' photography! ---The 'Bats & Supey-shelf' to the right of the dinky-desk! Also FILLED with PLENTY of 'Man of Steel' and 'Caped Crusader' - COOLNESS!

Elvis-goodies, MORE 'Supes-stuff' and a few NIFTY 'Lone Ranger' items, now reside in the cases above the scale classic car & truck models. 'The Lone Ranger & Silver' model, was a vintage UNBUILT kit I snagged off of E-bay a couple of years back! It's JUST like the one I had when I was 12 years old! The AMAZING part?--- I won it in an auction-- for UNDER 40 smackers! There's NOTHING like getting something THAT cool, for THAT decent a price!! It's now FULLY built (I just painted & assembled it a couple of weeks ago!) and on proud display-- as it SHOULD be!

Now here are some not ONLY very neat-o, but ALSO very PRICELESS items-- to the 'ol Loydster anyway!--- Coloring-pages, recently done by (top-to-bottom) : my Daughter Shelby, daughter-in-law Chloe, and son-in-law Trent, PLUS: a 'Warhol-influenced' pic of the McFarlane toys '66 Batman figure (doing the 'Batusi', of COURSE!), given to me by my nephew Caleb!

The 'curio-shelf-in-the-corner'--- now housing even MORE 'Bat-stuff'! As well as 'Ironman' and 'Captain America' figures

Just for 'grins and giggles'-- another peek at the 'media-nook'! Items that've been added in there, include the 'lapel-flower' / boutonniere --that Shelby created for me, for her wedding! (crafted with 'Batman'- patterned cloth, of COURSE!) It sits PROUDLY on the center-top of the CD shelves!

ANOTHER look, at the combo-Bat-ride-display and book-shelf! Not much different going on there, except I've added a few 'graphic-items' to a couple of the shelves.

'Green Lantern', 'The Flash' and even MORE 'Supes and 'Bats figures-- join the miniature 'Bat-rides' in the case near the door to the 'Cave!

Among the MANY items that were previously displayed in the former 'Man-Cave'--- here's one of the MOST nifty!-- an unusual, cast-metal 'Man-Cave' sign! I just HAD to find a spot for this! I managed to squeeze it onto the top of the door-post. You can see it on the way out! The 'little hidey-hole' just would NOT be the same without THIS little doo-dad hanging-up somewhere in it!

As I was saying up above--- the effort to get the little 'geek-zone' put together, sometimes got to be a little TOO much like WORK! But--- now that all the thrashing-away is over, and everything is set-up where it needs to be.... 'WHEW'! I've gotta say.... ALL the work and time was WORTH IT! It's SO cool to just come into the room, look around-- and get that BIG goofy-geeky-GRIN' on my face--once AGAIN!!

A shout-out to my VERY special-lady, number ONE gal, and (VERY patient!) life-long-best-friend--- Mrs. Debbie! Thanks SO much, honey! Your encouragement (to get another 'Man-Cave' going in the FIRST place!) and helpful suggestions along the way-- helped make this all happen! Loved you then, love you now, will love you ALWAYS!

a couple more pretty EXTRA-COOL items, before I sign-off for this month folks!--- For Christmas, my kids surprised their 'ol daddy-o with--- well, I'll just let the pic below tell you a good CHUNK of the story!----

Believe it or NOT--the t-shirt I wore the day of our family-Christmas-get-together-and-wing-ding... was a pure coincidence! Pretty appropriate though, don't you think?!?

If any of you have ever put together one of these Lego 'build-sets'.... you KNOW how INVOLVED and kinda complex they can be! So--- the 'ol Loydster took his sweet time putting THIS one together! Because I wanted to make SURE to get it RIGHT--- and-- it's an EXTRA-special / unique gift from a couple of the MOST special people in my life!

To add even ANOTHER level of coolness to this ALREADY oh-SO-nifty gift-- my son even added a pretty SWELL 'go-along-PERFECTLY-with-it' item! It'll sure keep the dust and spider-webs off of the 'Lego-Bat-ride'!!----

This 'assemble-it-yourself' display case-- was given to me (as stated above!) by my son Wade! It's made from NICE, fairly thick acrylic-- and it bolted together in around 15 - 20 minutes! Super-easy-peasy! A 'gift-to-help-protect-the-other-gift'! Thanks, son-o-mine!
Thanks also, buddy-- for the 'Batman '89' -related items! A large-scale '89 Batmobile-replica (with removable panels, so you can check out it's engine and weapons-systems! NEAT!), and a 1/3 scale replica of the '89 Batman's cowl! WICKEDLY-cool 'Bat-stuff' INDEED!

AND--- after the careful-clicking-together of over 1800 PIECES--- it's FINISHED! In ALL of it's 'Atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed...' GLORY!!-- Here's a couple of images-- of the Lego-version of the CLASSIC TV Bat-ride! Finished, and residing in it's 'place of honor'!!!---

Another shout-out to BOTH Shelby and Wade! Thank you guys! THIS will INDEED be one of the 'Crown-Jewels' of your 'ol dad's 'collection of Bat-guy-related-stuff'!

Yet ANOTHER surprise arrived on my door-step-- less than a week ago! My life-long buddy, Mr. Jeff Arnold had sent me THIS very SLICK item!---

This '4D-Bat-puzzle', arrived as a surprise 'late Christmas' / 'Man-Cave-warming' gift from my long-time best buddy, Jeff! Despite the EVER-shrinking amount of room in my little (and I DO mean LITTLE) sanctuary--- I simply HAD to squeeze out some sort of space for this! It's just TOO darn COOL!

 

So-- once AGAIN-- I set aside some chunks of time here and there over this weekend just past! And-- like the 'Lego-Bat-ride-build'-- I took my time in putting the 200-piece '4D-'89-Bat-ride puzzle' together. Here's the result!---

The assembled '4D' Batmobile puzzle! SO wickedly COOL!! Now... I had to find a spot to display this bad-boy!!

It took a considerable amount of thought, and a little trial-and-error (the FIRST place I tried was just TOO 'cramped'!)--BUT-- a PERFECT spot / display-space was FINALLY found! The former-closet / now 'media-nook' turned out to be an IDEAL place to show-off this unique gift from my 'brutha-from-another-mutha'!---

A couple of pics of the new home for the '4D' Batmobile! I cobbled together the little shelf it's sitting on, from some odd-ball pieces of cardboard and some wooden dowels. It leans out at a slight angle, so more of the puzzle can be seen! Yet ANOTHER thing in the 'Man-Cave' that brings a BIG goofy-geeky-grin to the 'ol Loydster's face! A big THANK you to my buddy Jeff! You ROCK, amigo!

Needless to say, as you can probably see in the pics above--- I had to do a bit of rearranging of a few items-- to make a home for BOTH the 'plastic-brick' -version of the 'Caped Crusader's ride--AND the '4D-puzzle-version' of the '89 movie-ride! It was worth every bit of the (slight!) hassles though-- because WAY-cool items like THESE have just GOT to have prime spots in the 'Sanctum to be on display!

These 'Christmas-(and LATE-Christmas) surprises' have ALSO made me realize, that even though for the MOST part, the 'Secret-Crime-Fighting-Headquarters' is CURRENTLY in pretty much a 'finished' state--- this little room is going to have to be kind of an 'organic' - type of space! With the occasional necessity of the 'rearranging' of stuff! (I may also have to do as the wifey has suggested, and 'rotate' out not ONLY posters, but some OTHER items / doo-dads as well!) 

There's just gonna be a need to make room --for gifts from family and friends ---and-- yes-- the 'once-in-a-while' times when I stumble across something that's just 'oh-SO-very-COOL'-- that I can't possibly pass it up! That's just the kind of HOPELESS nerd-tastic guy that I am!!

                                        See you NEXT time gang! 'Til then--- stay safe, sane and HAPPY!

Once AGAIN--hoping for a HAPPY & SAFE holiday-season for us ALL!!

 

  

Another year has went and ZIPPED past us all, once AGAIN! As in years past--- 2024 has had it's ROUGH-spots, sharp curves and unexpected bumps along the way! BUT-- hey, we made it here to the end! ('WHEW'!!) 

My wishes (as well as prayers, 'natch!) for the holiday season this time around, are a carbon-copy of the previous year's! That ALL of you, the teeny-tiny-few-- who follow along with me here on this bloggy-woggy-wing-ding-thingy-thang-- have a SAFE and extra-SUPER-NIFTY-RIFFIC Christmas and New Year!

Have a BLESSED Christmas and an all-the-way FANTASTIC 2025 gang! See you NEXT YEAR!!--

Loyd's BONUS video-clip!! --- # 51!! --- 'Bats & Robin: '68'!!

 

They didn't move around very much (NO 'toons did back then!)--- but the '68 animated-versions of the 'Dynamic Duo' has always had a special spot in the Loydster's heart!

Life's been a real MEAT-GRINDER for the 'ol Loydster again these past few weeks!! Though I am making EVER-so-SLOW progress on the 'Man-Cave' project! (Maybe more on THAT next time around-- IF things around here at 'Ferrell-Central' are a bit less CRAZY!) 

So--- I'm just gonna RE-share something fun from one of my old posts--from a good ways back, in fact! (Hey--- if it's classic-'Caped Crusader'-related, to ME....it's ALWAYS going to be FUN! Rerun or NOT!)

It's the opening from the '68 Batman cartoon-- from the MASTERS of LIMITED animation: Filmation!  Gotta LOVE that version of the Batmobile though!!----

I'll be back next month--- hopefully with a FULL-length post! 'Til then-- stay safe, sane and HAPPY gang!

RETURN of the 'Man-Cave'! -- The tinkering CONTINUES!

Slowly but steadily, the tinkering continues on the 'Secret Sanctum'! In the past few weeks, it's been all about putting the 'books-and-Bat-rides' out on display! As well as the Hot Wheels collection AND-- the (slightly-down-sized) collection of model / toy cars and pick-ups! Details below!--


Sometimes it can be pretty amazing, what one determined old geek-a-zoid can do-- even with just TEENY-TINY amounts of free / 'spare' time! Not to mention even LESS amounts of energy left in the 'not-so-young-anymore' bod! Somehow, someway though.... the Loydster has STILL managed to make progress on the 'reborn'  Man-Cave! 
As I was saying last time---while definitely NOT moving with ANY kind of 'break-neck' speed... patience, as well as PLENTY of careful arranging and tinkering--- has brought about the results shown below! As always here at the bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang, my usual GOOFY-GEEKY comments can be found tagging along with each of the pics!---

It took SEVERAL 'test-fittings' and a LOT of moving and maneuvering things around! BUT--- the 'Bat-ride' collection is once AGAIN proudly on display! This time, because the collection has grown a bit--- I spread the vehicles out across 3 different shelf-sets! (Including the original set-up--from the previous 'Crime Fighting Headquarters'-- shown here.)

The row of books now placed along the top shelf of the 'Bat-ride' case! Being able to actually SEE all of these 'old favorites' again, (including Louis L'Amour, some CLASSIC sci-fi & adventure, historical stuff and biographies!) just brought a big, CHEESY grin to my face!

The bottom two shelves of the same case. MORE just downright FUN and interesting reading (and RE-READING!--) material!

One of the two other 'parking spots' for the additional Batmobiles. This set-up is to the right of the original 'big' case.

The second and final 'extra-Bat-parking' shelf! Which includes a couple of Bat-cycles! Hey, 'ol Bats has had some pretty NEAT-O 2-wheeled rides over the years too! Why would I NOT have at least a couple in my collection? This is the bottom shelf on the case which will house various Superman and Batman figures and statues, in the (hopefully) near-future.

The books 'stacked-and-packed' onto the case in the 'nook' area (what used to be a closet!) This is an even MORE 'geek-friendly'-book area than the one in the 'main room'!

This simply wouldn't be a 'Loydster-Hide-Out', if there wasn't an area to stash my collection of inspirational books, Bibles, and devotional stuff! This is on the right side of the 'nook'. A couple of old pop-bottle crates function as excellent book-shelves!

At LAST--- the Hot Wheels collection is once AGAIN housed in the display shelf that my old buddy Warren and I built together! (Over 20 YEARS ago!-- Pretty crazy that it's been THAT long ago!) Look close, and you'll see even MORE 1/64th-scale Bat-rides snuggled in there!

The 'little Pony-car' collection, back where it all BELONGS! I actually down-sized the collection a good amount--- so it would mostly fit within these 2 cases. I also kept all the models I thought were the very COOLEST!

Various hot-rods and other vehicles now reside in the single case next to my little desk. Another collection that brings one of those big GOOFY-CHEESY-grins to my face!

Corvettes, classic pick-ups, and various other NIFTY rides are now on display against the west wall of the room. Any collection that includes not ONLY a '57 Ford Ranchero, a Ferrari 350 GTO, 3 different  Pontiac Trans-Ams, AND a couple of Dodge Vipers --most definitely can NOT be described as 'run-of-the-mill' OR boring!

One of the things I was a little (pleasantly) surprised about, while unpacking the model and toy-vehicle collection--- there was VERY little damage done by all of them being piled into boxes and totes for the past 3-plus years! I did have to do a bit of minor repairs and 're-attaching' of a few parts here and there... but, thankfully NOTHING was

completely wrecked and destroyed!

The next task I hope to tackle, as time and my VERY tiny-reserves of energy permits, of course--- is the unpacking and arranging (AND unfortunately some down-sizing!) of the collection of action figures, statues, and other super hero-related goo-gaws and doo-dads! As with all of the work I've managed to thrash-away at so far in this 'rebirth-of-the-Man-Cave' effort-- I'm pretty sure it'll be worth all of the time & energy invested!

You can be sure I'll be keeping the updates coming, as I SLOWLY-but-surely make progress on this latest (and hopefully FINAL!) version of the 'Loydster-Cave'!

See you all NEXT time gang!!

Progress on the RETURN of the 'Man-Cave'!

 

A whole LOT of the fairly RARE amount of spare time for the 'ol Loydster lately, has been taken up with thoughts, planning, and tinkering---- concerning the return of the MAN-CAVE! A decent amount of progress has been made too!  Keep 'scrollin-&-readin' to see just how much!

While not exactly moving at any kind of 'break-neck' pace--- things ARE moving along well with the setting-up of the 'reborn' man-cave! As I mentioned last month, a good chunk of time was spent over in the storage unit, back in late July--- digging out what framed items and other various 'wall-mounted' doo-dads I had CAREFULLY mapped-out places for, here in this 'down-sized'-version of the 'Secret Sanctum'. MOST of those are parked in their designated spots, I'm glad to say!

I've also found some additional NEAT-O items online, that fit right in to the over-all ULTRA-geek-tastic theme of the room! Not to mention I've managed to thrash-out a hand-crafted thing or two here and there!

So--- that's enough of an intro! Keep scrolling & scanning on down, to check out the Loydster's progress--- with the usual comments and general GOOFINESS from yours-truly to go along with each pic.... of COURSE!!--- (AND-- apologies in advance for some of the semi-CRUMMY photography! Guess the 'ol hands aren't as steady as they USED to be!)---

What would a 'Man-Cave' be, without a 'welcome-to-the-Batcave' welcome mat? Just as you come in the doorway--natch! I snagged this particular (pre-owned / used-- but in PRIMO-shape!) model for a REALLY decent price online. When Mrs. Deb saw it, she just smiled and shook her head at my HOPELESS nerdiness!

The current view as you enter the 'cave'! Shelves and cases are all now sporting either NEW paint-- or fresh paper-- ready & waiting for all of the gee-gaws and doo-dads that'll fit into them! AND-- yes, that's the classic model of the 'Enterprise', hanging in it's rightful spot-- near the center of the room! (Just like in the previous 'Hide-out'!)

The left side of the room, after you step through the door. Again, hopefully-- despite the somewhat 'shaky' camera-work-- you can sort-of-spot just what all the items are!

Sadly--in this 'down-sized' version of the 'cave, there was NO space for the 'life-sized' stand-ups (that I've had for MANY years!) of the Duke and Mr. Spock! BUT--- not to worry! BOTH those individuals are STILL represented in the room by 8 x10 (Duke) and 5 x 7 images (Spock). The stand-ups, meanwhile... will simply STAY in storage for a while longer.... 'til I can figure exactly WHAT to do with them!

Despite spending over 3 years boxed-up in storage, BOTH the 'Batman Forever' and (HEAVILY-customized) 'Animated Series' Bat-Wings are holding up amazingly well! They now are proudly stationed at both ends of the room's left side, hanging by the usual trusty 4-pound test fishing line!

The little yellow 'Geek-out-zone' sign was a little something I put together a couple of weeks back. There's also an original pencil-drawing of Batman by my son Wade, to the right of 'Bats '89. Down by the lower right of my little (EXTRA-down-sized) desk, there's also an original piece of art by my daughter-in-law Chloe. I decided pretty early on, that I wanted each of my kids to DEFINITELY be (artistically) represented in this version of my little hang-out!

I love super-heroes, love coffee too! So-- why shouldn't I PROUDLY display six of simply the COOLEST coffee cups EVER??? Yes indeedy, that IS a CAPE on the large Bat-mug! No-- I didn't customize it, it actually came that way!

Right corner of the 'Rumpus-Room'! The Bat-Wing from last year's 'Flash' movie, sits on one the 'semi-triangular' stands I cooked-up, of course!

The 'tape-light' set-up for the 'former-closet-space', as well as some of the decor I've managed to get in there so far. As mentioned last month, this will also serve as a little 'nook' for my collection of CDs and additional books.

The 'side-wall' spaces, on the left and right-- inside the 'nook'.  The 'Batman: 8 decades' poster, is actually a 'combined-artwork-effort' between my daughter Shelby and I. The 3x3 inch 'boxes' with the various 'Bat-silhouettes', were put together by Shelby on cloth.
 I then went over each of the images with craft-paints, glued them onto poster-board and came up with all the graphics on the top and bottom. The end-result turned out pretty NIFTY! At least, I think so!

The ELO 'picture disc' albums, (on the 'Nook's right wall) were a Christmas gift-- also from Shelby--- who's JUST as much of  a 'music-NERD' as her old man... maybe even MORE than me, in fact!

Various items on the left-side of the large bookcase on the room's right side. Those are framed neck-ties -- (one of a good number that I've framed! Hey, I managed to collect a LOT of ties!)-- (ALL 'geeky-stuff'-related, of COURSE!) there at the bottom, from back in the days when I taught a couple of different adult Sunday school classes. A stretch of around ten years, that hold some of the HAPPIEST memories in my life-- for sure!

Autographed pics of some of my favorite HERO-portraying-actors from childhood / young-adulthood, as well as the now 'mounted-up' Bat-Wing model collection-- sitting atop the large bookcase!

Yet ANOTHER online find! This roughly 4x6 foot area-rug just HAD to wind-up on the floor of THIS room! Thanks SO much to the folks at Amazon!

Goodies to gander-at on the room's right side, as well as the back of the door. The Batman 'wall-light' does indeed STILL work! Amazing, considering it's well OVER 30 years old!

Perhaps the MOST difficult task of ALL, as I've been setting-up this room! The L.E.D. 'neon-rope-style' lighting! All the effort / sweat / aggravation was WORTH it though, after I flipped on their power for the first time! They have a 'coolness-factor' that makes ALL of that 'grunting-and-groaning' a SMALL price to pay! VERY neat-o INDEED!

             

                                                       

                                                          

The framed items, etc... on the right of the door, as you leave the room. Each of them brings a different goofy-geeky-GRIN to my face!

                                                       

   

  

A closer look, # 1--- the Way-COOL 5x7 image of the Green Hornet & KATO! Outside of 'ol Bats, (AND the 'Lone Ranger'!) The 'Hornet is probably one of my FAVORITE 'non-super-powered' characters! Also-- the '66 TV show is one of the BEST adaptions of a super-hero, PERIOD!

A closer look, # 2--- My 'scratch-built' cover for the room's light-switch. For THIS room--Just a BORING old 'plain-jane' white light-switch is simply NOT gonna cut it!

And there you have it! what's been accomplished so far--- in what's pretty much turned into a hobby itself!-- the converting of a small spare-bedroom into a 'Geek-Out-Zone' for the Loydster! In the coming weeks, I hope to start actually setting-up items into the showcases and shelves-- as well as finally digging the books out of storage too! At any rate, I'll only do it as I can CARVE-out the little chunks of spare-time here and there! 

In the meantime, I'm just having a MAJOR-amount of fun thinking it all out, planning and tinkering with it as I go along! Rest assured, there WILL be 'update' posts as I'm thrashing-away at this on-going effort!

'Til next time, then --- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY everybody!

The 'Cracker-Box' becomes The 'Cozy-Cottage'!

Sometimes there's things and events in life--- that just 'BLOW our BRAINS completely OUT of our ever-lovin-NOGGINS'! Developments in recent months, with our current abode-- have SURE done that to the 'ol Loydster! (AND his lovely wife, Mrs. Debbie too!!) THIS time around, (thank the good LORD!) the series of events have been positive & HAPPY!

 Just like the title for this post indicates-- The 'ol Loydster has had to do a SERIOUS amount of reconsidering! Specifically-- just how I've been referring to the little mobile home and property the wifey and I have been calling 'home', these past 3-years-plus.

For MOST of that time, I've been calling the little 3-bedroom / 2-bathroom mobile home: the 'Cracker-Box'! Not the nicest way to refer to the place one lives! It being a 'single-wide'-style mobile home though, versus the 'double-wide' that we'd previously lived in --- it WAS quite a bit smaller than what we were living in for the nearly 12 years prior to moving here!

Oh, the circumstances for our move here pretty much SUCKED too! But, I won't BORE any of you good folks out there with all the depressing details of THAT! Let's just say the relocation here was, to start-out with at least.... NOT an entirely 'happy' one!

BUT--- a couple of months back, our landlords here made us the offer to BUY this property--- at an AMAZING price! It was a TRUE 'once-in-a-life-time' opportunity! After a few days of SERIOUS thought (not to mention PRAYERS!)--- we decided to take them up on the offer! Yes, this WAS a MUCH smaller house, yes it's not exactly perfect! That's about where the 'down-side' of this all ends though!

One of the lessons that my special little lady and I have learned--- that's turned out to a BIG-time positive thing in our time living here--- is how to live a MUCH more 'streamlined' and 'lean' life! This has included multiple trips to the storage unit, where we stashed SO much material before our move here--- and 'trimming-out' / donating / getting rid of... a LOT of the excess STUFF we let accumulate / build-up over the 12 years we lived at our previous place! 

This was a painful process at first, especially for a LONG-time collector of GEEKY items, like myself! But... it's HELPED us--- to take a LONG, hard look at our life (AND our belongings!) up to this point--- and decide what REALLY matters! In MY case, the question became: Just WHAT things / 'nerd-related' stuff am I really passionate about? What items are absolute 'MUST-haves' / 'MUST-keeps'? 

Turns out, I've been able to whittle things down QUITE a bit! Though the 'sorting' and 'thinning-out' of 'Loydster-doo-dads and gee-gaws' is STILL ongoing-- and probably WILL be for another month or two! But more on THAT subject a little further down in this here post!

So.... now we're getting near to the 'closing' of all the 'mortgage-stuff' with our local bank, and it's becoming a pretty exciting time for us! Deb and I are doing LOTS of talking and throwing ideas around, about all the NIFTY things we want to do here with the place! But, along with all of that.... we're STILL kind of in a state, where our brains are not ONLY in a mode like the cartoon above... but also we're doing a TON of thinking like THIS!!----

Despite our minds being kinda twisted-out of shape about this whole thing... it's been for the MOST part an upbeat and positive time for Mrs. Deb and myself!  In fact, it was my 'better-half'--- who suggested I get going on fixing-up the smaller of the two 'spare bedrooms' into my NEW 'Secret Sanctum' / Man-Cave!

So, while we've been slogging-away at all of the financial details and 'mortgage-stuff'--- I've been slowly tinkering away on and planning -- yet ANOTHER version of the 'Loydster-Man-Cave'! The room being pretty small (a mere 8 feet wide and about 10 feet long-- pretty TINY!), the very FIRST thing I decided to do, was to come up with a 'floor-plan' of how things could be placed in it! Below is the 'blue-print' / lay-out I eventually came up with!---

After a couple of REALLY rough pencil-scribblings, THIS was the final inked-up 'lay-out' of the 'Secret Crime-Fighting-Headquarters'!)

After that, Deb and I spent most of a weekend around mid-July--- loading up my shelves, bookcases, etc... that were in storage--- and bringing them here. LOTS of clean-up (as well as both major and minor repairs!) was necessary on a majority of it all! Hey, it HAS been sitting in a storage unit for OVER 3 years! 

I then double-checked the measurements on it all (BOTH the room AND the shelves / cases!), and got down to the 'grunt-work' of putting it ALL together in the room. (WITH the PRICELESS help of my wife, of COURSE!) As you can see below, it's pretty snug! BUT-- everything in my original 'lay-out' drawing does INDEED fit!---

What you see as you enter the 'Sanctum'! The display-shelf against the wall to the right of my little desk-- the one on the left, fit better placed flat against the west-wall, instead of at an angle like in the original 'lay-out' drawing. otherwise, it's ALL just like the drawing! There's also STILL some cleaning-up & repainting to do, obviously!

After entering, here's what's on the left side. Yes, the desk is fairly DINKY--- but since MOST of what I'll be doing in this room is stuff like rattling away at posts for this here bloggy-thingy-thang-- on my trusty lap-top--- not a LOT of 'desk-space' is really needed! I do have a little fold-up 'card-table', stashed elsewhere in the house-- if I ever need more 'working / project-space'!

The former closet, on the right. The bookcase that I've put in there, (where additional books will be stashed, 'natch!) will eventually be joined by a good chunk of my CD collection, as well as some additional framed and small display-items

The view facing the door, from where the little desk sits. The shelf for the Hot Wheels collection is eventually going to be mounted to the wall, just a few inches higher than it's sitting now.

After getting all the shelves / display cases into the room and where they needed to be.... I sat down and did another kinda painful task! I figured out just exactly WHAT kind of 'wall-space' I had for 'framed items' / wall display-goodies! (As well as numerous items I had NO space for!-- the 'painful part'!)

After scribbling-out the list shown below, (which includes notes on what wall each of the items will fit! Again-- a small room, takes CAREFUL planning!) I made another trip to the storage-unit --- to dig all those items out of various boxes and totes. This alone took another good-sized CHUNK out of a Saturday morning / early afternoon!---

Keep this list in mind, for later reference! We'll see how faithful I've stayed with it-- when I eventually put up the (hopefully NEAR-future) post about the FINISHED 'Man-Cave'!

Speaking of 'display items,' I also scribbled-out---VERY crudely, I might add--- an idea for how to display my FUN little collection of 'Bat-Air-Craft'! A simple series of little 'triangle-shaped' wood-blocks-- each one around 1-by-4 inches, with a little peg wood-glued into each (the planes would then have a small hole drilled into them--VERY carefully, of COURSE!), would display each of them at an 'attack-angle' on the top edge of the large bookcase-- which will also house most of my collection of various-sized 'Bat-ride' toys / models. (As it has in the past.)

One of the 'triangle / peg' set-ups! (Complete with gray paint-job!) Also, how one of the models looks 'mounted-up'! I decided to make the 'attack-angle' a bit less steep--- so the little 'stands' are more 'semi-triangles', I guess!

And--- that's pretty much my progress so far, on the 'new hidey-hole'! Doing the tinkering as time and energy permits, means it's all coming together fairly slow! But... that's NOT at all a bad thing. This gives me time to give things more thought, and plan-out how the room should be coming together! It's been a gradually more and more FUN process, as I'm seeing things coming together! In OTHER words, I'm pretty much in the frame-of-mind of THIS guy!!---

VERY much like this fellow, I realize all of life might not be exactly perfect and 'easy'! (Notice the bags under the eyes and his 'frazzled' hair??) -- BUT-- I've STILL got LOTS of good reasons to grin a BIG-'ol -GOOFY-type grin! AND--- I'm NOW, from this point onward--- referring to our home as the 'Cozy-Cottage'! It is the 'Cracker-Box' NO LONGER!!

Of course, in upcoming posts-- I'll keep tabs on the progress I'm (SLOWLY-but-SURELY) making! In the meantime, stay SAFE, SANE, and HAPPY everybody!