Apologies in advance for a whimsical post that may serve only to flame the cult-fan wars. But I thought it possible this might interest some...

I was visiting a cabinet maker yesterday who coincidentally is about 500 yards from Capital's plant. ("warehouse"? "factory"? Dunno the correct term).

I was hesitant to just drop in on them; the place seemed not to have any showroom and there were blinds drawn. In my dealings with the company the president had been instantly forthcoming always, still it seemed an imposition just to knock on the door. So I circled the (long) block screwing up my courage but the fact of the matter is, I have never seen this $$$$ range that I have ordered and while I would do it again, still the near-impulse buy clenches my stomach in concern and I hoped maybe even just *Seeing* the thing might help quell the jitters.

When there was a parking space in front (parking lot closed for roof repairs), I figured the opportunity was being handed over on a platter and it would be silly not to just ask.

I am glad to have dropped in upon these people and surprised them at work -- what a large number (approx 50 I'd guess) of happy, engaged people! That factory is way-cool. They were very busy stamping and soldering and welding and cutting and burnishing and testing and firing up and polishing and wrapping so many various and sundry little bits of those ranges. What an interesting place! They are very concentratedly building some very serious ranges there. It felt neat just to see them so focused.

I don't mean to add to the partisan-wars with these observations. Presumably there are other factories around for other mega-ranges too, staffed with similarly dedicated workers. This one happened to be in my path and I had a reason to be there; I really enjoyed wondering whether one of the ranges on the line might happen to be mine. And it actually kind of matters to me to be able to visit what is essentially a 'local manufacturer' for me at least, making such a precise machine. From the receptionist to the head engineer it was very plain everyone felt hugely proud. They were gracious, hospitable, accommodating and even a wee bit compulsive (when I glanced at a distribution map on the wall I was hustled along -- is that proprietary information?; a sign in the bathroom asks employees to clean up the porcelain behind them; can you imagine! It was a right-clean bathroom if dingy. I was amused).

So anyway, I'm not quite sure what I mean by this post except another testimony that this is an exciting, bustling factory (thanks, presumably, to Trevor and this website) that I feel really OK about having tossed so many greenbacks towards. While it is, as the engineer said, "a little Rolls-Roycey", IMO spending this cash for a functional working range as opposed to a foppish fine automobile, could be OK. Never in this lifetime or any other would I consider allying myself with machinery in the class of Rolls Royce, but perhaps the additional functionality of this machinery can be said to justify it. Feels so for me at least.