I’m Terry. My working life began in 1989, and this is the story of the road from home repair and building to the ideas, characters, and little harbour called Puffincove. I’ll keep adding to it one chapter at a time.
1989 — The First Step
After chasing my girlfriend to St. John’s, where she was at university, I started my first home repair company. I had little education and no official training, but I didn’t look back. I learned by doing, took on the work in front of me, and built a life with my hands.
When Work Had to Change
For decades, building and fixing things was what I knew. In March 2019, back trouble finally forced me to stop working. Leaving that life behind turned everything around. For a long time, I wasn’t sure what the next chapter would look like.
One Small Start
Eventually, I cut out a birdhouse. It was a small project, but it showed me both what my back could manage and what I still wanted to do: make things. I began looking for another way to work with wood and ideas, and that road led me to a CNC machine called Franky.
Along the way, I started learning computers, wiring, motors, and programs—things I never expected to be taking on. Most mornings, I’d talk through an idea, solve a problem, or start a new little project. One step led to another.
The Road to Puffincove
Somewhere in those mornings, Puffincove began: a quiet harbour when the world gets noisy, with Newfoundland stories, familiar characters, a bit of laughter, and a kettle always on. Then came Kite, our feather-headed seagull with a rolled-down boot, big ideas, and a habit of finding something to eat.
Now I’m building The Cove as a home for Franky and the tools, while Puffincove grows through stories, pictures, and the crew. I don’t have every chapter figured out. I’m adding them as I go—one small win, one honest step at a time.
Afew houses iv