A Brand New Column - ‘Projects with my Dad’ - An Introduction

Introducing a brand new column - ‘Projects with my Dad’

My Dad has offered to help about this place from time to time. We’ve had conversations recently where I have said that I’d love to put in ”an arch here or a bench there” and then stated how expensive these items are to buy.

My Dad - “I can make those, Chel. Whatever you do don’t buy them, you’ll be wasting your money”

Me - “O.K. Dad, I’ll take you up on that offer but only if you let me make them with you. I don’t see why these little wooden building projects should be the soul possession of the men in the family!”

My Dad - “You’re on”

This past monday was a bank holiday in this country so my Dad and I took the day off and worked solidly on our first three projects.

An old style washing line.

A wooden trellis arch to go over my garden gate where the clematis will grow…..

….and a raised bed. Now is the time to get your pumpkins and winter squashes in the ground so this one was fairly urgent.

I was amazed and encouraged by how simple the tools were to use once I’d gotten used to holding them in my hands. I was also very pleased with the simplicity of the structures that we built. Garden centres and home ware stores charge a pretty penny for these things and yet when you see them built from scratch you realise just how much like a simple jigsaw puzzle these things are.

I hope I’m not sounding glib when I assure you these projects are quite simple. I made my Dad promise not to use fancy or complicated equipment. I wanted classic pieces that were incredibly useful and LOOKED GOOD!!

In the near future I’ll upload LOADS of pictures, lists of materials needed and, of course, CLEAR instructions on how to make some of the items that I have been creating with my Dad.

I can even imagine some of the projects being filmed which will make them even easier to follow.

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We worked all day, from about eight in the morning until five in the evening. Stopping for lunch and cups of tea. Dad had his first cup of tea in a mug that Jodie and Garry had printed for family members when the twins were born.

I didn’t make the tea so hadn’t noticed that this was mug he had been given.

It looked like he was enjoying it, like it was going down well, just as a good cup of tea should.

But it was only fair that I point out, as early as possible, that this was the very same mug that I do my pregnancy tests in!!!!!!……………….

Oh Dad!!!!!!

I am so sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut? Who knows.

At least I got it on camera!

There will be revenge sought by my dad for this, I can promise you. There is absolutely no way that I’ll get away with this. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Let the games begin.

I’ll see you tomorrow morning. We’ve been having some herb and plant sales lately and had so much fun setting it all up that I thought you may like to see a sneak peak from behind the scenes.

Have a great day.

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