My Treehouse Woes

I’ve had many brilliant ideas, but today I’ve stumbled upon my finest yet: I’m going to build a treehouse. These wooden contraptions have intrigued me since I saw the film Ridge to Terrasmithia as a child. Even as an adult, I can’t imagine anything better. I’d love a place to escape to in nature, high up in the trees where I’m hidden from the curious gaze of my nosy neighbours.

This morning, I visited a hardware store near Sandringham in search of parts. The store was very well-supplied but as I don’t have a lot of construction experience, I couldn’t find what I was looking for. When I approached the store assistant for help, he kindly suggested my skills may not match my expectations. He instead directed me to a pamphlet rack filled with trade courses and recommended I look into improving my abilities before attempting something so extravagant.

See, I want my treehouse to be two-storeys high, with a ladder tumbling all the way to the floor, and a watertight ceiling to keep the wood from weather damage. I also want it outfitted with proper plumbing and gorgeous lighting so I can not only sleep there comfortably, but bring my friends to visit without embarrassment. Maybe the store assistant was right. It would be better to start a project like this with some other experience first.

I took a pamphlet from the rack and drove to enrol in construction classes offered by another building supplies store. Around Cheltenham, most of these classes are taken by people who want to learn trades for their career. I feel a little silly taking them just for a project like my treehouse, but I still can’t wait to start learning. Already, I know this is something I’ll really enjoy and my treehouse will look so much better as a result of all the effort I’m putting in. Can’t wait for the classes to begin.