Project Sunday

So in an attempt to be a bit more constructive and actually achieve something on a Sunday for a change, this week we decided to rebuild the climbing frame.  We have a 'Quadro' climbing frame which is a modular system which you can build/unbuild/redesign to your heart's content.  In reality, it only happens once or twice a year - and today was the big build!  We bought it off EBay a couple of years ago and has given us great value for money since - almost like having a new climbing frame every year!

Son No1 got to choose today's design - and went for a 'treehouse' despite the fact we have no suitable trees in the garden....

We have the design and first we need to dismantle the previous incarnation - so lots of unscrewing/uncoupling/brute force later and we are left with the raw materials - somehow this pile of poles and joints will be transformed into our most adventurous build yet!

Fortunately the weather gods are in a favourable mood today, so armed with a magic key (for securing the joints) and a cold beer to keep the master builder on good form, we begin......

Then as our design doesn't come with a slide we need to factor that in and work out how to build it into the design - it's the Wee Girlie's favourite bit so despite the boys' protestations we can't leave it out.

It gets added to the side of the build where it won't interfere with the height and strength of the platform.

WE then encounter the first of two minor design flaws which need tweaking for the Kindling - firstly, the Wee Girlie can't climb up to the slide so we need to build in another step to help her get up by herself - otherwise someone would be lifting her to the slide five million times a day.......

Secondly, we found that once all three of them were up on the platform level (about 1.2m up), the whole structure was a bit too wobbly for my liking (presumably because it was not built with a supporting tree...) so we added a second stabilising part to the side to help it balance.

So the (un)treehouse is complete - no major barneys, only minor snapping at children who have to climb on it before it's finished, and more snapping because they're tyring to help....., one broken nail (not mine!)and we're there all done and dusted in about three hours in all - not too bad for what will be the summers climber!

And - here it is.....

 

Hopefully, it will keep the little monkeys occupied for a long summer of fun in the sun!!

Now - where did I put my wine?