Dream of a Treehouse
One of my earliest recollections from childhood is that I wanted
to build a treehouse — It was right up there with digging a hole
to China, driving a car, and, of course, flying an airplane.
to build a treehouse — It was right up there with digging a hole
to China, driving a car, and, of course, flying an airplane.
I did try to dig that hole. I must have been about seven or eight
years old. And I think my brother and I dug for hours over
multiple days and must have gone down about four feet in our
backyard before we became disillusioned with how much digging
was required, how hard that digging had become, and how much
dirt we had to remove from the hole to actually get there (that is
to China, of course). The hole sat abandoned for years and every
time I looked at it, especially as I became a teenager, I was
reminded of the foolishness of ever thinking that we could ever
dig all the way to China.
years old. And I think my brother and I dug for hours over
multiple days and must have gone down about four feet in our
backyard before we became disillusioned with how much digging
was required, how hard that digging had become, and how much
dirt we had to remove from the hole to actually get there (that is
to China, of course). The hole sat abandoned for years and every
time I looked at it, especially as I became a teenager, I was
reminded of the foolishness of ever thinking that we could ever
dig all the way to China.
Driving a car was certainly a more realistic objective and came
to fruition sometime when I was 15 years old. I remember having
had a calendar on the wall in my bedroom right near my bed with
each date showing the number of days remaining before I could
get my driving permit. I must have started counting six months
before the actual day arrived -- sort of like a prisoner waiting for
his sentence to be over so that he could walk out of the prison gate
a free man. The day for my driving permit finally arrived — at first
I only drove while accompanied by my mother, but that first day
after passing my test and getting my real license was a wondrous
day of freedom that I shall never forget.
to fruition sometime when I was 15 years old. I remember having
had a calendar on the wall in my bedroom right near my bed with
each date showing the number of days remaining before I could
get my driving permit. I must have started counting six months
before the actual day arrived -- sort of like a prisoner waiting for
his sentence to be over so that he could walk out of the prison gate
a free man. The day for my driving permit finally arrived — at first
I only drove while accompanied by my mother, but that first day
after passing my test and getting my real license was a wondrous
day of freedom that I shall never forget.
Now, flying a plane was not something that I really expected to
have happen anytime soon. But fortune was with me when as a
college sophomore at age 19 participating in mandatory Air Force
ROTC my opportunity to actually pilot a plane arrived. One day
we were treated to a trip in a vintage WWII era military plane. It
was a C-47. This was a twin-engine workhorse for troop and
equipment transport. It is the plane that was converted into the
DC-3 after the war and used for short haul passenger transport
on rural airlines. It held about 29 passengers.
have happen anytime soon. But fortune was with me when as a
college sophomore at age 19 participating in mandatory Air Force
ROTC my opportunity to actually pilot a plane arrived. One day
we were treated to a trip in a vintage WWII era military plane. It
was a C-47. This was a twin-engine workhorse for troop and
equipment transport. It is the plane that was converted into the
DC-3 after the war and used for short haul passenger transport
on rural airlines. It held about 29 passengers.
The instructors promised that each of us would have an opportunity
to actually fly the plane that day. When it was my turn I went
forward and got strapped into the co-pilot seat. I was shown
what the various controls did -- throttles here, stick there, elevators
down there, rudder, and the landing gear, etc. Then, real simple,
I was told to take over the controls. As it happens we were right
over downtown Chicago and I banked left and right and pulled the
nose of the plane up and pushed it down like I was doing a bombing
run on Sears Tower. It was one of the most exciting moments of my
life up to that point.
to actually fly the plane that day. When it was my turn I went
forward and got strapped into the co-pilot seat. I was shown
what the various controls did -- throttles here, stick there, elevators
down there, rudder, and the landing gear, etc. Then, real simple,
I was told to take over the controls. As it happens we were right
over downtown Chicago and I banked left and right and pulled the
nose of the plane up and pushed it down like I was doing a bombing
run on Sears Tower. It was one of the most exciting moments of my
life up to that point.
My early childhood dreams of building a treehouse had faded more
and more as I grew older. Oh, yes, when my children were young I
built a fort out in the backyard for them. It was four tree trunks with
a platform about eight feet in the air. I wouldn’t quite call it a
treehouse.
and more as I grew older. Oh, yes, when my children were young I
built a fort out in the backyard for them. It was four tree trunks with
a platform about eight feet in the air. I wouldn’t quite call it a
treehouse.
As the kids got older I got involved in grown-up things again. And
the dreams of a real treehouse faded even more.
the dreams of a real treehouse faded even more.
And then, one day, I was already a retired old man and my grand-
son came to visit. He was about five years old. We played around
in the backyard and talked about kid things. And he, like me as a
young boy, started talking about a treehouse. We looked around
the yard and carefully sized up each tree as the potential site for a
treehouse. But talking about building a treehouse and really building
a treehouse are two entirely different things. And every time he
would come over he would bring up the subject again, and I would
hem and haw about the fact that it wasn’t a good time to start
building it.
son came to visit. He was about five years old. We played around
in the backyard and talked about kid things. And he, like me as a
young boy, started talking about a treehouse. We looked around
the yard and carefully sized up each tree as the potential site for a
treehouse. But talking about building a treehouse and really building
a treehouse are two entirely different things. And every time he
would come over he would bring up the subject again, and I would
hem and haw about the fact that it wasn’t a good time to start
building it.
Each time he would leave with hopes that someday he would
get his treehouse. Finally, my wife had to tell me very sternly
that I had made my grandson a promise and that I must keep
my word to him or I might just earn the reputation in his mind
that his grandfather just doesn’t keep his word.
get his treehouse. Finally, my wife had to tell me very sternly
that I had made my grandson a promise and that I must keep
my word to him or I might just earn the reputation in his mind
that his grandfather just doesn’t keep his word.
Well, that was that. I couldn’t let him see me that way. So, on
one cool morning in early December I started making my plans
to build the treehouse. I figured it would take a few weeks and
that it would be a surprise Christmas present for him. I had
previously decided which tree was going to support the structure.
I climbed the tree on a ladder and meticulously figured out where
all the beams were going to be placed. I had a very ambitious
treehouse plan indeed.
one cool morning in early December I started making my plans
to build the treehouse. I figured it would take a few weeks and
that it would be a surprise Christmas present for him. I had
previously decided which tree was going to support the structure.
I climbed the tree on a ladder and meticulously figured out where
all the beams were going to be placed. I had a very ambitious
treehouse plan indeed.
After reading all I could find about actually building a treehouse,
the first part of the project was to construct a deck. My deck
was going to be 30 feet above the ground. Sure, why not?
After completing the deck I constructed an elaborate series of
staircases and passageways that allowed me to get from the
ground up to the deck. Then the railings for the deck, the
framing for the house, the roof and windows, the siding and
door, and interior walls, ceiling and floor. I even put in electric,
telephone, wi-fi, and a chimney. It was eight months from the
first trip up the ladder until it was completed. My grandson was
now nine years old.
the first part of the project was to construct a deck. My deck
was going to be 30 feet above the ground. Sure, why not?
After completing the deck I constructed an elaborate series of
staircases and passageways that allowed me to get from the
ground up to the deck. Then the railings for the deck, the
framing for the house, the roof and windows, the siding and
door, and interior walls, ceiling and floor. I even put in electric,
telephone, wi-fi, and a chimney. It was eight months from the
first trip up the ladder until it was completed. My grandson was
now nine years old.
The treehouse has two rooms - the main room and a sleeping
alcove. In addition to the deck, there is a crow’s nest up and
behind the house, level with the roof for observing the world
way down below. On one side we have a view of the mountains,
on the other the Bay. It is far enough away from any other
structures that it leaves me breathless to be up there. This is in
every sense a treehouse worthy of that name.
My “Flying Cloud”.
alcove. In addition to the deck, there is a crow’s nest up and
behind the house, level with the roof for observing the world
way down below. On one side we have a view of the mountains,
on the other the Bay. It is far enough away from any other
structures that it leaves me breathless to be up there. This is in
every sense a treehouse worthy of that name.
My “Flying Cloud”.
My grandson and I have just spent the weekend in the treehouse.
Two nights sleeping in the trees. It has been a wonderful bonding
moment for us and we will never forget it.
Two nights sleeping in the trees. It has been a wonderful bonding
moment for us and we will never forget it.
In a way, building that treehouse has brought a certain awe back
into my life — what it is to dream of something and then to see
that dream become a reality -- and what it is to see the sparkle
in a young boy’s eyes of a fantasy come to life right before him.
into my life — what it is to dream of something and then to see
that dream become a reality -- and what it is to see the sparkle
in a young boy’s eyes of a fantasy come to life right before him.
I have been transplanted from the East Coast to the West Coast, from Technology Builder to Dream Builder, and from childhood to second childhood.
