A Mom with Nails: The Treehouse saga, post #2:

So I had started. That was huge after a many-week-long mental delay wondering if I could finish what I had started; once I changed my outlook to a day-to-day "do what I could" type of mentality, I couldn't wait to wake up, get out there and get going.

I didn't plan in advance. I would process what the next step was (using my David Stiles book as my game plan), head to Lowe's, buy some lumber, come home, cut, hammer and nail. Step back; process; rest.

The rest part was huge: We live on a 45 degree slope, and mom-handling 2x6x8 pieces of lumber is not easy. I would do a few steps, then make myself go inside to rest. When you are using electric saws and are home alone, being rested and alert is key. So it took a long time, but I was making progress.

After securing the first two 2x6 pieces to the tree, I started laying the platform. Picture me sitting on a 2x6, pulling 2x4's into the tree trying to hold my balance...it was quite the sight I'm sure (although no one was there to watch!). I dropped many, many nails, and bit back many bad words when the hammer would drop. Crawl down the hill, pick up said hammer or nails, rest, climb back on. Sigh. You can also see from these pictures that I would get tired and take the daily photo around the same time!

Then rest again. Then the bus would come, and Carter would ask "Mom, is my tree house done yet?". No. Sleep, dream, wake up and worry, plan in my head at 3am, get up and repeat.

This picture shows two things: The next step, and the slope of the hill. The next step was one I really stressed over; it included the most important part (the support system) and the most difficult cuts. The best part was I got to buy a new "Mom with Nails" toy: a jig saw!

It was trial and error on the cuts, as I wasn't completely sure how to cut the angles to fit perfectly. Once I got one done though, I was able to make a paper template and get the rest done a lot quicker.

Then came the first big test: Get Brad to stand on it for me. If it could hold him, it could hold a number of 8 year old boys! Not that he's huge, but he is well over 6 feet tall, and a good test of the stability of my house so far...and....it stood! Then I joined him, then Carter...and I was thrilled!
I think the step phase was the most fun and most fulfilling: filling in the floor. It's also the point at which I had to admit it: I needed help. So I called out to my best helper handyman I know: