Some Context

Before I start on my next project at camp, I would like to supply loyal camp followers with a little background so that they can better understand why the camp upgrade is so important to me and G's role in the process.

I have lived on my own at camp for quite a while. My son Leo stays with me for a couple of weekends every month and on holidays. I work full time, and my sport keeps me quite busy over the spring and summer months. When Leo is here, I try really hard to keep it fun and lively for him. This leaves me with only small windows to affect any physical changes to my home environment, and like G, I really am on my own when the tools come out. In August 2007, I returned tired, from a long road trip, dropped my suitcases in the front hall, looked round, and said 'I can't live like this any more'. At that point I identified a few things that I could do to make my house a little more like a home. I realised that on my own, there was only a finite amount of work that I could accomplish and came up with a plan and set realistic goals that could be attained by the end of 2007.

When the possibility of G coming for a visit arose, I modified my timetable a little so that we could enjoy a little more camp comfort together. Upon arrival, G walked in to tacky walls and quite a bit of dust, but quickly embraced the essence of what I was trying to do and why it had to be done.

G is an amazing woman you know. She has done a remarkable job in renovating her lovely London home, and has obviously learned through practical experience what works in home projects. She is a skilled designer, who understands space, colour, and light. She is an extraordinary cook and therefore understands how a working kitchen should be planned, and how food should be served and enjoyed. As part of her responsibilities at work, G manages what could be described as projects that border on the monolithic scale, so she can basically create a project plan for a home renovation project in her sleep. If you said to her, 'G, I want to go to Mars next year', she would go 'hmmm, let's see. Well, you would need to get organized and you would start by....'.

On my own I can do many things, but with a proper vision and plan, I can accomplish miracles. I have never had the benefit of someone to help me before, and what may look like a 'honey do' list to some, represents a path for me to improve the quality of life for my son, G, and I. With our approach to project documentation on the blog, I feel like G is right there with me whether I am in the shop or on the couch thinking about what I am going to tackle tomorrow.