Deja vu

Last year I decided that I needed to replace the composting bins in the garden, and to that end I bought the timber I needed. The result was pleasing, and has turned out to function well. There was, however, some timber left over. This I put aside in the garden shed. Well: you never know when it will come in useful.

Not long ago I decided that I needed to demolish some old display screens that I have been keeping in the cellar, because I thought that I would not need them again. Using the timber from these I constructed a set of racks on which to store some of my pictures, and unused frames and canvases. I was thoroughly impressed by the result, and I am already feeling the benefit of these in terms of efficient access to things. At the end of the task, however, there was a fair bit of wood left over, and I put this aside in the cellar, expecting that it would come in useful one day.

My daughter-in-law is a keen gardener, and is looking forwards to reclaiming part of her garden now that building operations have been completed on their terrace and kitchen extension. I suggested, in a recent conversation, that it might make sense if I used some of the spare wood I have accumulated and built her a cold frame in which she could bring on her seedlings. She was very grateful; and when I had obtained the dimensions from her of the space in which she wants to place it, I set to work.

I have a clear plan of action, and I am pleased to see that I will be able to use up all the spare wood from the compost bin project. Actually, when I worked it all out there will not be quite enough for her frame. In the past couple of days I have visited several merchants in order to buy the extra wood I need. The place I visited this morning had exactly the right sort of material, but sold in bundles that were too big for my needs. I decided to defer the purchase, but I confess that the awkward thought has settled in my brain that perhaps I will be compelled to buy more than I actually want, and there will be some left over….

I can’t help wondering what my next project will be, designed to use it up.