Quinn has completed the first draft of the next addition to the house: an extensive set of rooms which will be constructed under the backyard.
It started at Home Depot - I was looking for furnace filters, but he had much bigger ideas. He wanted to build something, although he was hazy on the details. He wasn't interested in starting small, like with a bird feeder; he was more interested in lag bolts. Once we got home, he grabbed his box of colored pencils and a pad of paper, and he scribbled away for almost half an hour.
The various rooms radiate down from a central entrance room, most likely accessed via ladder from the backyard. There's an adult lounge on the right, a kid's lounge on the left, and separate offices for Quinn, his mother and me. There's an unifinished room because - and I am not making this up - Quinn figured this would be attractive to potential buyers if we ever decide to sell. (Maybe we shouldn't watch House Hunters or home remodeling shows until after Quinn goes to bed.) Perhaps the most dramatic feature is the stage, where we would host concerts and other performing arts - and the money from these shows will help to fund future expansion of the complex.
I thought this might be one of those ideas that dies out after a day, but apparently not. For some reason, Quinn decided to keep these plans a secret from his mother (don't tell her). Today he explained to her that his Valentine's gift won't be ready on time, but that Daddy may have gotten her something that will tide her over until his gift is ready.
He wanted to begin the excavation right away. I explained what Digger's Hotline was, and how I was pretty sure they didn't come out on weekends. He thought I should look it up and make sure. (On an unrelated note, I am looking for someone who might be willing to pose as a utility worker and leave colored flags all over the backyard.)
I'm not sure exactly how far to let this go. I was thinking that it would be interesting to explore the logistics of the project - maybe come up with measurements and plot out how big the complex would be. Maybe we could use this as an opportunity to learn about what it takes to actually build a structure. Just applying for the permits could be an interesting exercise.
Mostly, I'd like him to learn a little something about money. Even though he had a birthday party only a few weeks ago, he's already thinking about other toys he'd like. The other day, he complained because his parents seemingly buy whatever they want, whenever they want it. I tried to explain that this wasn't true, and that we have to live within our budget. I thought I had gotten through to him, but later in the day, he explained that the $25 he had gotten as a gift should be more than enough to construct his bunker. I figure I can show him how much lumber he can buy with $25. Heck, we won't even get past the drywall screws.
I'm not sure how this is going to play out. Worst-case scenario, Quinn pointed out that the complex would also serve as a shelter in case any hurricanes threaten our neighborhood.
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