Introduction

Growing up, I was always amazed by my father’s ability to fix almost anything. Part of his skills came from his job of running a construction company. He personally knew how to build a complete house starting with an undeveloped piece of land.  When things broke, like a chainsaw or lawnmower, he'd tinker with it until it started running again.

I had no idea how he did much of this.  Over the years, I learned some of his home construction skills by spending my summers working for him.  Apart from this I also ended up being exposed to other interesting situations wherein I learned other abilities.  I never really thought I would be able to develop my dad's amazing skills, but in the years since his death, I believe I have amassed my own interesting collection of capabilities.  

As I said, I learned much of my mechanical skills working for my dad's construction company, but since I do not have a construction company myself, I cannot pass on my this knowledge to my children in such a manner.  Plus, there are many novel things I've learned under atypical circumstances that my kids are unlikely to experience.  

Hence, this book (as currently instantiated in a Dickensian fashion in this blog).  This is for my children, an informal textbook on building and fixing things, solving problems, cooking, photography, philosophy, and living a good life. Perhaps there will be some tidbits in here that are interesting to you as well.