My wife and I decided a while ago we were going to get the kids one of those fancy playsets for the backyard. You know the ones with the slides, swings, rope ladders, etc.. This last weekend we finally bought one and assembled it. Upon starting the build I entered the 9th level of hell.

That is the set we purchased from Home Depot. It came in 3 boxes that fit in the back of my truck. Once we got it home and took everything out I realized we needed to buy some wood. Apparently I overlooked that detail when I was looking at it online. So I had to head out to Lowes and purchase nine 4x4x8's. That really wasn't that bad, it wasn't expensive but it involved wasting time, it was already getting late.

Once I got the wood home I started the build. I was able to attach a few of the brackets to the 4x4x8's when my cordless drill decided it wasn't going to play. Of course this happens when I discover I was using the wrong screws to attach the brackets. That is the one downside to cordless drills. So we had to postpone the build until Sunday.

Sunday brought us rain. My wife being the smart one told me to build it in the garage. With my drill fully charged I set out to do some building. It actually went pretty smooth and we got the frame of the main tower built in a couple of hours. The rain actually stopped and we were able to work in the backyard.

Of course the cordless drill decided to quit while I was assembling the floor of the tower. Off to Lowes again to purchase a corded drill. The drill ended up being a very good purchase. I was pleased with it. Things continued to move pretty well until it was time to assemble the A-frame for the swings.

Of course the holes didn't line up just right and I spent the better part of an hour cussing and screaming at everything and everyone. During my anger fused wrestling with the A-frame I manage to mangle the threads on the bolt and nut. Luckily for me I was able to get the threads to catch and with some force I was able to attach it.

After that things moved smoothly. There was a slight difference of opinion on the ladder for the tower. It was intended to be a rock climbing wall with hand and feet holds but the wife didn't think my little one would be able to climb it. He was able to climb it but he wasn't using the hand and feet holds. So I conceded and redid the ladder to be more like a ladder. The little one can climb it much easier.

All in all it took 11 hours to build this thing. The wife and I were exhausted and sore but the kids are happy which is what truly matters when all is said and done. For those of you out there considering getting one of these, all I can say is be prepared. Make sure you read the product details fully and read the customer reviews. If all you have is a cordless drill I suggest having several batteries fully charged or buy a corded drill. The one I bought was $40 bucks after taxes but they can be much more. Also have at least two people. Most importantly be prepared to spend some time.