My dad needs a shed

I never thought it would happen, but it did.

My name is David and I am here to confess that my sixty-three year old father has a shed.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  It’s a garage, but in essence it amounts to the same thing. Situated on the outer limits of the family home, this man’s den and ‘resting place’ is the real deal and includes the obligatory electric fan heater and splendid collection of screws, wires and random collection of old tools.

I’m not entirely sure how it happened.  I’m not sure whether the transition occurred gradually or all at once.  The fact is, though, Dad’s shed has become a ‘home away from home’ – an older man’s playground that shows no signs of relinquishing its grip on his daily routines.

Of course, we all know the reputation of men and why they need their sheds.  And if by any freak of nature you don’t, this video will explain the psychology of it all far better than ever I could.

What I didn’t know until I started looking into all this, however, is the fact that British men spend on average one year of their lives pottering away in their sheds.  That’s around 3 hours and 20 minutes a week between the ages of 30 and 76 and, according to the research, most of the time they don’t do anything in particular.  They just like being there.  Apparently, even Roald Dahl, Dylan Thomas and Shaw were reputed shed enthusiasts.

Age Concern have even launched a campaign, offering men ‘shed therapy’ and providing them with an opportunity to get away from it all, potter around, and have a chat over a cup of tea.  Their campaign poster kind of sums it all up:

A shed is to a man what a handbag is to a woman – both contain all the essentials for surviving in the modern world.

So it appears that all men need sheds – not just my Dad. 

And I’m guessing that one day, it’ll be my turn.

Comments

[Mark Redgrove]

David, when we move to Oisquercq next April, I will have a shed, garage and greenhouse!