Feeling pleased with myself

Oreo

Beechnut

I’ve got my cleaner in pieces on the shed bench and have found the problem. I’ll see about getting the part later in the week.

Should we be calling the police?!

I admit there are things I wish I could do, I really wish I could sew, that would be so useful, my granny could run up anything on her treadle sewing machine, I also remember her painting and decorating, my mother in-law was the same, there was nothing she wouldn’t tackle, obviously advised by her husband sat in his armchair.’
So it’s not generational, when we were first married, we tried all kinds of things, but frankly we were rubbish, so I applaud anyone who can put up a shelf
I could bore you half to death with disastrous stories of shelves collapsing, but I’m sure you get the drift.

In my defence, my father was equally incompetent.

Oreo
Very good 😂

Jane71 here’s another well deserved pat on the back for you, well done.

Oreo

Beechnut

I’ve got my cleaner in pieces on the shed bench and have found the problem. I’ll see about getting the part later in the week.

Should we be calling the police?!

I think we should!!
Cleaners, have a hard enough time without being dissected in somebody’s garden shed!! 😜

Well done, Jane, I’d be chuffed too if I could put up a straight shelf that actually stayed on the wall. So would my other half. We’re like Bodgeitt & Scarper. We’ll both turn our hands to anything, but it rarely turns out well. For a couple of brief halcyon years we had a handyman who came round and did stuff for us, but sadly he’s got himself a proper job now (how inconsiderate!) and we’re back to muddling through.

Has anyone got the authorities round to Beechnut’s gaff yet?

Hetty58

Shelmiss, Why, honestly? - because I find it so pathetic that anyone is proud of putting a shelf up. What happened to competence and equality? Is there still some 'pride' in being the needy and childlike 'little woman' in relationships? Some are still their own worst enemies!

I am useless at practical jobs and hate any form of DIY or heavy manual house jobs. My husband is so much better at the practical stuff and has just renovated one of our houses. I, on the other hand, am very good at housekeeping, admin, organising and troubleshooting, so, why would we not play to our strengths? Some men do the cooking when they get home, and some women decorate. Horses for courses! It is a changing world.

Chocolatelovinggran

Good work Jane71.
I fear that if I tried the same it would resemble the Peppa Pig episode in which Daddy Pig's attempt to hang picture required remedial action from a plumber and a plasterer.

And as I remember, once the plasterer had finished it was good as new, but no nail for the picture!

I've recently sourced replacement silicone seals for my UPVC windows. Removed the perished old ones with a skewer and replaced with lovely squishy new ones.
So pleased with myself, no draughts, leaks or noise now - and only another 12 to go! Just waiting for a nice dry, calm day so we don't get too wet or chilly.

I will put up a shelf if my husband will make new curtains for the lounge . I won't do both!

I've just driven for two weeks in the UK after 9 months in Spain. The button hand brake was a pain but otherwise I stayed on the correct side of the road, only groped the door for the gear stick a couple of times and drove in snow quite calmly, so I'm giving myself a pat on the back too.

My DIL is amazed that I can make curtains, I don't think she realised it was possible. Nobody she knows has a sewing machine or does any knitting either for that matter.

Hetty58

Shelmiss, Why, honestly? - because I find it so pathetic that anyone is proud of putting a shelf up. What happened to competence and equality? Is there still some 'pride' in being the needy and childlike 'little woman' in relationships? Some are still their own worst enemies!

I do have to agree - sometimes we let our own side down.
I cycle and I can fix my own bike if I need to - change an innertube, repair the gears, breaks etc..
Once, at a bike repair workshop organised for women by Breeze (women led bike rides) I was appalled at how many women do not carry even the basic tools on their bike when out cycling. When the question was asked ... what do you do if you have a puncture then....
"Um.. I call my husband"
Come on ladies... you can do anything if you have a mind to do so..

Hetty58

Shelmiss, Why, honestly? - because I find it so pathetic that anyone is proud of putting a shelf up. What happened to competence and equality? Is there still some 'pride' in being the needy and childlike 'little woman' in relationships? Some are still their own worst enemies!

Sorry Hetty but you are wrong! I’m neither NEEDY or CHILDLIKE just totally unpractical. Does that make me pathetic? I don’t think so.

If you offered me a million pounds I would not be able to put up a shelf.

Good job we are not all the same. Luckily my DH is a dab hand at DIY - as for everything else in this house that’s down to me.

cc

I've recently sourced replacement silicone seals for my UPVC windows. Removed the perished old ones with a skewer and replaced with lovely squishy new ones.
So pleased with myself, no draughts, leaks or noise now - and only another 12 to go! Just waiting for a nice dry, calm day so we don't get too wet or chilly.

I didn’t know you could do that. Unless you’d like to send me a link, I’ll have to google where I can get some from.

grannyactivist that must be horrible [ flowers ] .
Beechnut.my admiration. That is something I would not tackle.

Aart from a very brief marriage Ive never had a husband to do these things for me. I always did my own DIY (owned an electric hammer drill) and decorating. I learned from my father how to do basic electrics like rewiring a light fitting and a cooker etc. I was ace at wallpapering. Even learned a bit of upholstery. Not physically up to such jobs now so I have to pay for trades.

Sara1954

I would be completely hopeless, my husband would also be completely hopeless
We learnt many years ago, that if we were to avoid tears, tantrums and rows, it would be best to let the professionals do it.
I’m a perfectionist, and he’s a ‘I think that will do’ type of person, very bad combination.
Oddly, both our girls will turn their hands to anything, and our son is useless.
Hettty, I truly admire your skills, but I don’t feel helpless or needy, I just know someone else will do it better.

Sara this did make me smile. My Dad was pretty good at DIY and as I loved spending time with him, I was often his little helper as a child. Consequently, I am not too bad at DIY. I am also a perfectionist. My DH is from an engineering background and tended to use big tools to hit things consequently, our ideas on DIY are not quite in alignment. So as not to offend him I tend to do things I don’t want him to partake in when he’s at work. I bought a secondhand reproduction shelving unit with the intention of drilling and filing a hole in the back for cabling for Sky box etc. I part did the job with the intention of completing it the next day after work. DH ‘helped’ when he got home from work. I now tend to make sure I have time to complete anything which requires neatness 😂

I know we women shouldn't be pathetic when it comes to DIY, but many of our age group will not have done woodwork or metal work at school, as they were considered subjects for boys. We only had the choice of cookery or needlework.
Fast forward 50-60 years and is it surprising that I am better at making meals or curtains and my DH is great at DIY? Why would I struggle to do a job he can do 10 times quicker and better?
I did once put a shelf up at work. It was loaded with quite heavy items and stayed on the wall at least until I left 2 years later. I was very proud.

I don’t think it’s a gender thing. I’m utterly hopeless at any DIY task and so was my second husband. Only 30 years after we’d parted did I learn that my first husband had become quite a good plumber!

I stained my front door with “quick drying” wood stain, that was streaky, blobby and still tacky four days later, and seeped under the masking tape to stain the glass too.

I tried reselling the leaky shower tray and just like my attempts at royal icing, it looks like a snow scene (and still leaks as badly, just looks worse than it did).

I unscrewed the loo roll holder and an inch-wide lump of plaster came off with each screw…

BUT… I have successfully fitted a pop-sock over the downpipe to the water butt to stop it filling with leaves. Go me!

*resealing

I have a broken shoulder but have deep cleaned the filter in dishwasher, replace broken wing mirror, deep cleaned filter in washing machine this week. and just returned a blouse. (really not easy) as when I found the label to print I printed it but was patchy, needed new ink cartridge...run out ordered more,forgot who from, back to Which, want next day, refuse to pay postage, found new supplier...and so it goes. But at least there is not water leaking all over the floor.

Hetty58

Crikey - I've always done the DIY, building, garden projects - even replaced guttering - since being a child. It's not rocket science. If I'd waited for my husbands to get around to it I'd have been living in squalor! Why do women admit to being so clueless and dependent?

I am neither clueless nor independent!

I happen to be married to a man who loves working with his hands and is very good indeed at practically anything that needs doing around the house or to our bikes.

I dislike that kind of work and enjoy cleaning, organising the household, washing and ironing as a relaxation from my academic work.

You might want to take temperament and preferences into your scheme of things, Hetty, instead of just making rude, sweeping statements.

I was perhaps lucky in that my father strongly believed that his daughters should be able to do all necessary DIY. I even put up the chandelier lights in four rooms in our new house. However <whispers> I do quite like it when DH asks me what needs to be done and then does it. Such a refreshing change from my first marriage where my late spouse despite many redeeming features was deeply uninclined to put himself out.