Hubs: What do you have planned for today?
Me: Well… I was hoping to finish my book for book club. Maybe do some stuff on the computer… putz in the yard… You?
Hubs: Well, I want to get that new kitchen sink faucet installed.
Me: ……
Hubs: You know, that one we’ve had in the box for several months now?
Me: ……
Hubs: I’m going to need your help.
Me: Um… sure.
Dear husband gathers his tools and all of the things he’ll need to complete the job (including the ancillary items he has purchased over the prior week), then puts together a handy-dandy platform so he can contort himself comfortably while under the sink.
I’m at the ready in case he needs me to hand him tools and parts… as I multitask on my iPad and read a few chapters of my book.
I am so grateful for my husband who not only has a lot of very handy tools, but knows how to use them. I’m also grateful that he dives into less-than-enjoyable projects that need to get done instead of putting them off like I tend to do. Because of him, we now have a new faucet that works beautifully… and no leaks!
Retirementally Challenged 
You have a good man. A man will never be shot while doing the dishes, but he will be rewarded for providing the water.
Exactly! I am so grateful that he thinks about these things and actually gets them done… long after my mind has moved on to other subjects.
You are very lucky indeed, Janis. We also have a recently installed kitchen sink faucet. The difference? We hired a plumber right from the start! I absolutely LOVE your Grati-Tuesday posts!
Donna
http://www.retirementreflections.com
There are times that hiring a professional is a good call. We often find that – between my husband and a couple of other talented men in the neighborhood – we have the tools and knowledge to do it ourselves (and by “ourselves” I mean the guys). 🙂
So he started out with a trick question then! He already knew what you would be doing – still, it doesn’t sound too onerous compared to his task.
Oh, I definitely had the easy part… and I got a post out of it too!
HA! That looks like me yesterday. I had to fix the dish-liquid dispenser.. Trouble is that I have an extra deep sink and maneuvering under the sink was a nightmare. It would have been easier with two folks, but didn’t want to wait until my son arrived. Last week I went online and learned how to fix the leaky outdoor faucet. Nice that you have a handyman around.
Good for you! I remember that I was much handier when I was living along. I still get involved with many of our projects, but as more of a helper-bee than the project manager. Google and YouTube are great sources for how-to information.
Sometimes you just luck out with a life partner–and clearly we both did!
No kidding! I guess we could pay for a lot of these services, but often we find that the “professionals” are lacking in expertise. My husband doesn’t know everything about everything, but his engineer brain can usually figure things out.
I have a husband like that. I treasure him!
Lucky you too! I am always amazed at how many tools he has accumulated over the years (he also owned rental properties) that allow him to do all sorts of projects around the house. I treasure him and his skills.
When my husband retired he started making furniture in earnest. I helped him with design details. Now he is easing slowing out of it. A project here or a project there. Mostly we do stuff to our home.
Yay for the hubs. Isn’t it funny how in retirement, there are still so many day-to-day things that need to be done?
Maybe even more projects since we are home more and can see what is needed to do. I can understand why many people opt for apartment living as they get older… let someone else do it!
I love a man who works in flip flops! I have a handy man too, and I think this same position was done just a couple of months ago.
Those are his work shoes of choice! Actually, they are his “dress-up” shoes of choice too.
By way of absolutely nothing in your fine post (and the very talented Hubs), my favorite line about home projects come from a former sister-in-law who is literally married to a professional handyman. She once counseled us to hire a handyman for something we needed done: “Just go out and just hire someone good; The best part is that you won’t have to sleep with him afterwards.”
That’s funny! That reminds me of something a friend of my mother’s (who had a very handy husband) said to her: “Beware of marrying a man who can fix everything… you’ll never get anything new.”
OH GOD!! That’s the truth!!! My husband seems to consider it a badge of honour to McGyver anything and everything back together again!!
Sometimes it would be soooo much easier – not to mention better looking – to simply get a new one.
Just remember that you are helping to reduce waste and that the money saved can be spent on something more fun… like shoes!
Yeah, funny … it never seems to work out that way, does it? 😉
You are so right, Janis. A hubby like that is a treasure. Enjoy the new leak-free faucet!
Thank you! I am enjoying both the new faucet and my talented husband!
Sounds like a typical day on my boat 😉.
And although my handy man sometimes seems to pick the most inopportune time for fix-it projects, I too am very grateful to have a man in my life who has the tools and knows how to use them.
I’m not sure my husband could repair a boat motor but I bet he’d give it a good try! He has the engineer brain that likes to work things out.
With an engineer brain, I bet he could fix anything 😀
Excellent thank goodness you can multitask. Mine is the same. Also we had a faucet we needed to install for MONTHS. But recently we did it. Something else to check off of the list.
I had to pass him tools AND take photos – all he had to do was to install the faucet… without leaks. It is nice to be able to cross projects off the list!
Right. He really did have the easy job.
It is so great to have a handy-man husband! When you described his last project, I had to think back about all the things my husband fixed on our boat in the past, with me as his helpful – but clueless – assistant! 🙂
Best to remain extremely helpful but still fairly clueless… that way you won’t find yourself under a sink or inside an engine. 🙂