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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Adventures in Home Improvement

The banister of which I spoke of yesterday is being a little witch.  Well, actually it's not the banister's fault, it's the weather.  It's too cold for anything to dry in less than 12 hours so by the time I got back out to check on it, I found the surface was much more rough than I remembered the night before when hypothermia was setting in.  So I grabbed a 220 grit piece o' sandpaper and got to work.  I flipped it the way I should've done it when I painted it the first time but I was getting hungry for lunch so I decided I'd wait to paint after lunch.

When I went out to the garage, I flipped on the main light and it blew.  Seriously?  I grumble over in my grubby Crocs that make me look like I have club feet hence the reason I never wear them for anything other than home projects.  I make sure the garage door is closed but the light is on because I don't need to end up on the internet attempting to change a light bulb.  With my luck I'd fall directly onto the semi-dry banister, get the wind knocked out of me and have a white paint stripe down me like Pepe le Pew's cat friend while Earl the Loner comes in for a tight shot on camera phone.  I grab this step ladder thingy that always makes me angry because it never wants to set up right for me.  The Mr whips it open like nothing.  Me?  I'm like Snoopy fighting with the beach chair at Thanksgiving dinner for those bastard neighbor kids that invited themselves over for dinner.  I realize it's going to be too short anyway.  I grab the bigger ladder, a light bulb and try to center myself without disturbing the banister.  I climb up the ladder, reach toward the bulb...click.  The garage light shuts off leaving me in complete darkness.  You can imagine my glee.  I think I made up a few new curse words.  I climb down and open the door into the house and trudge back up the ladder.  I'm not comfortable going up another rung with no one else home so I somehow get the bulb screwed in and out by my fingertips.  I was finally able to put the next coat on after all of that.

This project is going to prove that we are essentially comic strips for the universe to snicker at.  I have deluded myself into thinking my dad's DIY genes have kicked in where there is no proof of that to be found.  So this may morph into a weight loss/DIY/DIY disaster blog over the next few weeks.  I'm doing a lot of research and trying to not be scared to jump into things instead of always paying someone do stuff for us or buying something new and pitching something that could be salvaged.  I'm down with giving it a go, are you down following my adventures into the unknown?

Do you fancy yourself a DIYer?  If so, what's your best tip for a noob?
(It should be noted I accidentally typed boob the first time)

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13 comments:

  1. I am a DIYer more than most. My best advise is don't be afraid to ask for help. Go to Home Depot or Lowes or hit up the internet or your library for information on the subject.

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  2. For a gardener - it's a green thumb. What is it for a DIY'er?

    No matter the answer I don't have it. My dad? yes. My mom? yep. Hubby? oh my gosh yes. Me - nope.

    I can change a lightbulb and if the chain thing gets stuck under the other thingy it's a attached to in the toilet tank I can fix that too. Otherwise, I'm pretty much sunk.

    I'll be happy to DIY vicariously though you though.

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  3. I LOVE DIY! I'm way too thrifty to let people do things, unless i abosolutely feel uncomfortable doing so. Right now I'm in the process of converting our dining room we never use into a home office for my husband.

    The only step I havent felt comfortable doing was converting the arched doorway into a closed doorway with double glass french doors.

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  4. Seriously, you can't see the humor in all that? I was rolling it like a movie in my head, and in my head I was laughing my head off. Sorry!

    What strikes me about your sanding and painting is the little tips that come on as ads inside the DIY network shows. I think those are also available on their website. As for my DIY fancy, it's all in my head too. I watch marathons of the Crashers programs on the tv, but am chicken to try anything for myself. Yet. My time will come someday, and I'm looking forward to it.

    Best tip for a noob (or boob, whichever you prefer) is prep, prep, prep. After that, measure twice, cut once. I know, you'd like to shoot me about now, huh. ;)

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  5. I LOVE following your DIY attempts, but scared to death to try it myself. A few years ago, I got up on a short little (3-step) ladder to try and fix the curtain valance I had hubby hang. He didn't sporead it out evenly. The ladder collapsed on me (evidently the max must have been about 300 lbs.), I crashed into the closet door, leaving a huge gash in it, and also a permanent bruise on my shin. I have not gotten on a ladder since then.
    So....I am happy for you that ladders will support your weight. It's the simple things that please me.

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  6. With hubby being an engineer, he can fix/do about anything however, it will take 5 times as long as anyone else because every minute detail will be painstakingly researched and completed. That being said, I guess I'm a vicarious DIYer because of him. I joke about his research, but really, that is a great thing to do and I know you do that well also. Other than that, just dive in and if you make mistakes, just try again. We just had a window replaced so our next job is to stain the trim. I'll look forward to following your DIY debacles, er I mean successes!! :-)

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  7. ROTFL! (sorry...) ...but ROTFL!

    "We are essentially comic strips for the universe to snicker at."

    ...waayyy too true in my life!

    DIY... not so much (I think I could learn if so inclined... I also think my perfectionism gets in the way)... that's why I married a FARM BOY... like boy scouts, only better! They can do anything.

    You have, however, inspired me to renovate my 'helpless in the face of home repair' attitude.

    I'm rooting for you, Mrs!

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  8. I am definitely down for following your DIY adventures!!! Got a great laugh this morning... :-D

    I'm really not a DIY-type. I might give it a try, but it looks like someone that doesn't know what they are doing did it! LOL

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  9. Thanks y'all! Thanks for the tips for those who gave them. I'm always up for learning more about what works for others. It looks like the banister is ready to get hung back up when the Mr gets home.

    I'm eating lunch now then it's off to do a side project that I'll have pics of.

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  10. I WISH I was a DIYer, so I'm enjoying learning more about yours :D haha :D

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  11. I'm a sort-of DIY-er. I do my own yardwork (year-round), clean my gutters, paint (until I get tired of it), and so on. I'm not brave (or wealthy) enough to try bigger projects like tiling and flooring and such. And that's a pity because I have half the house in need of new flooring and a kitchen that needs backsplashing.

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  12. We have absolutely no skills, so no help from here. We are more like a cross between Laurel and Hardy and the Griswolds depending on the adventure. Driving cross country to see the folks-Griswold worthy. Putting up the add a room on the pop up-Laurel and Hardy. So best of luck to your projects and buy another box of band aids LOL
    Cheezchik32

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  13. The mental images this blog gave me were HILARIOUS!

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