Since we moved to our new house in June, I have done a lot of “DAD HANDYMAN” things. It’s not like the house we purchased was in shambles and needed a ton of work. Just normal things that needs to be fixed or replaced.
I think we have something like 25 doors in our house and every single one needs new doorknobs. We did two (the door to the mudroom which is like a separate wing with a full bathroom, a bedroom which is used for Niko’s art and Nina’s sewing, and the laundry machines and Niko’s bedroom door). I read the instructions and was utterly confused for the mudroom doorknob replacement, so I did what anybody else would do. I watched some YouTube videos and eventually, I figured it out. Don’t ask me how long it took, but for Niko’s, it was much shorter.
One of those doors was missing, but it was available in an unfinished room of our basement. When I arrived and was on my own for a few days, that missing door separated the mudroom area from the living room. I really wanted that door on for separation and also I didn’t want Riley cat exploring in that area. So, all by myself, I got the door up the stairs and gathered the required hardware that came with it. I then, figured out how to secure the door pretty quickly, but I was short some pieces of hardware. Not knowing what that hardware was called, I searched Google for a list of all door hardware and found the correct name – door hinge pins. Thank goodness for Amazon as they delivered it the next day, and less than 5 minutes later, I had installed a working door that opened and closed! Yeah, I was impressed with myself.
We also have about the same amount of knobs in our kitchen, and when they get replaced (also, if they get replaced), that should be pretty easy, but time consuming. Maybe I can get Niko to help.
High ceiling in garage with three lightbulbs (two of which burnt out a few weeks ago)- no problem. No ladder needed as I purchased a 12 foot light bulb changer for high ceilings, and guess what, it worked! I should go around the neighborhood and charge $5 per light!
Cracked toilet seat replacement was by the far the easiest thing I have replaced.
Crappy old and probably original non movable shower-heads in three bathrooms – no problem. Home Depot and a strong wrench to the rescue. Easy and now, we can move the shower-heads like we like them! I did buy a different shower-head, and it leaked in two bathroom, so I returned it and got three simpler ones.
Wasps on the deck. Sprayed it down and the next day, I hosed it down. Gone! It was a big nest and I got stung a few times a few days earlier when I went out that way to look at some trees. The stings stung, but it also hurt me, it was like a big whack on my head!
The only bedroom that had blinds was mine, but we still needed curtains for all three. Besides standing on a chair to hang them (as we already had rods in the bedrooms), that was the hardest part, mostly because balancing on a chair isn’t my strong suit. I don’t even like standing on a ladder. It’s not a fear of heights, more of my mental capacity. So, whenever I do get on a ladder, I make sure Nina is there to catch me!
Assembling furniture was always a struggle for me as most of the time, I get stuck on the first step. But, no issues with two small bookcases, four large bookcases, a chair for Nina, a new bed-frame for Niko, and the indoor planters for Nina. I can’t even tell you how many things I had to build when Niko was born, but it was more than a lot! I will soon have to assemble a kitchen table and possibly a desk for Nina for the sewing room.
Moving furniture is always fun as I have to figure out how to do it safely without anybody’s help. Niko is too young and Nina’s back is sometimes hurting. Well, for my work desk, which I did have to get help to assemble it, came from Wayfair. I was able to drag the box in the house and then slid it down the stairs and it landed right in front of my office. For our four large bookcases, I again dragged them in the house; they were really heavy. We have an adjustable manual desk in the basement and Nina wanted it in the sewing room, which is not in the basement, but up that flight of stairs (the same one where I slid my desk down). Well, I had to think outside the box as that adjustable desk wouldn’t fit. So, I took the top off (it was only 10 screws and was easy when you have an electric screwdriver). I carried the top first, and then the bottom. Much easier. Nina cleared some room in the sewing room, and was able to bring the two components in there. All I had to was screw it back together! Our current kitchen table will be going in the basement once we buy a new kitchen table. I know, makes no sense. But, current one is actually a desk and we have been using as a table since we moved in. It’s nice having someplace where the three of us can sit, instead of two of sitting at an island and the other one (usually Nina) on the couch or a La-Z-Boy! The current table, I think, is too big to go down the stairs, so, I will get Nina to help me carry it outside to the garage. From the garage, I will place it upside down on a wagon and slowly wheel that wagon down a hill and into the backyard where we have a door from the basement. That door is where Riley likes to hang out most of the time as he can look out and see people, animals, and bugs. Sometimes, when I am walking he is there and I wave to him! The wagon, I am hoping, should be sturdy as we use it for grocery deliveries and when Niko was younger, he could get in it and we could push or pull him. The movers did that for all the basement furniture, it was just easier for them.
When Niko and I switched beds, I was able to move my queen mattress and frame to his room, but his king was heavy and Nina helped me. Eventually, new queen beds for Nina and Niko will happen and I will get mine back. That will be an adventure moving two kings elsewhere; maybe one be gone and the other to the basement. The frames for the kings should be easy to take apart as I just need to unscrew some of the pieces, as it’s nothing fancy.
Most of our empty moving boxes (small, medium, large, small tv, large tv, and wardrobe) were sitting and waiting to be recycled in our garage. Our trash company only picks them up every other week. So, when that day comes, I stuff as much as I possibly can in it – sometimes, it overflows. But, there are still a lot in line. In August, I saw a notice in our neighborhood Facebook page of a county wide recycling event. A few days before that event at a landfill, I flattened every box I could get my hands on and loaded up the car. On that day, I loaded a few more in the backseat and took off for the landfill. Ninety minutes later, my car was emptied and, although, I didn’t like waiting, I was glad I was able to get rid of all the empty boxes. I would say that most everybody else in line that day was disposing old mattresses.
I do enjoy mowing the lawn, but at our new house, we have a larger yard and part of that yard is steep. I can do the front, which I have done a few times. As for the back, I rely on help and that help, don’t laugh, is a very reliable high schooler. I will probably get him out one more time before winter.
I am a trash collector, cat scooper, cleaner of the kitchen, and runner of the dishwasher. I am the light bulb changer and vacuum as well.
One thing I won’t do is paint, and thankfully, that is something Nina enjoys. What color should my room and office be? I don’t care is my preference when she asks me.
Another thing I won’t do is gardening, and again, this has Nina’s name. She already has some outside things growing of which we have eaten some pea pods. Also, she has started indoor plants in the unfinished room and the a/c room in our basement.
I don’t want to start doing electrical things because that makes me nervous. When that time comes to replace most of the light fixtures, somebody else will get that task.
I also do some things that Nina doesn’t particularly enjoy like gassing the car. I try to gas it alone when I am out in the world before it gets to the dreaded “low fuel notification.” But, sometimes, that doesn’t happen, and I have to get gas with them in the car like last week. I stopped for gas on the way home from CVS, and I really had to pee, but the men’s restroom was out of order. Panic set in for a second, and then I asked the person manning the register if I could use the women’s restroom, and his answer was emphatically yes. Thank goodness, as I had a lot of pee!
I am the caregiver for the car, so that meant, going to a nearby DMV to get a Minnesota license plate. That took almost 45 minutes because they were having printing issues! Luckily, I am patient and thankful for them helping me! A few days ago, I visited a Discount Tire to see if I needed new tires for winter driving, and the answer was nope, you already have really good and still in good shape all season tires. Even in San Antonio, I handled the oil changes and car safety inspections.
What should my slogan be when I hire my services out? I remember when Niko was younger, me and him would tell stories about his company, “NIKO WORKS!” Need something fixed or done, call his company, he is cheap and very reliable and has excellent references!
