Handy Woman!

I love our house. However, sometimes I hate being a homeowner. This weekend was one of those occasions.

We noticed a water mark on our ceiling downstairs, and a quick inspection showed a leaky pipe coming from the bathtub upstairs. The water was dripping slowly. It wasn't enough water to cause a flood or to ruin furniture, but it was enough to make the ceiling stain. Regardless of the amount, the water was dripping and it needed to be fixed.

I love my husband. He has many wonderful qualities. He is a kind and loving father and husband, but his willingness to complete home repairs is not one of his positive attributes.

I have never met Scott's dad, but I have heard that he was very good with home repairs. He built the deck on his own house, and maintained the family car. He completed numerous small repairs around the house. Scott did not inherit the "fix it" gene.

It probably isn't fair for me to indicate that Scott is not good at home repairs. He rarely attempts a repair, so it is nearly impossible for me to know if he has the skills and know how to complete a job.

When something is broken around the house, he responds with a curt, "I don't know what to do" and simply walks away. He has this uncanny ability to ignore water dripping, sinks not draining or showers backing up. He will notice that it is broken but shows no desire in making an attempt to rectify the situation.

I don't understand this laid back philosophy towards home maintenance. I was raised by a single Mom who was raising three children on a teachers salary. I learned early, through her example, that repairmen are costly and should only be called as a last resort. There is no shame in not being able to fix something, but there was an expectation that an attempt always be made. Scott had the benefit of being raised by a man who was, by all accounts, handy. Yet, he shows no desire in trying to make household repair.

Scott's solution to the dripping water was that I should simply stop using the bathtub. He then proceeded to set himself for an afternoon of watching auto racing and hockey. I was left to rectify the leak.

The advent of the Internet has made household repairs easier for the lay person. I Googled "leaking pipe in ceiling" and initially found a video demonstrating three simple fixes. I jotted down the list of what I needed and headed to Lowes.

When I entered Lowes I was greeted by an associate who asked if I needed assistance. I smiled and handed the man my list. He laughed and said that the epoxy putty and the tape were easy to locate, but he couldn't help me with the third. Apparently even Lowes doesn't have a "husband who would at least attempt a home repair instead of being comfortable letting his one legged wife struggle up and down ladders doing it herself."

I came home immediately went into handy-woman mode. I crawled up on top of the piano so that I could reach the leak. Robby was an excellent helper and handed me the materials when I asked for them. After several minutes of uncomfortable contortion, I managed to put the putty around the leak to seal it.

After making sure that the repair was going to hold, I worked my way off the piano. I don't like heights, and my discomfort has only increased since my amputation. Therefore, it took me several minutes to dismount. Robby and I were both proud of our accomplishment. I have mastered another plumbing skill, although I have to admit that I wish I didn't have to! Maybe I will marry a plumber in my next life. At least Scott is appreciative of both my efforts and the fact that I didn't wake him when he was napping on the couch!