Fixing stuff

     My father and brother had a tradition of monthly "work days", where they'd take turns working on home improvement projects at each other's houses. We had emulated this tradition here in Maryland, with our friends N and S. I asked to keep the tradition going even though Andrew is gone. This means, though, that I need to pull my own weight: instead of helping to make dinner, I am learning how to fix things.

     This month, we replaced a toilet. I watched how to use a torch to loosen the nut corroded to a bolt after decades of disuse (but next time I'm going to ask to use the torch myself).

I also learned the benefits of being small when you're working in a small house - that's me behind the wall, screwing the bowl to the tank while N steadies it.

At the end, I also used a chainsaw for the first time. I was glad it was a smaller, electric version, because that seemed intimidating enough.

I must admit, I was both sore and proud of myself by the end of the day.