By J.B. Lester
June is the month of Father’s Day, and I want to salute all the dads out there. Fathers are often under-appreciated and under-valued. Especially retired dads and granddads. Sometimes we even underestimate ourselves. We all know about the honey-do-lists we deal with all of our lives if you are married or have ever been married. Most of the items on the list can easily be completed by simply contacting a professional to do the work. But no, that would be too easy – and costly. Our gas oven stopped igniting, so I had to call in the pro. Five hundred dollars later we had a working range again. Turns out it was simply a new ignitor part. Hmmmm? I try not to fool with electric or gas if I can help it as I don’t want to shock myself or blow up the house.
I would not call myself a Mr. Fixit by any means. And this self-doubt kept me from doing many items on the honey-do-list over the years. But once I was retired and spending more time at home, I realized it was time to buck up. Along with my normal duties of child transport, vacuuming, cooking, lawn mowing, trash and recycling removal, etc., etc., I have decided to get some skills. The dishwasher stopped working because the door refused to shut and latch. Well, I could call the professional and pay hundreds of dollars or I could look up the problem on the internet. With the encouragement of a friend on our local community chat group, I ordered the part online and then watched a You Tube video on how to replace it. Holy cow, it somehow worked. I had suddenly transformed from a retired writer and publisher into an appliance repair pro with skills. Total cost $29, not including labor.
Suddenly I was empowered. I put together a metal frame bed, I replaced the light bulb in the oven, I put a roof over the bluebird house. I even switched the clothes dryer door (after some trial and error) so it opened the opposite direction for easier loading from the washing machine. I have learned how to turn off the electric to parts of the house, so I don’t electrocute myself. I clean drains and tighten faucets. I have become a home maintenance man. And when you are retired and living on a fixed income, it is important to dig down deep and think inside the toolbox.
This Father’s Day I want to encourage all you dads to attempt to channel your inner handyman. With the help of Google and You Tube, it is pretty easy to keep your house and your wife happy. And gentlemen, it feels wonderful to acquire new skills. Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Especially after retirement when many men feel a sense of lost purpose. I promise your new job as a home handyman will make you feel purposeful again! And you will have a few extra bucks for a day on the golf course.