Are You A Handy
Woman? Take This Simple Test And See!
by Roz Warren
As I was
reading “Not Your Mother’s Book on Home
Improvement,” a new collection of light-hearted
essays by (primarily) middle-aged female do-it-yourselfers,
it became abundantly clear to me that, unlike the
women who tell their stories here, I am not a do-it-yourselfer.
How about you?
Take this
simple test and see! The following statements are
made by the handywomen in this book as they
undertake projects from fixing a broken doorbell
to building an addition. How many of these
sentences can you imagine yourself saying?
Sweating pipes
is something all women should know how to do.
I can fix just
about anything.
We were
building our dream house, which I had designed
and drafted.
I’d
memorized the recipe for perfect foundation
cement.
My Mother’s
Day gift was a weed-whacker.
I slathered
the pipe ends with flux, inserted needed sleeves
and torched and soldered until they ran red hot.
I am Ms. Fixit.
Several years
ago, during a day off from work, I decided to
convert a coat closet into a pantry. How hard
could it be?
As I headed to
my truck for parts, I tried hard to think about
all the money I was saving by fixing the toilet
myself.
My shelving
lumber did not fit neatly… into the miter
box.
I have
purchased ball cocks at the plumbing supply place.
In an effort
to break up the turd jam, I poured water into the
bowl a little at a time to avoid overflow.
I could whip
up a funky, modern coffee table out of reclaimed
wood and tricycle parts in a single afternoon.
Bring on the power tools!
I’m not
complaining about being the one who did all the
yard work.
I strongly
believe that every girl should have a Five-Way
Wonder Tool.
(And no, she’s not talking about THAT kind
of Five-Way Wonder Tool.)
How well did you score?
0 - 4
Put down that hammer before you hurt someone!
5 - 9 You
can be trusted to change a light bulb, paint the
powder room, or fix a running toilet. Otherwise,
it’s Angies List for you!
10 - 13 Love
the way you rock those power tools. Ms. Fixit.
But there are a few projects even you can’t
handle.
14 - 15.
Congratulations! You are, absolutely and without
question, a genuine Handywoman. Not only can you
design, build and fix just about anything, you
enjoy the challenge. (Speaking of which, my attic
needs rewiring…. Any chance you’d
like to drop by?)
This
essay first appeared on www.womensvoicesforchange.org
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