I enjoy tinkering with odd jobs around the house. Building this, repairing that, replacing those, painting these. (Almost) nothing is more satisfying than stepping back from a job well done, admiring the job well done, and saying "That's a job well done." Or so I'm told… maybe someday I will experience this for myself.
You see, there is usually a lot of work between starting a job from the job jar and that gratifying moment when you can step back and admire your handiwork. It's the stuff that fills that portion of the project that I often have difficulty finding the gumption to work on. And even at that, it's only the final 10% that eludes my attention. I know what you are thinking… he's a lazy son-of-a-gun, eh? No, that's not it. I have all kinds of energy to start another job before the last one is finished. I have gobs of odd jobs started, material purchased, and plans made for projects that won't see progress until I get around to it. Round tuits are rare around these parts.
For instance, I built a deck shortly after we bought our house in Moncton, but never finished the stairs going to the back yard… That same deck a year later still doesn't have the stairs finished. My intention was to build stairs that would get wider as they got closer to the ground but I didn't get "round tuit". Finally, after three years, the job got done. I have many other jobs that have followed and probably will follow that same pattern. My wife can testify to that. (Yes, darling, I'll reattach the baseboard in the living room that I detached while doing the hardwood six years ago when I get a round to it.)
In my experience, round tuits are equally hard to come by when they are needed to start other initiatives such as diets, exercise regimes, and other self-improvement resolutions.
Current To Do list for incomplete jobs:
- Nail down baseboards in living room (after hardwood flooring job)
- Refit baseboards in kitchen entrance way (after flooring in kitchen)
- Remove carpet on stairs and refinish (after Rec Room reno)
- Build cupboards in storage room (after basement reno)
- Put ceiling up in storage room (after basement reno)
- Put shelves in cold room (temporary ones in place now)
- Fix bedroom door (it rubs on the frame since the carpet was laid)
- Clean and organize shed (my wife hates this one!)
- Complete walkway in back yard (I borrowed a concrete form a year ago!)
- Learn the guitar (I bought a guitar 2 or three years ago)
- Learn French (I bought "teach yourself french" CD's two years ago)
- Complete the rest of this To Do list (I'm too embarrassed to continue on-line!)
Paul
June 26, 2007 at 9:27 pm
…..Help Paul with his fence…..
Paul
June 26, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I can teach you to swear in french…
Steve
June 27, 2007 at 7:57 am
Two years from now:
Help Paul finish his fence…
Paul
June 27, 2007 at 8:02 am
…..return Paul’s concrete form….
Steve
June 27, 2007 at 8:14 am
…before I do that:
Get Paul to help with concrete walkway in back yard!
(There, mister smarty-alec!)
Donna
June 27, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Hmmm, and I’d say stop procrastinating and instead of being on the computer or playing pool…finish what you have started around the house. BUT be sure to help Paul with his fence… seeing as you still have his concrete form for the past year, you owe him…
Steve
June 27, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Me and my big freakin’ mouth!
Paul
June 28, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Donna, Donna, Donna, take it easy on the poor boy……he came over to my house tonight to help me with my fence…..then we played pool!
Donna
July 1, 2007 at 10:56 pm
And for that Paul you owe me… you can make sure, while I am gone home for almost 3 weeks before Steve gets there, that he got jobs completed at the house before he can say ‘yes’ to pool…Deal!!! I’m thinkin’it’s a fair deal…
Steve
July 2, 2007 at 12:11 am
Don’t listen to her Paul… she’s delirious.
Donna
July 2, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Ahhhh I’m not delirious honey…it’s called husband in the dog house if things don’t get done. Hmmmmm, whose delirious??? Besides as Paul explained the ringing in your ears can be caused by some kind of excessive exercise, can you imagine what it will be like in the dog house…ha, ha, ha…
Steve
July 2, 2007 at 3:04 pm
See? I told you!
Paul
July 2, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Donna, I’m delirious…..don’t listen to me……and in the even Donna don’t believe me……Steve, put some ice on that wrist. You’re going to need it!
Paul
July 2, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Donna…..did I read you were leaving? Like…..for long? When? Gonna miss you!
Paul
July 2, 2007 at 8:12 pm
pssssstttt…Steve, wanna shoot some pool when she leaves?
Steve
July 2, 2007 at 9:11 pm
ok… but don’t tell her, ok?
Paul
July 3, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Deal! Is she gone yet?
Donna
July 4, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Paul, I cancelled my flight. I am driving home with Steve…
Paul
July 4, 2007 at 7:17 pm
hahahahah I can’t win!