My husband is a very skilled worker. Although I wouldn't call him a perfectionist, exactly, (which is a dirty word, to me) he is definitely particular about his own handiwork. He has decided to do every last bit of work on our house without the help of "professionals", and I think he just might be serious about it. I've begged and pleaded to no avail.
"Please, honey, what if we just hire a plumber to come put the pipes through in the back."
"You know, dear, there are people out there that do electrical work for a living."
"I'm pretty sure they sell trim at Lowes, my love, pre-cut and everything."
Nope, none of it has worked. It's not that he can't do all of these things himself. (Even if he couldn't, I'm smart enough not to say as much to him. The surest way to make a man [of any age] do something is to insinuate, or baldly state, that you don't think he can. I've used that to my advantage on numerous occasions.) No, he's perfectly capable, it just takes him half of eternity, because he's only one man; and he has a full-time job and a high-maintenance wife; and because he has to have everything....just...cotton-pickin'....right.
That's the real reason he won't hire other people to do the work. I think he suspects that they wouldn't be up to his standards. He's probably right, I suppose. His standards are pretty stinkin' high.
Oh well. That's why I married the fellow, I guess. He doesn't live a just-good-enough kind of life. He approaches everything from a "to the best of my ability" point of view, which is why he's such a wonderful friend, husband and father. I guess I'll just have to take the handyman right along with the rest of him. It's all worth it, in the end.
5 comments:
Well, I suggest that he CAN'T get your internet up and running. Its way beyond his ability to do that and provide that.
Think that would work???? LOL I do that too. For me, it also works to just go start doing the work myself, then he jumps in to do it "right." It gets done that way. Either I will get it done, and he will pay, or he will do it and be happy because its his way and I'm not giving him the cold shoulder for a week!
It's the same way here. For us it isn't just that we can do it better, it's also a we can do it cheaper even if it takes us 25 years to do it. Okay it's only been 2years, but it feels like we've been at it 25 years. I agree with J on doing it some times, but sometimes ya, I want to yell enough is enough. I want to just not have to do it. Alas I do appreciate all of our hard work when we finish a job (wait most still have things left, we never really finish).
Good luck!
I think it's an Engineer thing, I'm married to one too, and can relate totally to what you are living with. Don't give up hope, it may take a little while-but things do get done!
Lovely Wife has only seen me well and truly angry with home improvement projects. It's not pretty. So we hire pros now, and it's much easier on my back, even if it is harder on my wallet.
Whichever project you want finished most, dress like you're going to tackle it yourself, and ask him where the _______ is. When he in turn asks, why do you need the _____, say, I thought I'd try to finish it myself and head in that direction. If he calls your bluff and gives you the tool or whatever, go try to start, and quickly come back to him with, how should I _______? and sooner or later he'll get in ther himself.
hi, i'm a new member of thirteeners, nice to meet you online and read your thoughts.
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