Projects for people
I won’t lie – I’ve been inventing projects for us to do. See – Deeps looks to me to plan the weekend entertainment. So I try to think up something good. Then I remember we’re kind of broke (from buying the manse). Plus we’ve seen the couple of good movies that are playing nearby.

I make a list of things for us to do.

Install a water filter on the kitchen faucet.
Fix some broken screens.
Install a peephole (or as they are called on the box – door viewer)
Fix the front yard landscaping
Organize the shed
Build a screen for the upstairs window
Mow the lawn


If that’s not enough, I suggest that we haul around a ton of rock and fix up the front yard.

Phase one of the front “garden” was completed – but I wasn’t happy with the color. The rocks were too gray – I wanted more brown. I like contrast! Plus I thought if we dug some trenches around the concrete edging, we’d have less soil erosion.

So I got out the shovel and dug and Deeps supervised from the porch while fixing more window screens and building a brand new screen (he’s the proud owner of a new hacksaw) for the windows on the third floor landing.

We’ve determined that when it comes to tasks that require patience and skill – like assembling the entertainment center or building a new screen – he’s good for that job. But when you need brute force physical labor, well let’s just say I’m not afraid to put my back into it.

So the front is done, I’ve planted a few shade tolerant perennials and I’m planning my next landscaping move: a deck for the backyard – next spring.

Meanwhile my husband has taken over the dining table with hacksaws and bits of spline and little tools and connectors and whirligigs to build the perfect window screen.

As a bonus, I got to drill lots of holes into wood. Drilling is fun. I may invent excuses to do it every weekend. I also installed the new peephole which I think should be installed in ever exterior door. Seriously – peephole technology is not a) hard or b) expensive – why don’t more people have them? And if you install it yourself you can use the opportunity to buy a new drill bit.

New drill bits are fun. All I did was read The Book, hit the hardware store and follow the directions on the back of the package. Easy as pie. Actually – pie has lots more steps, unless you’re eating it.

I think the lesson here is to understand your strengths and weaknesses as a couple: I’m like the Hulk and Deeps is like Spider-man. Or something like that.