Sunday, July 24, 2016

What One Can Accomplish with Creativity and Determination



Usually I write to compliment a business or make mention of an issue I had with them or to tell you about something of interest. 

Today I am writing about my husband, the most creative and determined person I know.

Aside from his talent writing for years in the Advertising business, he possesses a mind where any challenge is welcomed, no matter the subject.

We have been spending more time in our home in Martha's Vineyard, and having more time here gives us more time to do work around the house.  Going to the beach...well we can always do that.

Since we have been here we have had to do repairs, some of which would mean ordering expensive parts from the manufacturer or hiring someone to fix the problem.

Not my husband.  He has repaired everything, without ordering expensive parts or hiring anyone.

All began with our desire to improve the water pressure in our shower.  For 24 years we could not enjoy the shower since the water came out so poorly yet no one knew why. Lee decided to change the shower arm, thinking it was too wide and the water flow was too dispersed.  From Home Depot, we purchased a new arm for $10.  The original one was removed, but to our disappointment, there was an additional copper pipe jammed inside the wall and which took 2 days to get it out thanks to sheer determination and some WD40.  After the new arm was installed, out came great water pressure!  Now our shower days are happy ones. 

The mice love to eat away at our garage doors.  Aside from patching the wood which was eaten, he devised a stop gap using metal along the sides of the door, which the mice can't eat.

Then the door jam was eaten away and he used wood filler and all sorts of materials to make it look brand new. That project took almost a week, but looks great.

The best was when the light went out under the oven hood.  We pulled the trim kit and bulb out but one of the springs holding the trim in place snapped and disappeared up into the oven hood.  We struggled for an hour trying to find the spring since the trim piece would not stay in without it.  We dismantled the hood and finally found the spring.  But the spring was sprung and was not usable.  I called the company and they seriously wanted $136.80 for a piece worth 5 cents. They actually offered to waive shipping costs. There was no way we would spend that.  After contemplating the situation, he just bent an edge of the trim up into the opening and it held in place!

Today he wanted to change the electrical receptacle on a light switch in a closet, which only had 1 switch for a light, but we needed an outlet and a light switch. After removing the original switch, he found the wiring lacking in order to add the light/outlet combo. Rummaging through our storage room, he found wiring from old lighting we had and is using that to attach to the existing wiring in the wall to get the switch to work. Watching YouTube helped to figure out the repurposing of the wiring and now we can set up our office equipment in the closet!

Now onto the garden.  After 36 years of marriage, we finally have a garden.  It started out small since we are such novices, though before I knew it, Lee doubled the size, bought all these tools (thanks in part to our friend, an avid gardener who made some suggestions,) put up fencing and stakes, laid down soaker hoses and now we watch while the plants grow! Spending much too much time working in the garden but the rewards are many.

And here is the final accomplishment so far...last week we were dining at a restaurant and the person next to Lee started to choke.  Lee looks at me and then says that he will try doing the Heimlich Maneuver although he had never done it. He completes the movements 3 times and the person is fine.  What a night!

Here's to all of you out there who go the extra mile!