July 18, 2017 (Tuesday)
When I was about 5 years old, I received a wind-up train, locomotive with several cars and a caboose, along with a circular track. As I recall, that was my Christmas gift more than once. A second one was required because I took the first one apart. I was compelled from within to see how it worked. I did the same with just about every toy if it had moving parts.
It’s in my nature to fix things. The sad truth, however, is that many of the things I “fixed” needed to be fixed again by someone who knew what they were doing. Nevertheless, the urge within to “do-it-yourself” was strong for years before I ever even heard the slogan.
When we moved into this house, the little alcove that serves as a front porch was bedecked with electric lanterns–beautiful lighting fixtures affixed to the brick walls of the house. There was a lantern on either side of the front doors. Needing an electric outlet for outside purposes, several years ago I replaced one of the lanterns with an outdoor electric socket with spaces for two items to be plugged in. We used it mainly to power the outdoor Christmas lights.
Well, time and the weather just about destroyed the remaining light fixture, and the outdoor sockets needed to be replaced, too, so I took it upon myself on Friday July 7, 2017 to do the repairs, installing a new lighting fixture and a new electric socket.
After 47 years of giving good light, the fixture had given up the ghost, total weathered, rusted, and corroded–beyond repair. Fortunately, the hardware store had one that resembled it at a very reasonable price, so I bought it and proceeded to remove the old one. The removal process proved to be a very hard job, but I finally got it done after several hours in the heat of the afternoon. After a few hours rest inside the air-conditioned house, I returned later to finish the job.
I was tall enough to do the work without a ladder, but discovered that a little step stool lifted me to just the right height to do the work more easily. For several hours I went up and down the plastic step stool. After completing the light fixture, I went to the electric socket, and replaced it, also with some difficulty due to the weathering process and years of use. But I got it done. As I gave the screwdriver the final twist, I stepped down. When I did, the step broke in half, and I went down to the concrete porch floor. It was “twilight time” for the day, and for a few minutes almost twilight time for me. When I finally got myself together, I found no broken bones, but my wrist was painful. Since that day I have been nursing the wrist with bandage wrapping and waiting for it to get strong enough to resume normal activities. I missed preaching that weekend, and Dale Pogue brought the Word to the church in my place. I was a friend in need and he was a friend indeed. Thank you, Dale!
The pain is not severe, and comes and goes. Little by little, it’s getting better.
Many people find it cheaper to hire someone to do the “Do-it-yourself” jobs. I found out it’s much more comfortable to do that. Besides that, how are the electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and all the other workmen going to make a living if guys like me are determined to pay the medical folks what I should have paid them?
To all the “do-it-yourselfers” reading this: “T H I N K.” And to all the 85-year-olds like me, hankering to be useful, chill out, relax, and let someone else do it.