Home Improvement

June 26, 2013

 

“Home Improvement”

 

Home Improvement was a hit television comedy in the 90’s. It starred Tim Allen as “Tim the Toolman" Taylor and Patricia Richardson, who played his wife, Jill. The writing was quite good and the acting was as well. Earl Hindman’s portrayal of their neighbor, Wilson, whose face was never more than partially revealed, was pure genius. The stories revolved around his television show about home improvement and the rearing of their three sons. One of them, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, was a bit of a teen idol at the time so Home Improvement was one of the few shows that we could watch together as a family with three daughters and never hear a complaint.

 

Now home improvement reality shows are all over the television. There are yard crashers, kitchen hater crashers, Holmes on Homes, Love it or List It. So many shows in fact that there is now a whole channel about home improvement called the DIY network. DIY stands for Do It Yourself.

 

Two years ago, we wanted to replace the carpet in the den with wood flooring. We found a floor we liked and purchased it and we paid someone to install it. I watched with interest as the crew installed it. It didn’t look that difficult to do and the installation was kind of pricey. So I determined that if I ever wanted to install wood flooring again, I would do it myself. I can be a DIYer! Now I am in the process of installing wood flooring in our bedroom and upon reflection I have a few observations.

 

-         There is a reason installers are paid so much money.

-         The flaking on my hands is not leprosy. It is the floor adhesive finally releasing its stubborn grip on my skin.

-         Speaking of skin…it is amazing how much scrubbing with gasoline and mineral spirits hands can take and the skin still remain intact.

-         Measure twice and cut once is more than a cute phrase.

-         Floor adhesive has the amazing ability to transport itself to any other place in the house it chooses.

-         The people at the home improvement store are overly optimistic.

-         When all else fails, read the instructions. Coincidently, the white pamphlet inside each box of flooring contains instructions. Who knew?

-         It will cost more than you think.

-         It will take longer than you expect.

-         Competency in one area of home improvement does not necessarily transfer to another.

-         I have a lot more in common with the “No! Me do it!” phase of child development than I realized.

-         The 1991 song “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. is about a home improvement project. 

-         One “That looks great, honey” from my wife makes it all worth it.

 

Blessings,

 

Jerald