Are you a DIY (Do It Yourself) or a DIFM (Do It For Me)person?
I am a DIY person, and I’ll tell you why!
When I was growing up, my father spent evenings working in his basement on a particular project. Whatever the project was, he had a set of tools for it.
He was so skilled that he could build anything with his hands. He taught me to use all his tools: lathe, circular saw, band saw, band sander, vise, and many hand tools that sat in toolboxes underneath the working bench. We worked on projects he devised to keep me busy after dinner and on weekends. I also worked in my parent’s yard: mowing, weeding, planting, pool maintenance, and snow plowing.
I began appreciating him and his skills and was always attentive to his instructions. This ability to pass on his skills made my father a great person and got us closer in my formative years.
Later, as an adult, I finished the attic in my brand-new house by laying electric wires, lights, outlets, etc. Insulated and laid a wood floor, insulated & sheet rocked the ceiling and walls, all to create a living space up there. Another big project was demolishing and refinishing a kitchen section where the water heater was. Both my wife and I demolished this little area and proceeded to add wiring, insulation, a full window and finished by adding sheetrock, painting it and making the kitchen a little bigger.
Perhaps the best part was knowing what a tool could do and how to use it. Today, nothing satisfies me more than changing a tire, changing a toilet, tiling the bathroom, or painting the deck.
As I get older and have more time on my hands, I try to spend time around the house and garden fixing things that need fixing. Being able to replace tile floors, lay on wood floors, upgrade toilets and sinks, and replace sink stoppers and light switches has given me an appreciation for my father’s gift — Making me a DIY person.
This ability to pass on his skills made my father a great person and got us closer in my teen years.
Are you a DIY or DIFM person??