“I don’t do electricity and I don’t do plumbing.” These are the words of my husband.We’ve been married fifteen years. Our first home was an apartment; complete with a maintenance crew on the premises. Neither of us had to do anything beyond hammering nails or screws into the wall to hang pictures. The maintenance crew even came once or twice to plunge my overflowing defective toilet when I couldn’t get it to cooperate. Husband painted a room once, but I think that’s all we needed to do for the upkeep of our home.
The next home was a house…with a mortgage…ours. This is when the phrase “call maintenance” was replaced by “call somebody.” Husband loves gardening and keeping the yard looking lovely, and is outside whenever possible, but if the refrigerator malfunctions, he doesn’t touch it.
“Call somebody,” he says - meaning the warranty people, a plumber, or whatever repair person that can do the job.
Me…I go to my files to look for the instruction manual.
“I may be able to fix this.”
I’m thinking of saving us a few dollars.
The inspiration for this post came when having a conversation with two friends. Betsy was complaining about an incomplete job in her house that was started by her husband. “I’ll fix it,” her husband always says. And then he does, but it takes a month or more – a time of inconvenience, changing routines, and having to look at it day after day.
I told Betsy… “Oh, I have a ‘Call somebody’ husband,” and Robin chimed in with “Me too!” and says, “If it involves a ladder, my husband is NOT going to do it!
When it snowed over a foot, our husbands were wondering where the “college boys” were. The driveways needed shoveling. When the boys appeared, it was “mission accomplished” – somebody else’s back, their wallets.
Betsy then said, “Oh, I wish I had a ‘Call somebody’ husband.” I wasn’t surprised because she’s loves neatness and order in her house.
In fairness to my husband, he works hard, and I appreciate him. Like everyone else, he prioritizes, and it doesn’t always fit somebody else’s idea of how the “list of things to do” should be ordered.
Is your spouse a “Call Somebody” person, or an “I’ll Fix It” person? How about you?
33 comments:
Luckily I have an "I'll fix it husband"...hes really good at fixing most things! Even if he doesnt know how, hes a googler! If all else fails then the words "call somebody" escape his mouth.
I cant stand paying people ridiculous amounts of money to fix things! I guess whatever gets the job done!
My hubby is much like Trish's...can fix almost anything, will go online to find out what he doesn't know, and if that doesn't help he will let an expert take over.
We are both "call somebody" people for the most part. But I admire people like my sister in law- I have seen or heard of her taking apart a freezer, a dishwasher, a table saw, even an electric pencil sharpener and fix them all!
Funny post, well, sort of :) Hubby usually can fix most things but upon occasion he runs into trouble. He took apart my vacuum cleaner and then told me I'd probably have to buy a new one because he couldn't get it back together. He figured it out, finally.
I can fix basic plumbing and painting stuff. Hubby does things that require a ladder. But most of the other stuff we have to call 'somone'
Mine is call somebody person. But he never gives up to try fixing himself first:) Hope you're having a great week Anita!
Wife is lucky as I can do carpentering to toilet cleaning all by myself, instant.Problems;you name it and I can fix it, in no time.Being 'Fix it' person is not good for all time, you may become a person 'taken for granted',but I love doing work.Some times I wonder, how I became a doctor?
As you already know Anita after my post about my husband not being into chores, his response when anything major requires doing around the house is always "call somebody". Only in his case what that means is that I am expected to call somebody!! Apparently that is my job :-)
Minor repairs and tasks I do myself as I know he will never get around to them - he does offer "helpful" advice though, like when the new mosquito zapper arrived he said to me "you'll need to buy a bracket for the fence to hang that from".........
So I totally sympathize!
My husband is good for small repairs, and he can paint. He is a call somebody type guy. He is great with numbers (accountant) so I'm keeping him even if he isn't handy!
Ugh...I have "C": "I know a guy". Then we have to wait for "the guy" to have time in his schedule to look at whatever (our lawnmower, poor oak trees in dire need of pruning). In the meantime--I usually take over and fix it (tearing apart the lawnmower tomorrow). Unless it's the computer. Then the former IT guru husband comes in real handy. :) However, after the nightmare 3 month long do-it-ourselves bathroom renovation, I think when it's finally time to start the upstairs bathroom--we're calling somebody. At least for parts of it. I do have my limits! :)
Hes an "Ill fix it Man"..I mean cmon hes is a handyman on the sidejob....BUUUT....I am the one who waits for the new screen door and I am the one who learned how to put a faucet in because..after all he is an "Ill fix it Man"..but that means Ill fix it for a paying customer...Lolol...go look at my blog post today..what are we in sync or something..!
For a fellow sufferer from the call somebody syndrome I have an award for you over at my blog
Funny how we fall into our routines. My hubby used to be a Call Somebody, but is lately turning into an I'll Fix It. He's getting good at it :D
OMG. My husband is an "I'll fix it" then he'll start it, won't finish it and then we have to call someone. HELP!!
Mine is def. a 'call somebody' husband. I was rolling at the 'if it involves a ladder' comment. That describes Hubs all the way.
Your post has me chuckling. I'm married to a call somebody guy too. My best friend's husband seems to be able to fix anything and everything. One day when I was kind of whining about how I wish my hubby was like that, she told me, "some men make a living with their hands, some with their brains. Be happy that he has the brain he does." That has stuck with me and I don't feel so bad calling repairmen now.
In our almost 40 years the only time anyone is called is when something is under warrenty. You name it he can do it!!! I mean anything!!
Mr. fix it lives here. He does a great job, except for plumbing. We have fixtures in our bathroom that turn the wrong way. I'm thankful that he does what he does, but I did finally tell him, tenderly, that plumbing is not his gig.
Now, I call the plumber.:-)
LADIES - The "I'll fix it" group is winning. I've enjoyed reading your funny comments and glad you got some humor out of mine.
The world needs balance, so I guess it's okay to be in either category - or as DORI mentioned, category C. :)
LOVIN' THE COMMENTS! ANY MORE???
Oops...JUTURAJGOR - I forgot I had your comment in the middle of "the girls."
Love getting the male input too!
I've never depended on a man to do something I can do myself. If I can fix it-I do if I can't I ask for help and then usually DH steps in and helps out...but being raised in the country on a small farm, I've learned many skills and love to put them to use!
I'm definitely a fix it myself or call dad kinda gal. My husband is usless with anything mechanical, I did a post on that, when I had a flat tire on one of his trucks, he read me the owner's manual while I tried to fix that damn thing Lol!
My husband is an "I'll Fix It" person... Me, if it's simple enough, like changing the shower hose, I'll do it. I actually love going to the hardware store and getting the stuff. But when it comes to big things, I "call somebody." :)
Everyone has their areas. I think it is wonderful that your husband loves being outside and keeping the yard looking lovely. My fiance is a not bad fix it guy, but hates working in the garden and only does it under much duress and after much time has passed eg. the weeds are taller than him!! LOL.
Me, I am more than happy to do all the cleaning, washing, housework, but hate to cook.
It all balances out in the end. Work to your strengths and rectify the rest some other way!!
We're a little bit of both. My DH's father is an electrical contractor, so DH learned a thing or two beyond screwing in lightbulbs. I don't mind getting out to shovel, but we have somebody do the yard and the big ticket appliances. Because we're renting, we've got a "maintenance" person to take care of things, too. Pretty good arrangement, I think.
My husband and I both lean to the "I'll fix it". He's pretty good about these things - takes time to read the manuals, whereas I tend to just jump headfirst.
So far, we've managed to not do any MAJOR damage to anything.
My husband loves to fix things which is great because I am totally unable. We have saved tons of money because he can fix most anything.
My husband never ceases to amaze me with his skills. But he hides them for a long time, until he decides he wants to do it. Just last week when I was trying to get an electrician to change light fixtures in the kitchen, he decided he would do it, and $68 in supplies and a couple of hours worth of work, he was done. So, I guess I would have to call him a "fix it man" but only when he "feels" like it! :)
My husband is great at fixing things, and also at knowing when he needs to bring in an expert. Best of all, he also helps our daughter and her husband figure out how to fix things at their house, and is willing to pitch in there, too.
My husband is a fix-it crisis guy.
When he tries to fix something we all go into crisis.
Definitely white collar all the way!
I'm a want to fix it girl, but always call my dad who IS a fixer guy first to ask him if I can.
SOHAILAH- Give yourself more credit...I saw the pictures of the cabinets that you are re-doing!
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