The Wilful Sunflower

The downstairs bathroom light fused weeks ago. It's the only bathroom in the house with a water heater. We've been bathing by candlelight ever since.

Not that we're so helpless we don't know how to change a light bulb, but the bathroom ceiling is very high and we can't reach the bulb, even with our ladder. We called a handyman to come in & do it for us and he told us it would cost $15. To change a small little light bulb!

He also suggested he could fix a wire or something to make the bulb hang down so that we'd be able to change it ourselves in the future rather than having to call him all the time (this is the second time we're calling him for this). Our landlady was not enthusiastic at the prospect. She said we might end up burning the place down with all the fiddling. Huh?!?

 
When it comes to all this house maintenance stuff, I sometimes wish I were like Dad. When I was a kid I used to think Dad was MacGyver coz he could fix anything. I am nowhere near as clever and able as he is.

Still, bits of Dad's fierce independence have rubbed off on me, although I sometimes think I am only independent coz I have no choice. I mean, I don't have any male around to bat eyelashes at and sweetly cajole into helping me. So, if it's something minor, I have to find a way to do it myself.

I own two screwdrivers -- a slot screwdriver and a Phillips one, a spanner, a pair of long-nosed pliers, a three-square file, bow saw, and a small hammer. Oh, and the ladder in our house belongs to me. I also have a toolbox kit which I used to keep in my car boot (trunk to you Americans :P). Not that I've ever used anything in that kit, mind you. No drills yet, but then there's nothing to drill -- landlords generally don't take kindly to you making random holes in their walls :D

Do today's guys still do all this DIY stuff? Dad could double up as a plumber, electrician, car mechanic, gardener, fisherman, photographer (used to develop his own pictures!) or carpenter anytime. They don't make 'em like him anymore. Or maybe it's coz I now live in the city and city guys are more lembik (soft). They're too busy pursuing a career & climbing to the top of the corporate ladder to potter around the home & fix stuff. I dunno. Any males out there wanna comment on this? ;)