Ingenuity at Work
Posted: Saturday, August 08, 2009
by Nancy Daniels
Voice Dynamic
I am married to a wonderful man who can solve mechanical, electrical and gadget problems easily. Knowing exactly what is needed to fix this or that, clean the tape residue off a jar, mend plastic pieces that are broken, weld, solder, or glue, this man understands solvents as well as infinity. Whereas I know how the computer works, he understands why it works. Whereas I know how to use electricity, he understands the concept of electron flow.
Frustrated at how to solve this problem, I decided to freeze the rubber stopper, insert it into the opening, let the feeder sit for at least hour and then pull the base plugs. Voila! It worked. Not once, not twice, but everytime. By freezing the stopper, I knew it would contract. By letting it sit in the feeder to thaw, I knew it would expand.
Being married to someone who knows how to solve problems has been a tremendous learning experience; and, in the process I am getting better at figuring some things out without his help. I still can't remember the difference between paint thinner and lacquer thinner and probably never will but I'm blessed to have Mr. Knows-How-to-Do-It-All! I am most content with the little bit of knowledge I have gained, however, and have no desire to understand how the computer works, why electricity works, or the concept of the Black Hole!
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More commentsGreat article, Nancy. (I could have sworn I left a comment previously!)I feel a kinship with your husband, but, my goal is to be seen as stupid. You learn so much more that way!Thak you for sharing!Ken,Could it possibly mean that you don't want to have to do the chore? Just because Phil can fix it, doesn't mean he always wants to...when we were first married and moved into this house, Phil brought to the marriage an upright freezer (gosh I loved his dowry!) but he didn't get around to moving the electricity to that part of the basement for months. He could never understand how valuable the freezer would be to me!Oh, you want another one? A few years before we were married, I saw his exquisite china cabinet with crystal in it but no china. I had china, but no crystal. So I told him we should get married to complete the set. At that time, however, I was only kidding.I guess it started him thinking though -- no, I think what started him thinking was at our 15th high school reunion -- 10 years before he proposed at our 25th. I was pregnant and we were standing in line to get food and I jokingly told him that when our respective spouses were dead, we should get married! Oh, the wheels were a-turning and, yes, our respective spouses are both alive and, in both cases, they were the ones to request a divorce. That was the blessing.Sorry, didn't mean to write a book,NancyNancy, you can write as much as you want to, after all, I am a fan for a reason!I proudly accept this beat-down on behalf of husbands everywhere ...
Nancy,My wife is married to the same type of guy! She considers me a "jack of all trades" with me adding that I am "a master of none." Nice article.Jon,Phil says the same thing. We girls are so lucky to have you guys. Gosh, that sounds so sexist. Doesn't bother me a bit however!Nancy
Pretty cool, Nancy! My dad could do and fix anything. My husband, well, he is a great IT guy, husband and father, amateur astronomer and musician, but alas...we will always have repair bills! Love your ingenuity!Lorrie,It's the musician thing. My ex is a Viennese symphony conductor and totally 'out to lunch' which I attribute to the fact that he is a genius. Boy, could I write a book on that!Thanks for sharing,Nancy
Good article, I shall try to remember your words next time I am puzzled by something like that. Thank you for writing.Jay,You are most welcome,Nancy
Nancy, I enjoyed the reading. I am one of those husbands that knowa some things about every thing and every thing about some things and not too much of anythinhg. But as my wife says' I picked up a few peices from my husband. ...Smile... Thanks agin Nancy. Very enjoyable.Rev,I'm glad you enjoyed it and your wife is blessed as well,Nancy
Nancy, you are definitely a genius! Isn't is wonderful to learn of our powers (smile and a wink)!Stay Blessed, and Keep On Being a Go-GetterRonyae,Seriously, write a humorous book. You make me laugh with all of your responses and no, I am not a genius. My ability to solve some problems has just improved since Phil. I take no credit for it. I learned it from him. Mind-opening.Thank you again for another belly laugh,NancyI'm LOL, Nancy. Well, Phil is a godsend for sure!And, thanks for the idea...
I'm totaly unmechanical which furstrated my wife in the beginning. Most women think all men desire to fix the car or tinker around the house. Not me. I avoid it like the plague. But thank heavens for my son. He is the mechancial genius. You're lucky to have a husband who can do the mechanical. Unfortunately, my son is 20 and will soon be out of the house. Hey, maybe you and your husband can visit . . . frequently ;=) Great article.Jeff,My husband got a laugh out of your answer as well. We're in South Jersey -- you're in New York. Could work. No, he proably doesn't want to fix anything else (he'd rather be on the computer these days).Thanks for reading,Nancy
Very clever, I am so proud of you. I would have never thought of this. Art's nickname is McGuiver, for the same reason as your hubby. Thanks for sharing and I love the picture you included. :-) Blesssings to you ! TeresaTeresa,That is a good one. I think my boys have referred to Phil the same way in the past.Thanks for that,Nancy
Brilliant article!Good job sorting out what you needed to do, and getting it right. It's always good to learn new things.If you needed more help, you could always read 102 Simple Household: How it Works by Connor Davidson and I. Well, when it comes out that is.Cameron,Now there are two of you! Yes, I will have to get it when it comes out. Let us know it's publication date.Nancy
I'm better at fixing things now than I used to be, but I'm not great. However, to make myself feel better about the things that I actually know how to do, I often watch a TV programme called, "Canada's Worst Handyman". It is a reality show which brings in a number of people that have been nominated by their friends or family. The programme host gives them projects to work on and then experts rate them. You have to see this programme to believe how badly some people are at simple maintenance, building or repair jobs. It's hilarious.
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