"Maybe If You Jiggled That Little Thingamajig Over There..."

Mike undertook a plumbing project this afternoon, and as most projects like that go, it rapidly got more involved and complicated. Two trips to the hardware store and no supper until after 7 pm. But he got the leaky pipe under the kitchen sink fixed, as well as replaced the sprayer which has not worked for several years. It will be nice to have that back.

I have learned much in the past years.

Fifteen, twenty years ago I would have been the hovering spouse, trying to be supportive, full of helpful little phrases such as "Maybe if you jiggled that little thingamajig over there, it would help get it loose," or other such ideas from a woman who has never done a plumbing job in her life but still had a better way for him to accomplish the task. And then I wasn't very happy when he wasn't very happy with me. No wonder home improvement jobs usually turned into stressful times for us all.

Now I know that the best thing I can do is just stay out of the way, preferably in another room (though available to help when he shouts out "I need you to come here a minute" to hold a tool or a light or whatever). And all he wants to hear from me is "I know you can get this done." Followed by a sincere "Thank you" when the job is done.

I've still got a lot to learn. But at least that lesson has at least had some small progress made through the years. And life is sweeter both during and after the job.