September 16th, 2009 by 
DIY isn’t my favourite pastime. I’ve even been known to blame someone else (normally my boyfriend, BF) for not doing something I absolutely could have done myself. “Surely not”, I hear you cry!
I will, for example, bemoan him for not putting a picture up, or unblocking the drain, or not putting filler around the light switch where the plaster has cracked; all the while harking on about girl power.
It’s like I have DIY dyslexia. I come out in a cold sweat reminiscent of my Maths O’ Level exam (three attempts: three ‘U’s). I’ve a fear of attempting something and then completely screwing it up rather than nailing it, literally!
Anyway, thanks to a chat in the park with a new female friend things have changed. We realised how pathetic we were being. That night I took the drill by the handle and headed for the wall.
Armed with a raw plug I attempted to hang a heavy mirror and mend the washing machine’s errant filter.
There were minor problems: the drill battery lasted all of 3 minutes, I was 5 mm out with the mirror screws, and I flooded the utility room because I didn’t lay enough towels down, but I saved the £30 it would have cost to get a man in.
With his chest puffed out my BF released his grip on the TV remote long enough to re-hang the mirror and I’ve adorned the extra screws with some pretty fairy lights so it’s all turned out rather well!
Now my fear has gone and I plan to enrol in one of those women-only DIY courses so I can do the job(s) properly. I will let you know how I get on!
Until next time,
Sarah
