Job notes and small repairs since around 2016.
The notebook
These are jobs I did when somebody had a cabinet acting up or a door getting too proud of itself. I start writing one thing down and then the rest of the room comes back too,, which is not my fault exactly. Hardware has memory in it.
A woman called about a pantry door. She said it would not latch unless you lifted it a little,, and her family had gotten used to giving it that lift every single time. She said you could not leave it half closed because it would just sit there with the catch not engaged and she…
A woman from down the block called. She said her kitchen faucet handle wiggled when she turned on the water,, and she worried it was coming off. I said a loose handle is a small thing. Nobody wants a handle coming off in their hand while a sink fills up. She said her husband…
A friend of a friend asked if I still did small personal visits for bathroom things. I said yes, if it is not a full remodel and nobody expects marble. She said the vanity door under her sink would not close firm anymore, and it was probably nothing. Usually when a woman says…
A shower curtain rod is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it kept sliding down. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks and then…
I remember this porch light globe because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that held moisture. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop grabbing the part…
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her storm door handle came loose. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like NORMAL…
A toilet seat is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it shifted left. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks and then get mad at the…
A cabinet pull is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it was not centered. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks and then get mad…
I remember this sink drain because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that had a slow wet spot underneath. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop…
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her cabinet door would not stay shut. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like…
This walk-in closet shelf was not dramatic. It just dipped on one end, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the closet. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is quiet.
This porch door was not dramatic. It just needed encouragement to latch, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the porch. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is quiet.
This old shelf was not dramatic. It just had one bracket giving up, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the back room. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is quiet.
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her garage shelf bracket gave a warning. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like…
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her hose reel pulled loose from the wall. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like…
I remember this crawlspace vent cover because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that had one good screw. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop grabbing…
This laundry room shelf was not dramatic. It just dipped in the middle, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the laundry room. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is…
I remember this closet rod because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that bowed in the middle. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop grabbing the part…
A garage pegboard is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it was sagging behind the hooks. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks and…
This window blind was not dramatic. It just would not drop, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the front room. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is quiet.
A bathroom cabinet door is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it swelled after a wet week. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks…
I remember this towel bar because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that rotated when pulled. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop grabbing the part…
I remember this kitchen drawer because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that kept coming out too far. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop grabbing…
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her ceiling fan chain was too short. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like…
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her screen door closer slapped too hard. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like…
This basement light was not dramatic. It just only worked sometimes, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the basement stairs. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is…
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her patio chair pinched at the hinge. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like…
A medicine cabinet mirror is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it sat crooked. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks and then get…
This coat hook was not dramatic. It just came out with the coat, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the front hall. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is quiet.
A garage freezer door is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it needed the gasket cleaned. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks…
This closet door track was not dramatic. It just was full of small things, which is worse in some ways because small problems follow a woman around all day. She said it bothered her every time she used the bedroom. I said daily trouble becomes LOUD even when the part itself is…
A woman asked if I still did little house calls because her back step made a soft sound. I said I am not a real contractor, but I can look at a small thing if it is making a house unhappy. She said that was exactly what she needed. That sounded normal to me. People like NORMAL…
I remember this sink sprayer because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that would not go back home. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop grabbing the…
A mailbox flag is the kind of job a person could maybe do herself, if the day was better and the house did not feel so quiet. A woman I knew called because it would not stay up. She said it was silly to ask. I said silly is when you ignore a thing for six weeks and then get mad…
I remember this cabinet hinge because the woman said, right away, "you are going to think this is stupid." I told her I have seen stupider things than a thing that squeaked during breakfast. That made her laugh and then she relaxed, which is useful. Relaxed people stop grabbing…