The Christmas handyman report

It's been an odd Christmas break - seems I have done both a lot, and little. The family stayed at home, a decision which, given the showery, definitely not good beach weather, was a very wise for this year of an accurately predicted wetter summer. I suppose I should pity the people paying (at least) $1800 for a week in a seaside apartment only to be looking at the showers rolling in again, but instead I uncharitably just kept feeling upbeat that I was not in the same boat. 

The (sort of) downside of staying at home was the decision to spend a lot of the break on cleaning things in the house that hadn't been cleaned for years, as well as doing certain maintenance that I had been putting off for months, if not longer.

Hence, the ancient fat encrusted (well, sorry, but on certain internal parts, it was true) rangehood got dismantled and replaced, more or less successfully, by me.  (It works fine, but there remains something about the fit which makes me suspect I have done something wrong, but I can't see how it's possible.  I think unless it's pointed out to a visitor, it would not be noticed.  I certainly didn't til the next day!)

 I also replaced a lot of sealant around sinks and benchtops in the kitchen, one bathroom, and laundry, with the guidance of handyman Youtube.  I think I managed to make it look pretty neat and almost, but not quite, professional.  It's the sort of thing you definitely get more confident with the more you do it.  (I also didn't realise how much sealant you waste even when doing it "right".)

Curtains that hadn't been washed for (I think) 18 years (God, we sound a lazy household) were successfully cleaned, dried between showers and re-hung without falling apart, and windows, flyscreens and security grills cleaned thoroughly both inside and outside.  There was one window in particular that was, to my mind, mysteriously filthy on the inside.  It was behind a curtain behind the TV and near the modem and wifi router, but it seemed as filthy as an outside window that hadn't been touched for 20 years.  Could electrostatic effects from the electrical equipment be behind this?   

This has taken up a large amount of time, even with the occasional, reluctant, bits of assistance from 2 adult children.  And we haven't even started on the upstairs yet!  Or the outside, which badly needs attention.  I might get something done today, as weeds growing out of the mulch in the gutter above the garage is not a good look.  I did put up some replacement clothesline, though, this time with wirecore which hopefully cannot sag as quickly as your standard line does, with Youtube teaching me a new knot that turned out to be useful. 

I think I have made 6 or 7 trips to Bunnings over the period to achieve this - not being a handyman by inclination means frequent realizations of not having the appropriate tool or equipment.  As well as rangehoods not coming with the recommended carbon filters.    

And for entertainment - very little happened.   Both kids went off to their own parties on New Years Eve, and we didn't have people over either.  I heard distant fireworks from bed at midnight, and was cool with it.  

I did go see West Side Story, and it deserves a post of its own.  

But yeah, I'm feeling somewhat satisfied with successful handyman stuff.  Gee, before you know it, I'll be into woodwork for recreation, like ageing men often seem to.  (Not likely.)