I often wonder why some folks are afraid of DIY projects

did they try it once and have a major disaster

perhaps coming from a family with non-DIY parents

or maybe just being too shy to ask how

I grew up in a non-DIY household

my father was an engineer and could fix anything

but he regarded home as a place to rest and relax

not wanting to turn our house into a second workshop

I have tackled many projects in and around our house

learning the hard way like drilling into utilities

struggling to make inadequate tools perform

rushing into jobs without any pre-planning

over time you learn to respect your own limitations

recognizing when its best to pay for expert help

doing more research definitely makes jobs go smoother

buying good tools and quality materials is a must

I remember living next door to an avid DIYer

a twice divorced lady living alone in a big house

she took on the most incredibly complex reconstruction projects

yet her finished work was of the highest standard

how did you learn all those skills I asked

she went around construction sites and asked the workers

people love to teach willing students she explained

when you get stuck just go back and ask again

life itself is really just one big DIY project

learning good parenting skills when your cute baby child morphs into a teenage monster

fixing a broken relationship without running to Home Depot

taking on ambitious self improvement challenges is the most rewarding DIY task