The Wall Street Journal-20080117-A Box of Nails- a Hammer- And Thou Beside Me---
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A Box of Nails, a Hammer, And Thou Beside Me...
Kay Hymowitz's commentary caught our interest ("Taste: Ms. Fix-It," Weekend Journal, Jan. 11). My sister and I have done handyman work with our father, my mother is handy, and I married into a family of handy people where my mother-in-law's ownership of a scroll saw was no more remarkable than her ownership of a sewing machine. It's good that other women are learning the valuable skills of basic home maintenance. The joy of being able to look at something worth having and saying, "I made that," is considerable.
But the point about the "girl power" stuff getting a little old and the fact that most women hope to share those household projects with the right man is even better. My husband and I find that any project we tackle together comes out far better than the best either of us could do alone. From a simple bookshelf built to actually hold books (rather than display decorative pieces), to the current, gut-it-to- the-studs kitchen remodel, we take great pleasure in working together on our home.
And an evening trip to Lowe's or Home Depot (without the kids!), followed by a stop for coffee and dessert can be just as enjoyable as the more traditional dinner-and-a-movie date.
Mary Beth Voelker
Pinebluff, N.C.
