Short entry, and some of you have already seen this.
My husband’s idea of quality time is sitting through an endless list of YouTube woodworking videos. I don’t mind most of the time, though I admit losing interest once the subject shifts to how to build a dovetail jig out of beer cans and old fountain pens. (And I wouldn’t be remotely surprised if that’s an actual video somewhere.)
There’s a method to the madness. We already have an Etsy store with old shit quirky vintage pieces people love. Unfortunately it’s growing progressively tougher to find small antiques and collectibles that fit our store’s style and motto. We still sell stuff every now and then – it’s strictly a hobby, not any kind of serious money-maker – but we’re going to start adding handmade items in addition to the vintage line. The YouTube videos have nudged imagination and driven some marathon woodworking and other projects, especially during lockdown.
The spousal unit and I have always believed in recycling and repurposing whenever possible. It’s not new. That’s not to say my husband doesn’t look at me askew when I drag home something that looks like this:
Yes, I got it at a yard sale several months ago, before the pandemic knocked yard sales off the map. I can’t recall if I paid $2 or $4 for it. Yes, it’s fugly 70’s-era kitsch. Yes, it’s a swag lamp. And yes, I’m crazy. (What? Like there was any doubt??)
But as occasionally happens, crazy like a fox. I had a vision. Well, okay, some people might call them hallucinations, but I prefer the term “vision”.
Though I have to admit, even in my strongest moment of envisioning I didn’t foresee it coming out this well:
We have an itty bitty space, and there’s little in the way of lighting. This not only upped the light quotient, but did it with style. He didn’t only paint it. It’s got all-new wiring, new chain, etc.
This was one of the projects he did while I was at my daughter’s house for a couple of weeks, after her surgery.
Physically she’s doing reasonably well. Or she would be if she weren’t feeling better overall, which makes her forget she isn’t supposed to do a damned thing. Notably, she’s not supposed to push, pull, lift, or otherwise manipulate anything weighing more than ten pounds, not for at least twelve weeks of healing.
Pushing anything – like, say, a grocery cart. Which she forgot, until she was partway through the grocery store and was forcibly reminded that she wasn’t supposed to be doing that. Hopefully no permanent damage done, but she unleashed a whole lotta hurt on herself that could have been avoided. The doctor didn’t see anything worrisome and the daughter person is feeling dramatically better a few days later.
Wowee, that light fixture came out great! Kudos to you, Ms. Home Improvement! I really like it a lot.
I think ALL women should stop being pushy, but especially your daughter now. Glad she’s otherwise ok 🙂
Eh, you lose on the pushy women. We both know you like it.
As to the lamp, the husband person did all the work. I could, but it’s a point of masculine pride that he thinks he should do all that kind of stuff.
“Masculine pride”? Never heard of it.
Love the redone lamp. Very pretty. I know how your daughter feels. I had a hard time remember not to overdo after I had surgery a couple of years ago. But it hurts afterward and then you realize what you have done.
Thanks on the lamp. And agreed on the daughter. I’m grateful she was feeling good enough to forget. She’d been so miserable for so long it was a nice change, in spite of everything.