Idle Hands Abroad – From Fixing Stuff to Fidget-free

It’s been nearly 10 months since I have been abroad now, and although there’s generally a lot to do, one of the things I really miss is fixing or building things.  Whether it was doing home repairs, adjusting kitchen drawers for smooth operation, or working on the car, I didn’t realize I’d miss using my skills so much. 

You Freakin’ Son of a Tinkerer! 

My dad was born in the early 40s, and those were much different times; there was a war going on. Things were scarce.  Unlike today, back in those days, most everything was fixable, either in a repair shop, or with a little bit of ingenuity and a few tools.  This applied to everything from clothing, shoes, and your home, and included the family radio, car, and even appliances.  Often, you had to be resourceful and figure things out.  Of course, this was in a time when you didn’t have to be a computer scientist to change an oil filter.

We grew up humbly.  Mom, dad, and six kids meant there wasn’t always a lot of money for new stuff, so we made it work.  My dad was both a resourceful and clever guy, and in my opinion, could do pretty much everything, even in spite of not being trained in anything.  Whether it was building a deck, fixing the car, plumbing, or electric, he wasn’t afraid to take it on.  Nowadays, you can become a pro in minutes as everything you’d ever need is on YouTube. 

My younger brothers and I learned from our dad and never shied away from taking on a project of any size, partly out of confidence, and most often being too dumb to know we shouldn’t be able to.  This continues to be a gift to this day.  Between dad and us three boys, there really wasn’t a lot that our collective internal knowledge base couldn’t handle.

Daughters and Dads

I have been graced by two lovely daughters.  They’re both moms now, and growing up, they paid attention to what was going on around the house.  I was always working on something, whether it was wiring something, fixing a leaky tap, maintaining the vehicles, and all kinds of other stuff.  We worked together on school projects, including a 4-foot-tall Eiffel Tower made out of willow boughs that could support a couple of bricks, to a LED lit fairy home, and even a self-propelled Canadian warship model using parts from Princess auto.  Our projects were the best, and the teachers clearly knew that there was a “bit” of external help.  To this day, my oldest daughter proudly proclaims that she’s a “daughter of a do-er”, and that makes me so very proud.  Writing this story makes me a bit teary-eyed in fact, and I’m so grateful I was able to instill this in them. 

My daughters, especially my oldest, is probably more of the “try anything” kinda girl, and my youngest has held positions in the automotive industry for a number of years, including being a service writer.  I love that they aren’t afraid to try new things, fix stuff, and make it work when necessary.  My one son-in-law wasn’t gifted this knowledge from his dad unfortunately, so he isn’t nearly as proficient when it comes to maintenance or building stuff.  When my daughters need something done, and when I lived nearby they would never hesitate to call old pops if something needed fixing. I always had my tool bag ready, most likely with a bunch of other tools in the trunk of my car.

From Totally Tooled to Tragically Tool-less

So, now I’m on my adventure.  Before I left, I sold or gave away everything.  My house, my collections, possessions, and yes…most of my tools.  It took me some time to get rid of stuff, including all the tools my dad left us when he passed away.  I bought pretty good stuff; I truly believe that if you pay 1.5x more for something, it’s far cheaper than buying more often.  I looked after my gear, and after every project, no matter what, my table saw, circular saw, jigsaw, etc was sawdust free and ready for the next project.  My drills were always charged, and my drill-bits and drivers were wiped and always as a set.  My socket sets were complete, and if I had to buy a new 10mm replacement, I did it. My yard tools like trimmer, mower, etc were cleaned after each use.

Here, I feel like I’m missing a part of me…the things that defined me.  The tools I used to show people I loved by helping them out.  The tools we completely renovated our moms home with, or the baby gate I adapted for my daughter, or all the shelving and so many other things I made for someone very special to me whom is no longer in my life.  It turns out tinkering and building is kind of my love language in a strange way and I am just realizing that it may have been my dad’s as well.  That tool bag, socket set, and my drills?  My oldest was thrilled to get them.  Her fella may not use them, but I know she will and is not shy to try anything.  A lot of my other stuff I gave to my daughter and her guy.  He was super happy, and I know that my granddaughter will also be the daughter of a do-er.  This makes my heart grow 10 times, like I was the Grinch or something.

Bit by Bit – Screwdriver, That Is.

I carry everything I own in a suitcase and a duffel bag.  The duffel bag came with a really crappy roller bottom on it.  Four furniture castors riveted to a 3mm balsa wood base (not actually balsa, but close).   This bag, when loaded, is HEAVY.  When leaving Tena in the jungle, I had to roll it across some pretty gnarly sidewalks, and two of the wheels fell off.  In my next town, Loja, I decided to find a ferreteria (hardware store), and bought some supplies.  Two small sheets of 3/8 plywood, Four 50lb rubber castors, a shitty saw, bolts, a tiny crescent wrench, and a couple more odds and sods.  I’m VERY aware of my space and weight restrictions and am very careful what I buy.  Renting stuff is a bit of a challenge, so I make do with what we have here…. just like my dad taught me.  I took that cheap little saw, cut bases, and bolted on the new wheels.  This thing is a tank now.  I did bring down with me a 11-in-1 screwdriver when I left Canada, and that has been a trusty tool, along with my Swiss Army Knife and a ruler.  In my AirBnB’s I have fixed so many things, from plumbing, to hot water on demand units, and even fixed a screen door at a restaurant in Cotacachi. Additionally, because of corrosion, I always have a small can of WD-40 with me. Like the Frank’s Red Hot commercial, I put that shit on everything!

The Future of Fixing

I feel that once I settle down, I may start acquiring tools again.  I like working with my hands.  Making things, fixing things, and helping those that aren’t able to. These are some of the things in life that give me joy and purpose.  Heck, just mowing the lawn makes you feel good, so there’s likely a lawnmower (or burro maybe) in the future.  I’ll change lighting fixtures, keep the plumbing in good condition, and build stuff.  Sure, I could buy it, but where’s the fun in that?  There’s just something – a sense of accomplishment perhaps, of doing it yourself. 

…And That’s A Wrap!

What are your thoughts?  Do you like tinkering, fixing, or building, and if you suddenly couldn’t anymore, would you feel it?  What do you think about teaching the future generations to do this stuff?  Is it important, or will we stick to throwing out anything that doesn’t work anymore? 

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