On fixing things around the house

With (a lot of) help from my brother-in-law, I may have successfully replaced the cartridge and pressure balance unit in the shower for one of our bathrooms. I say "may" because I still want to see if it drips overnight.

Some people grow up watching and helping parents fix things. That was not my experience, however. So almost every small thing that needs fixed seems like an adventure in how to deal with it. It can be a bit intimidating, especially since you usually don't get much practice with the same problems. The repairs are different every time.

But each time you do learn, and build a bit more confidence about being able to do it. And we live in the golden age of how-to videos, a remarkable and unpredicted benefit of the Internet.

Having help doesn't hurt, either.