F is for Fixit Guy

  

Regular readers of this blog will know that I don't use the proper names for my husband or children on this blog. I am the one seeking attention by having a blog about the inanities of my life, not them. 

For those playing along for the first time with the A-Z challenge I refer to my husband as Fixit Guy. That's because he's a real handy man. He is great at mending all sorts of things. He is known for this and its not just me and the children who ask him to mend things for them. Our extended family do it too whenever we are close enough for them to grab him and friends around town also occasionally sheepishly arrive with things that they want mended. I admit to volunteering him for jobs too. That's what wives are for I tell him.

The kids found a t'shirt for him one time that was so appropriate. He doesn't wear it often... but it is so him

As well as being a great mender he is also a fantastic maker. Over the 30 something years we have been married he has made numerous pieces of furniture for the house... not fine furnishing but very functional and well used... a stand for the fish tank, a cupboard for the stereo, the cot and change table combination we had for all 4 of our kids that converted to a regular single bed (still well used by the family)

Above: This is the only photo I could find of the cot/bed/change table combo he made. You can see the bed with the change table still on the end but the cot sides have been removed so it had  become our first borns "Big girl bed" This is the nursery set up for the new baby due shortly after this photo was taken. The cradle is set up. FG made the pram that she is holding. He also restored the dresser that is pictured.

Below our daughter is standing next to her dolls cradle that FG made her. It too was made in preparation for the arrival of our second bub. The cupboard behind is the cupboard that he made originally to put the tv into and the stereo was on top. Its still in use in our kitchen. It no longer holds the records and record player, nor the cassette tapes. It does have most of our cds in it and various other things with the stereo sitting on top

 He has made all sorts of little things to make our lives easier... things for the car, the house and the camping trailer. He made me a garden swing on the frame that our children's swing had once hung

I love it. I use it frequently and it is also somewhere I love to photograph my quilts on. 

Since he retired he has replaced the louvres in our lounge and kitchen, removed redundant air conditioner vents  and repainted the ceilings in the lounge and kitchen. 

His artistry comes out though in his wood turning. Its been about 25 years since I bought him his first wood lathe. I had no idea what it was or what it did but had heard they were good things. He hasn't looked back. He turns out the most beautiful objects from assorted timber, mostly as gifts for family and friends. Well always as gifts for family and friends. He never sells his work. As with quilting, you can never truly be recompensed for the time and energy you put into the things you make. However the recipients of his work are always blown away by what he gives them.


He makes a lamp as a wedding gift to those we know and love who get married. One of my nieces received two as he realised the base of the one he was giving her had split, just as he handed it over to her. He told her to keep that one and made another. She was quite pleased with that! We heard that the one we gave to a nephew had likewise split and we offered to replace it but he was adamant that it was fine. He said it gave it character

Unfortunately he is not as consistent in photographing his work as I am with my quilts and so we don't have photographs of the work that he has made for other people.

this is one of my favourite things that Fixit Guy has made. It was a 21st birthday gift for our middle son who loves all things kombi related.