Who turns into a grouch when they are busy with a DIY project?

Inquiring minds want to know!

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Soli Deo Gloria

I'm good as long as everyone leaves me alone while I'm working.

I guess it depends on what I'm doing. If I'm doing something I can easily set aside like stitching leather it's groovy. If I'm working on something tiny with precision tools and people won't leave me alone for the couple of minutes it takes, that's another story. I guess I could get a little grouchy.

I do if others keep bugging me asking stupid questions.

If I'm obviously reloading or working on one of my cars or motorcycles , do ya really gotta ask, "Whatcha doin'?"

Yeah, the "Whatcha doin'?" That's the one that gets me.

It's me for sure, especially if things aren't going smoothly.

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

^^^ This.

Especially if it's a HoneyDo.

Look. Tell us what you want done. If you want to tell us HOW to do it then do it yourself and we'll go watch the game.

Speaking of which... Dodgers & Padres on MLB Network. With luck I'll be able to watch the game with Vin Scully on play by play.

Honestly it will be me if I hear that classic frase."Are you sure you know what your doing?" That one is normally the primer that gets the ball rolling.Then there is christmas tree lights but we won't go there.... You know gotta keep it family friendly

Most definitely.

Just spent the weekend residing the rear of the house. Of course, the sheathing was rotten as well. That was fun.

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All Rights Reserved

I can't stand having people watch me when I work on a firearm.

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Hold my beer and watch this!

I'll take "Who is Me" for $500 Alex.

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RIP Shipmate

Only get grouchy when working on low-yield nuclear devices --
I might get distracted and forget whether the yellow wire connects to terminal AIX345 or terminal CTX345 -- and if I get it wrong, I may initiate a premature detonation which most days will conclude the project with a DNF (did not finish).

If distracted while re-mulching Mrs Jagdog's flower beds, no problem -- I might get a few white petunias out of sync with the border of blue petunias (and MRS JD is very symmetrical with her flower lay-outs) -- but nothing goes "Boom" (so I don't end up "pushing up" petunias) and I can re-align a few petunias with a small trowel (and get rewarded with a cold beer when done -- Pavlov's theory at work).

I DO, I DO!!! I come by it honestly, though. I learned to swear by helping my Dad out around the house. So did my brother. My mom used to tell the story of when my brother was three years old and trying to force a marble into a pop bottle. He stood there saying "Get in there, you sum*****, Get in there you sum*****,". Still kills me to think of it.

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Even older, even crankier....

About the only time I get grouchy is when things just won't go right or I do something stupid and it sets me back to square one. I remember one time I was putting the transmission back into a Mustang I used to have. I had it out to put in a new clutch, pressure plate, and bearing. I had everything lined up and pressure plate torqued and bell housing bolted up. Had to crawl out from under the car to get something and for what ever reason I had to try the clutch pedal feel as I put in performance parts, I wanted to see if the pedal pressure was stiffer. Well anyone that has ever changed these parts knows that when I pushed that pedal to the floor the clutch plate moved and there went my alignment. I tried to get that tranny in place for a half hour till it finally hit me what I did. I got so mad at myself I threw a wrench from under that car so hard it stuck in the drywall in the garage.

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Big Fred

Here's a short rundown of things not to say if you want to keep the peace.

1.Whatcha doing?

2.Why are you doing it that way?

3.Wouldn't it be better to do it like this?

3.Why do you need a special tool?

4.Are you done yet?

5.You missed a spot!

6.When you get done with that. Could you?

7.How much longer is it going to take?

8.Are you sure it goes like that?


I could go on, but it's just best not to talk to us at all when taking on a project.

If I don't want to be bothered I take my hearing aids out.
Bob

I get cranky if interrupted while reading or writing, but on a hands-on project, I try to be nice as pie in case I need another pair of hands. But, like Fishslayer, I don't take direction well. If the missus starts giving me directions, she gets to inherit the project, and I go back to the motorbikes.

If it goes smooth I'm OK or a 2 hour project that doesn't take 6 or more. Seems that one always comes up when a gun event is happening. Larry

YES, for all the above reasons and then some. lee

That would be me!

My wife (a retired music teacher BTW) an I never argue unless I am build or repairing something around the house.

Maybe it's that Venus-Mars thing but she doesn't visualize the same way that I do. However, she has come up with some GOOD () suggestions SOMETIMES!!!!

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"What does this button do..."

What one could say is.

1.Could I get you a beer?

2.Good job.

3.I like that.

4.Could I get you a beer?

I used to be very particular and wanted to do everything myself. Now I readily accept assistance, mental or physical, when I need it. There just comes a time.

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Mighty 90's,Trying 4 a 100!

He's that way if we are working on something we already talked about and I'm doing it his way. he just turns into an (*&#A%A% when he's working on something. I won't work with him anymore. He is mean without provocation then.

Seriously. Under a car, I got home...nonchalant, being nice..."Hey, how's it goin?" And just about chewed my head off even after I asked if I could get him some water.

Every. Single. Project.

Which also means...Every. Single. Weekend!

I'm going to start hiring good looking repairmen and taking weekends away alone when there are things that need to be done.

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Soli Deo Gloria

NOT I....
I spent years training apprentice electricians. Answering questions was just part of the job.
The ones that I worried about never interrupted to ask *Why?*

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In dog years I'm dead.

Bless you. I wish my folks would realize that.

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Dum vivo cano

When someone asks me' Whatcha doing?'.
I tell 'em, 'I'm building a rocket ship'.
When I was launching my old sailboat. I could set it all up, have it tied to the dock and park the trailer in 20 minutes. If anybody helped, 45 to an hour.

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Field Researcher. IGC

I'm sorry.

I'm like that at times. My wife is a sweetheart and knows her way around the garage. Don't take it personal. It's just the way we are.

Back to your topic,

I used to be a hot head when I was younger I soon learned that it wasn't worth it to get to ticked about things. Energy is wasted getting frustrated about it and it don't help the thought process.

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Dum vivo cano

Plumbing brings out my evil side.

Around my house a DIY project always at least one trip to Lowe's or some other store. It just does.
Usually when I get to doing someting-the women fold scatter like a covey of quail since I am from the old school-ie I am the boss and I need helpers for instance- I chainsaw, but picking up is for the rest of the family. I need someone around to get stuff for me as I do not like stopping what I am doing to go get a whatever. My wife and daughter know the difference between common and philips screwdrivers, different types of wrenches and have learned how to read socket sizes. My son just stays away-smart boy. As far as "Why don't you do it this way" or why don't you do this..." we have a rule around our house-he who suggests it does it! But I try not to be grumpy since they are the ones who I depend on to stop the bleeding and/or get me to the ER

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Forum consigliere

Stress. I know that monster and he'll kill a good relationship if you let him.

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Dum vivo cano

Wrench,

I'm hesitant to ask this since I may be prying(if that is the case there's no need to answer -guess that there isn't a need to do so anyway). But have you ever asked him during the week, when he's not engaged in one of these projects, what it is that seems to be so frustrating to him about them? Your description indicates a consistent pattern, which suggests to me that there is some common, underlying reason for his upset. Maybe if you catch him in a positive mood he would be willing to discuss it with you.

But of course maybe you've "been there, done that" and gotten nowhere. I thought that it might not hurt to ask.

Respectfully,
Andy

Most women can multitask. Most guys single task. I can focus in great detail when I am working on something. I do my homework and usually know what I am doing. I can not focus on a task and have a conversation. It is one or the other with me. After 38 years of marriage, my wife has not learned this, so sometimes I get a little grouchy.

I design and write computer programs that involve many tasks that interact and/or are dependent on each other. When a program does not work as I expect it to, it can take hours to figure out why. This is when my wife wants to ask me something so I can start over. It is a talent that she has.

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Corripe Cervisiam

I was told by a Retired Naval Aviator
that my Call-sign (If I ever Flew)
would be "Grumpy"

I am Notorious that when I am working on something
my family usually hides or goes out somewhere

BUT...

Recently I have actually accomplished some things
Without becoming a raging terror

My Family was Amazed

So, it is Possible to change

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Compact 9mm Just my $0.02

depends ... if actually left to work on said DIY project, Im quite content to work through all its problems while maintaining a great attitude towards all things in my part of the universe ..... However, if the missus has her own project going on, she just doesn't have my wealth of skill nor as much ability to work through its problems. which means i'll be pried from mine every 5 - 10 minutes. End result is my project gets delayed and my tude is sure to slide off into the "things that suck" catagory

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it just needs more voltage

So do you?
Why do you need to know? Geeze I can't get anything done around here, now I have two of ya bothering me!

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Still Running Against the Wind

It's usually not the project itself ,but the before and after that ruin it for me. I'm grumpy all the time so a project isn't that much of a change.

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KMAG YOYO

Same here.

Sometimes it depends on the project, and if it is one of those where you can't tell exactly what it's going to take till you dig in a bit. If it's going smoothly, than we're happy. If not going accordingly, step cautiously please. Sometimes what can go wrong will go wrong.

I have had just about every kind of construction material thrown at me, from boards to hammers.

Leave a small fridge in the garage stocked with drinks and some snacks. Don't go near him and his project until he hollers for a band-aid.

I get pretty grouchy just talking about some projects.

Like - "can't you just put one of those over there ?", when there is no darn way to get power or water or whatever "over there" without major contractor help.

Then when I get started on a project, and it isn't going well, I will tend to walk away for a while to calm down and think about it. It really sets me off when Mrs. B then shows up and says something like "I thought you were working on project X?" .

I tend to have my own time schedules for things too, which don't seem to ever coincide with SWMBO's idea of when things might get done.

Sammiches. Don't forget the sammiches.

And ladies. If we are holding some greasy item with one greasy paw while trying to manipulate one or two hand tools at the same time don't hold out the sammiches to us like we're supposed to grab them, either. Just put the ($&#& down somewhere.

I have to admit that I could be a grouch at times when busy doing something,
that is until I had the pleasure of working with, Ralph, at Buick Mtr. Division.

Here's but one example of the "Ralph philosophy."

One night we had two or three 3800 V6 Engines in a "nest" on the line
where only one should have been. All of them got there under some serious
hydraulic pressure when the line transferred (lift & transfer) so they were "there."

The nest they were in was under a good size machine head, the oil pan multiple,
which torqued down all 20 pan bolts at once so we were working under that.

Here we were, Ralph right there with a big pry bar, in about 100 degree heat, prying & pulling
for all we were worth, sweat just a dripping down, when a supervisor came up and asked
"How ya doing?". His delivery was like he ran into us on the street or something.

Ralph looked up with a big smile on his face and said, in the
genuine manner he had, "It's a great day to be alive!"

After working with Ralph for almost 10 years I was a changed man.
I think for the better............

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Ogy

Yep. The answer is he doesn't know. I suppose it is just how he is. I see a lot of kids with ADHD get the same way. So it may be due to his ADD. I tell him I don't care what it is. There is no reason to be nasty to me unless I've actually done something to give you a reason.

I just walk away when he gets like that.

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Soli Deo Gloria

ME? Grumpy? Nahhhh.

I do have a personal rule though. Whatever hair brained scheme she comes up with, eg we can do the roof, siding, serpentine belt transmission overhaul or move 12 tons of gravel over 6', her happy *** is right there with me.

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

I get very grouchy

Routine tasks don't elicit the response but new territory used to.

You see, Luscious used to ask "how long do you think this should take?" and no matter what I answered, her comment was "well I don't see how it can take that long." Or worse yet, when the time I estimated arrived, she wanted to know why I wasn't done yet.

After I started including her in major projects, and I mean sawing and wrenching along beside me, she came to me and said "now I know how it takes so long. We really have no idea what we're doing, do we?" I laughed and broke The Code, admitting that most of the time it is indeed the case.

Still today when she walks up, my spider senses tingle in anticipation of THE question. "How much longer do you think you'll be?" Even if the actual words coming out of her mouth are "Can I get you anything?", it doesn't matter. I'm already thinking it.



This weekend I bought a storm door and installed it. The instructions say it should take an hour or two. It took me every bit of two half-days.

I bought a new garage door opener earlier in the week and told the wife I was going to install it on Saturday. Without a moment of hesitation she replies: 'I'll be going to Nashville on Saturday to visit the grand baby'.

I get grouchy at the mention of "projects". Hate them with a purple passion! But, i will eventually get around to doing it.

What i will not do is....mess with pipes, electricity or install cabinets and closet organizers. I can measure 100 times and install everything perfectly but in the end something is always not quite level and it almost always leads to the first nail or beam.

Electrical and water are 2 things i dont want to mess with because it can be expansive to have someone fix my mistakes.

Otherwise im good and content in my little world while working on a project unless i get interrupted while measuring something and get my concentration thrown off. Then it becomes "what was this piece for? did i measure correctly? Why was i measuring it for?" Or "**** did i cut it right"

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Finish carpentry, construction, electrical work, plumbing, general fixit all make me happy. Interior painting on the other hand will make me a sourpuss every time. I don't know what it is, even regular housework is fine, just painting walls, ceilings and trim.

Russ