Home Repair Headaches

Home Depot Trip #23

You probably know if you're cut out to be a handyman -- and if you're not.

While I consider myself to be a smart individual, that doesn't seem to be particularly helpful when it comes to replacing a broken storm window that's been on my to-do list for the last few weeks.

I took the measurements over the weekend, and finally had a chance to stop at Home Depot yesterday.

After flagging a salesperson -- no small accomplishment -- I told told him what I was looking for: "a combination, exterior storm window to go with a 1937 double-hung, Denison window," I announced, and proceeded to give him the measurements.

"Opening size, or unit size?," the salesperson asked.

"Umm, uh . . I can't remember," I admitted with a trace of defeat.

Trip #2

A round-trip home and a half-hour later, I had the answer: "unit size!," I announced, definitively.

"Flange to flange?," the salesperson asked.

I suppose if I knew what a flange was, I could have fielded the question correctly.

Instead, I got a brief demonstration, and set out to really get it right this time, absolutely no more screwing around.

Trip #3

Another 30 minutes later, I was back with the answer.

So, what could I have possibly left out now?

"Vinyl or aluminum?," the salesman asked helpfully. "And was it 2-track or 3-track?"

At this point, I either started crying or breaking things -- I don't recall which -- and ultimately left the store.

Three trips down, twenty-three more to go??