A cold, dull rain-soaked week when the sun refuses to appear is not as bad as it seems.
There may be no opportunity for a dreamy walk in the bush or a reverie by the river reciting Wordsworth.
Similarly, a spot of gardening before lunch on the verandah with the birds is probably a no-go.
But for the positive-minded, a few rainy days provide the perfect chance to tackle those indoor jobs you’ve been putting off for months.
That’s what my Instagram DIY wellness feed says.
So on Monday, I sat down on the couch with a sturdy pen and notebook, and I started a list of things that needed doing.
But first, I put my new Beatles book aside, then set and lit the wood fire and stoked it up a bit.
Thinking needs a sturdy wood fire.
No 1: Repair grouting and cracks in the bathroom tiles. Tools and materials: Dust mask, safety glasses, scraper and grouting. Simple job. Estimated time: One hour.
No 2: Repaint scuffed and scratched hallway skirting boards after a year of frenzied Jack Russell badminton. Tools and materials: scraper, paintbrush, paint and kneepads. Estimated time: One afternoon.
No 3: Fix that leaking bathroom sink tap. Tools and materials: New washer, tap spanner, elbow grease. Easy job. Estimated time: 10 minutes.
No.4: Replace broken bedroom door handle. Tools and materials: New lockable handle, screwdriver, screws. Another straightforward job. Estimated time: 15 minutes.
No 5: Clean self-cleaning oven. Yes, it’s an oxymoron like original copy or jumbo shrimp, but nothing is ever as it seems in this world, especially advertising. Tools and materials: Baking soda and vinegar, rubber gloves, absorbent cloth. Messy, but simple job. Estimated time: At least 12 hours to allow mixture to sit overnight.
No 6: Repair and re-hang sticking kitchen door. Tools and materials: Screwdriver, wood planer, door hinges. Another straightforward job. Estimated time: One hour.
No 7: New study bookshelf. Books stacked on the floor are a sign of creeping hoarder chaos. Another shelf is a simple solution. Tools and materials: Piece of ¾ inch plywood, shelf brackets, screwdriver. Estimated time: One hour.
No 8: Re-thread television, X-Box, record deck and stereo system cables behind loungeroom wall. Tools and materials: Hole saw drill bit, cable clips, logical brain, patience. Estimated time. One or possibly two hours. In theory.
No 9: DIY tax return. It’s that time of the year, even if you’re retired and earn a tiny bit of champagne money from writing amusing reflections on life, there’s no escaping the event horizon of the ATO black hole. Tools and materials: Receipts, patience, stress ball. Estimated time: Two days. Possibly longer.
No 10: Sort 100-plus vinyl collection into alphabetical order. Tools and materials: Sturdy pen and paper for giant list, alphabet refreshment course, hand-held dust vacuum.
So that’s it — the list is done. What a relief.
All that needs to be done now is to just damn well get on with it.
But hang on, the fire needs stoking up a bit. And that Beatles book does have a fascinating title, John and Paul A Love Story in Songs.
Shame to leave it halfway through.
Tools and materials: One couch, one cushion, one glass of champagne. Estimated time: One week. Possibly.
John Lewis is a former journalist at The News.
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