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On the first day of DIY my true love gave to me. . .

. . .A carpenter with a fair fee.

Beginning today, I imagine most people will be madly engaged in celebrating Christmas in its various forms (Before, During, and After).

At our house, we will honor and celebrate the season by decorating our house with Round Tuits.

Have you ever received a Round Tuit at Christmas? I believe I got the first one ever in elementary school at an ornament exchange. One child brought a large red, breakable ball with silver glittery letters that proclaimed, "Round Tuit." Attached to the hook was a small tag that read, "Do you often say, 'I'll do it when I get a round tuit?' Here's your round tuit, so get cracking."

You can imagine how much that thrilled me. However, the adults were greatly entertained and I quickly and willingly lost the round tuit to some grown-up.

It became a family joke, though. And as I grew older I began to appreciate it, and how its important message was delivered with humor.

So this Christmas---the first one we aren't knee deep in some sort of Big Huge New Transition and Associated Stress or Major Catastrophe (although I hesitate to curse myself by even saying anything like this)---we are finally going to get around to our long list of to dos.

While other people combed malls and stores over the past week, seeking gifts, I spent my time at Home Depot and the local hardware store buying supplies. While other people hung lights and garland to accentuate the holiday feel of their home, I prepped walls. While other people baked goodies and handcrafted knick knacks, I studied electrical How To manuals and reviewed the difference between red wires and blue. While other people devoted time to a Rankin/Bass marathon, I Tivo'd Flip this House and Holmes on Homes and watched them as if I was going to be tested.

Today the carpenter (not to be confused with The Carpenter) is coming to discuss what he can do to help us salvage our kitchen cabinets. Our cabinets are solid, hardwood. They are exquisite material-wise. Exquisitely ugly and in need of repair aesthetically. But we believe the best thing is to try to rehabilitate and salvage them.

We've got two bathrooms to paint (one needs the paper stripped from the walls, first), a wall to repair, door stops to install, a new door to stain, blinds to hang, three pieces of furniture to build, linoleum to research, and a mantle to design. At least. If we get this and the electrical stuff finished, we'll see...because the list is long.

We'll be constructively occupied (pun intended).

Copyright 2007 Julie Pippert
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Comments

Whirlwind said…
Good luck with that list! It sounds like my house.
Suz said…
Once again, you are a woman after my own heart! I'm sad that we're going out of town because I would so much rather stay here and do home improvement projects...I still have to replace the fan in the master bedroom and do some decorating. I'm saving my kitchen, though, to next Christmas when we'll be home.

I so love Home Depot at the holidays, where it's empty, nobody but you and the contractors!
Gwen said…
You and my husband would get along famously. Our house was brand spanking new when we bought it 3 years ago, and still, his list of projects to accomplish when he's "off" is remarkable. I'm like, okay, baby, have at it, but I'm going to the movies. We're such a good team that way. (heh)
Aliki2006 said…
I have never heard of a "round tuit" and I'm enthralled.

Oh, house projects--they never seem to end, do they?
Karen Jensen said…
We're going to paint and refloor my daughter's room next week. I'll be thinking of you!
I love Flip This House, Julie :)

Good luck with the renos. It all sounds very exciting. Will we see before and after shots? When you get round tuit?

Heidi
painted maypole said…
good luck with your projects. my dad and grandfather have been working hard at my house, and did lots of the "round tuit" jobs for us! it's fabulous!!!
Have fun with all that. As you know, I just finished a bathroom project myself. VERY Satisfying - once you're done of course.

Merry Christmas Julie!
At this point I'd rather be doing home improvements than baking cookies or wrapping gifts. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Anonymous said…
It's funny you should post this now, because I just saw my first Round Tuit yesterday -- in Wales.
Melissa said…
I remember the round tuits, too. We gave them out in HS as a student council thing. Very cool.

And Holmes on Homes is one of my faves, too.

Have fun with the projects. I did some paper stripping not long ago and I can tell you that it is about the eighth circle.

Merry Christmas!
Michele said…
I've never heard of a "round tuit" either but I think I need to implement this tradition in my household. How fun. Good luck with the house projects.

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