I try something new

I completed my first plumbing job today, and I was quite proud of myself. It was a simple job - we replaced the flexible water pipe on the dishwasher. Because my husband is more knowledgeable than I am in matters of plumbing, I always had the task of assisting him by fetching tools for him, and holding the light and reading the instructions on the product. Today, however, he was having trouble seeing and so I applied the teflon tape and tightened up the connection to the water pipe. Then I connected up the other end, turned on the water, and all seems to be well under there. It was much easier than I had expected and I sincerely hope there will be no leaking. I do enjoy having a dishwasher working once again.
In days gone by, I was always right beside my husband when he did the many remodeling jobs that he attempted. Crawling under the house, tearing out sheet rock and putting in a concrete foundation, I was right there as his assistant. I was the "go for" person and since I could drive a car then, I got to go to hardware stores and paint stores very often. I used to joke that when I am laid out for the hereafter, I want to be presented with a paint brush in one hand and a piece of sandpaper in the other. A screwdrivr and wrench would do as well. When my husband suffered the loss of most of his vision, he never hesitated for a moment but went right on working as before. With my help in measuring, he put down a beautiful hardwood floor in our house, mostly by feel alone. He can still do electrical wiring and was able to repair the dishwasher with a little help from me. We joke that I am his eyes and he is my brain. He has a phenomenal memory, especially where money is concerned.
I suppose the accident that caused his vision loss was the defining moment of our lives. He had been retired less than a year and of course we were planning on traveling and having the usual freedom that comes with not having to work anymore. We tried a few trips where I did the driving, but it made him so nervous that we soon gave it up. He has made quite a good adjustment but I am sure he feels his disability keenly. It happened twenty years ago in October. If only we could turn back the clock!