Victory over the dog door!

I declare victory! We decided some time ago that we should have a doggie door, but we can't put one in our back door because the glass goes almost all the way to the bottom. Originally we were thinking of popping one out through the laundry room and making that their room while we're out, but then we found the snake and I decided a pet flap around the side of the house where it's all dark and sheltered and easy for snakes to sneak around comfortably was maybe not the best plan. Plan B was getting a storm door and installing a pet door in the bottom of that.

Based on recommendations from employees at Lowes I picked out a door and a pet flap and some power tools and brought it all home. Had to improvise a LOT because the pet door turned out not to be the adjustable one that was featured on the website, but an older model that will only work on one width of door. Luckily I rock the power tools *rawr* and I modified it to MAKE it fit the narrower storm door and the pet flap is now successfully installed.

Next, get Greg next door to help us install the storm door this weekend (there's no way I can lift this thing and it's a 2-person lifting job) and teach the beagles how to use the pet flap.

Big thanks to all the men in my life who have encouraged me to pick up the power tools and do it myself over the years, and who wouldn't take any shit from me if I professed not to know how:

- Granddad (who let me play in his workshop as a child, helped me through my teen years on various projects and left most of his tools to me)
- Mr Pavez (high school shop teacher, gave me confidence and encouraged me to tackle hard projects)
- Peter du Gant Noir (ex-husband of a friend in Australia who taught me metal working to make armour. I was always comfy with wood, but metal was scary)
- Pietrov (friend in London who let me loose in his shop on a regular basis)
- Hjalti (current prince of Avacal who helped me put together the rest of my armour and was the biggest influence on me in terms of making me do stuff myself. Most of the tools I've bought in the last year were influenced by tools he made me try in his shop)

Thanks also to the women who have clearly demonstrated to me that hands-on stuff is not strictly a man's work, most notably kes_zone.

With all these great influences, it's rare that I feel even the slightest bit intimidated when approaching a project. Pay someone $150 to install the $180 storm door? You have got to be joking. Tools are my bitches!

I'm feeling all empowered. Time to install the last of the blinds and curtain rods and maybe tackle the sander so I can refinish that dresser!

I have power tools, hear me *rawr*

After the last post I went outside, sanded down an old chest or drawers and put on the first layer of primer. So that's one nasty piece of furniture well on its way to being decent again. My goal was just to get it sanded and tackle the painting tomorrow, so I feel very good about today's work.

My strollers arrived today, so I'm off to open the boxes. Squee! Everything is coming together nicely.

Tomorrow's tasks:
- chiropractic visit again
- return the full-priced stroller I bought
- return the diaper genie
- return the mattress covers to Ikea
- pick up a light-weight duvet from Ikea as our old Edmonton-weight one is cooking us now
- go to a cooking class with Rhonda

I might try to squeeze some curtain making or blind hanging in there too. And Jason is whining that he has no clothes, so I should probably consider doing laundry at some point.