[Part 1 of 4] It’s a “Dad Job”

Sean and I are pretty good at “divide and conquer” when it comes to construction. Over the past 15 years of marriage, we’ve learned there are skills that we both naturally excel at — and skills that we don’t. 




For example: For anything electrical, solar, plumbing, fuel, wood stoves, or heaters, Sean is your guy. When it comes to framing math, design, decor, installing flooring or window blinds? I’m your girl!

This past weekend, I was installing blinds — and remembered vividly the first time I ever helped install blinds. Probably more like watched... my dad did most of the work.




In 2010, I’d moved across the country for love. My dad — a protective father who was always willing to make sure his only daughter had all her needs met, flew out to Utah in the spring of 2011 to help Sean and I with some DIY projects, one of which was installing blinds.




I can distinctly remember the feeling of gratitude that Dad was installing the blinds for us. Honestly, it hadn’t even occurred to me that I could install my own blinds.  


For 23-year-old Mollie, that was: A Dad Job.


(Below: My dad and I on a trip to Chicago a few years ago)

I was fortunate to have a dad who did so much for me, growing up. Other “Dad Jobs” in my childhood included vehicle maintenance and lawn mowing. I resisted learning to operate a lawn mower till well into my 30s because I knew this very important truth: If you learn it, then you’ll be asked to do it.




A downside of avoiding Dad Jobs was that I didn’t even realize my car would need something called “oil changes” every few thousand miles. You should have seen the face of the first mechanic I hired to do an oil change for me... he was APPALLED at how long I’d gone without one!




Eventually, I had to become my own father (as I think we all do) because we’ve always lived far from the midwest, and thus, far from my dad’s toolbox. I slowly started to take on tasks that had been done for me, all my life.


(Below: My dad and I, preparing to go tubing!)

My dad passed away in March of this year — and as I’ve shared publicly, he’s been battling Alzheimers for the better part of the last decade. At the end, his death was both welcomed and devastating — like only someone who’s been in similar shoes can understand.  




I’ve been spending lots of time down memory lane since then... so it’s not weird that this specific memory of Dad installing blinds popped into my head. The projects we did in that little house in Utah set the foundation for where we are today: Living in the arctic, surrounded by cabins, domes, gardens, and dog yards that we built ourselves.




So buckle up for a trip down memory lane with me this week... tomorrow I’ll tell you part 2, where we decide to move, sell our house in Utah (pic below), and start our migration north.


Until then,
Mollie