Another small project on the books...

I had my son work on a small project with me this afternoon and rather then allow it to degrade into a yelling (me) fit I decided to try a different approach this time then I had in the past. I wish my dad had tried it this way as it was much easier and less stressful then the old way.

I needed to finish putting the privacy film on the back sliding glass doors but my wife and I did not have much success when we tried nor did my son and I yesterday. In fact yesterday was a disaster ending with my yelling at him. While the chiding was deserved in some respects I got to thinking about my experience with my dad on projects and I realized I had done exactly what I hated having done to me. I felt bad about it and talked to him this morning about it letting him know I was sorry for berating him the way I did. I then got all the tools we needed to complete the project and we did a talkthrough with my explaining to him how and what he would need to do as well we discussed what he should do if X, Y or Z happened. We then did a walkthrough (without the film) so he could feel and see what he would be doing.

I then went and cut the film to the lengths we would need and started putting them on. It took a bit longer then I thought it would but we did get one side of the door done and will do the other tomorrow. The only problem we had was the youngest wanting to help and as mom was sleeping it was difficult to keep him from grabbing the film as we were putting it on or running away with the spray bottle when we needed it most.

While you can tell which panel went on first I must say that for never having done this we did a good job and doing the other door tomorrow should be much easier to do. We also noticed an immediate difference in the temp back here. This room is not well constructed in terms of air flow and with the A/C on 74 the rest of the house would be cold and the backroom would be hot. The sun beating in through those glass doors would turn the room into a green house and no matter what we tried there was just no beating back that heat. Putting the film on the windows was the last hope we really had and it looks like it is going to work.

Rather then go for the heat/cool control we opted for the privacy film. The doors had been covered by this atrocious orange drape which had been left by the previous owners (Bob & Carol Brady apparently) and we hated it. We wanted to put up the shear blue drapes that match the curtains but being shear they allowed the sun right through and made the room even hotter. They also allowed people to see right into the back room and that bothered me even more. Going for the privacy film allowed both the control of the blazing sun and obviously people being able to see right in to the room. They did have another film that offered better heat/cooling control but it had no privacy.

Having my son help me gave us some time to chit chat as well show him that helping dad is not always a pain in the butt. I like having him help me and even with his bum hand this was something he was able to do. He asked if he could give me a hand tomorrow as well so I think he too liked helping out.