I did not marry my father.

The bathroom faucet really really broke last night. For the past couple of years (yes, I said years), it has been broken but usable. The cold water handle fell off. You could use the faucet by putting on the handle and turning it. As soon as you let go, the handle would fall off again. Nick tried to fix it a couple of times by gluing it back on, but the glue never cured or it was the wrong glue or he glued the wrong part or something. The point is that the freaking handle would not stay on the freaking faucet and I have been dealing with this for years. And as of 5:37 last night, I can no longer deal with even that. I put the handle on and turn. It spun around 360 degrees with nary a drop. I can only assume that we've finally worn off the threading. When we bought the house, Nick promised me that I would never have to deal with home repairs. I believed him, fool that I am. As a result, I am living in a house that is gradually falling into a state of disrepair. If I were renting, I would likely draft some nasty letters to my landlord. Unfortunately, I am not renting. There is no one to write, no one to whom I can direct my myriad complaints about the handyman. I have refused to address any of the problems myself because it is not my house. It's Nick's house and he promised me that I would never have to lift a wrench or call a plumber. The state of affairs has reached critical mass. Something has to give. And this time, it is going to be me. Sometime earlier this morning, I realized that I didn't marry my father. I deliberately chose a man who is very different than my father. Dad's a good man and I love him. But I cannot live with him. So, I chose someone who I thought I could live with. And really, it's not fair for me to be angry with Nick because he's not as handy as my dad. So this time, my promise to Nick wins. I promised to be with Nick as he is and not as I want him to be. And like it or not, that means I'm a homeowner who needs to make her own repairs. I called and left a message for him at work. I am going to ask that he borrow tools from a friend who has done plumbing work. Then he and I are going to fix that faucet tonight together if it takes all night long. Then we're going to make a list of everything else that does not work and we're going to fix that too. I might not have married my father, but he didn't marry his mother either. It is time for me to stop passively waiting. It is time for me to make things happen.