And honestly, this made perfect sense—because growing up, Dad taught Lisa and me that we could do anything boys could do. That included using tools, fixing things, and generally not being helpless.
Mom… interpreted that a little differently.
So there we were, decorating my dorm room in blue and pink, when she proudly presented me with a pink toolset. A bright pink toolset. The kind that looks less “handy and capable” and more “Barbie’s first home improvement kit.”
Do you know how fast you lose credibility when you walk into someone’s room holding pink pliers? The guys would take one look and say, “Um… that’s okay. I’ll borrow tools from someone else.”
For whatever reason, they didn’t believe pink tools could tighten a screw or hammer a nail as well as the classic silver kind. Apparently, tools have genders now.
So after that initial experience with my own tools, I made something very clear the next Christmas: I told Dad—specifically Dad—that I wanted real tools and that he was in charge of the shopping. Not Mom. Absolutely not Mom.
And Dad understood the assignment.
That Christmas, I unwrapped an actual metal toolbox filled with the good stuff—hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches, and everything a girl raised by Dad actually needed.
Yeah. Dad nailed it.
My toolset expanded over the years. I actually enjoy getting new tools—nothing says “I’ve got my life together” quite like a shiny new socket set.
Unfortunately, when Nathan moved out, he developed a habit of “borrowing” my tools… and by borrowing, I mean permanently relocating them to his own toolbox. Screwdrivers, tape measures, pliers—one by one, they migrated to his house and somehow never found their way back home.
I guess that’s the price of raising a kid who actually knows how to use them.
Fast forward to adulthood, and despite my growing collection, I never actually had a proper home for my tools. They lived in random bins, drawers, and baskets—basically wherever they landed after a project.
For the first time ever, my tools aren’t wandering or hiding. They finally have a home—and it’s perfect.
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