Focus on the Good and Bury the Pans

My favorite motto is, "focus on the good and bury the pans." I’m sure you’ve got to be wondering what bury the pans could possibly mean. In order to understand what this is all about, I’m going to tell you a little story about my mother. When she was growing up she didn’t learn a lot of the basic skills she always wanted to know. When she first got married she wanted to make a fabulous dinner for my dad as a surprise. Her first try at cooking consisted of meat, potatoes and gravy. Not exactly a beginners meal, but she didn’t know any better. Well not one thing turned out as she planned. In fact all 3 items were scorched beyond recognition and 3 of her pans were ruined beyond repair.

When you don't know how to cook

And you don't know how to

clean a scorched pan

what do you do?

My mom was so sad and upset. The burned pans stunk up the entire house. She didn’t know what to do, but in her embarrassment, she took the ruined pans and ruined food out to the back yard, dug a hole, and buried them. 

My mom took the ruined pans
and ruined food out to the back yard,
dug a hole, and buried them

Then she just sat down and cried. Oh, how this breaks my heart to think about. We all have times in our lives when metaphorically speaking, we burn the food and the pans. It’s not a matter of if, but when. The question is, what are we going to do about it? My mom decided the only way to learn how to cook, is to humble herself and admit that she didn’t have the skills she so desired. When my dad got home from work, she confessed that the meal she was trying to make didn’t turn out. She asked him if he knew how to cook. Turns out he did. They spent the night bonding and cooking. He taught her how to cook delicious mashed potatoes, and gravy. 

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Later on in life, my mom’s gravy became the most coveted commodity. In fact she learned how to cook up masterful meals out of basic ingredients. But in her pride, I don’t think she ever admitted to my dad, that she had buried the pans in the yard. I feel like that is A OKAY. Everyone doesn’t have to see when things don’t go right, but it is a good idea to not give up. 

My mom’s willingness to try and try again has really rubbed off on me. In fact, I’m sure that is why I am such a DIYer. 

diyismyhappyplace

My mom learned how to do everything that needed to be done around the house. She took my little brother to a barbershop and told the barber, she only had enough money for one haircut, but she had a lot of children. She asked the barber if he would teach her how to cut little boys hair. 

I can still remember sitting out in the car

watching through the window

as my mom learned how to cut hair

I can still remember sitting out in the car watching through the window as my mom learned how to cut hair. From that day on, with one little lesson, my mom cut all of our hair. She eventually had 9 children and we all were blessed that she knew how to cut our hair. 

She also realized in order to cloth 9 children, she would need to learn how to sew. Similarly she took one sewing lesson and then worked and tried and failed but eventually became a master seamstress. It didn’t happen overnight. 

In order to cloth 9 children, my mom learned  how to sew

Some of our haircuts and some of our clothes were not top notch, but eventually, in time, her efforts paid off. In fact, she made all the bridesmaid dresses for her daughter’s weddings, and sewed or reimagined 3 wedding dresses. 

If an appliance quit working, she would go to the library, check out a book, and learn how to fix it. 

Aberdeen Public Library

Checked out a book to learn how to repair the vacuum

She started with a vacuum cleaner and over time, she became mechanically minded and even fixed some of our vehicles over the years. 

One day I asked her how she knew how to paint, do electrical, building projects, plumbing, so many other things. She told me, if she didn’t know how to do something, she would find someone who did, then ask them to show her how. Then she would just try and try until she got it right. I’m sure many attempts at projects got buried along the way, but she kept trying. Her, GIVE IT A TRY spirit really rubbed off on her kids. I guess that is why 3 of my siblings have actually built their own homes. I’m not that ambitious, but I will admit there isn’t a single surface inside or outside of my home that I haven’t updated, remodeled and changed. I guess that’s where I get my DO IT YOURSELF ambition. 

I too will try just about anything. If I want it, or like it, I try to figure out how I can build it, create it, reimagine it, or make it, but on a tight budget, just like my mom used to do, but she didn’t have the luxury of youtube how to videos, or home improvement stores or even the Dollar Store. She lived out on a farm, far from stores. She did almost everything on what she could grow, trade, or muster up on her own. 

There is a movie called Apollo 13. It reminds me of my mom and myself. The rocket malfunctions while on a mission. They have to figure out how to fix it based on what they have on the rocket. 

In order to save the rocket,

mission control had to figure out

how to put a square peg into a round hole

Mission control is given the same supplies that are on the rocket and are tasked to figure out a way to put A SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE, based on what they have on hand. Many times when I am starting a new project, I try to make it happen with the items that I already have around the house. Or with what I can buy far below the original price. I frequent the local Habitat Restore, second hand stores and dollar stores to get a lot of my supplies especially for home décor projects. 

So now you know my type of DIY. If you would like to follow me and my progress, please follow my blog and my youtube channel. And remember “Focus on the Good and Bury the Pans”