so am I unusual - dishwasher related

I'd probably have a quick look though the manual or something and then wait for H ? I'm not very patient so if it's not immediately obvious I give up easily!

I'm exactly the same, i'd have got stuck in too, why is it considered men are better at this sort of thing!

Glad to hear it! I'm an engineer by trade so it's natural to me to just get stuck in!

No, I definately get stuck in. If any DIY needs doing in this house it is generally me that gets on and does it, again much shock to the MIL

Same here, decorating, unblocking the loo, gardening, fixing stuff, programming the dvd, all pink jobs in our house,

I just know that my H2B wouldn't have a clue. He blames his Dad for not teaching him to fix anything or any DIY skills when he was growing up. If his Dad had a problem, professionals would be called. Whereas my Dad was a plumber by trade when I was very small and about 5 years ago even self taught laptop building. If something broke, he'd have it in bits and always got it working again.. Same with cars, all self taught, he can do anything. I do all the DIY in our house, I've built shelves from scratch and put them on the wall, painted etc etc. H2B was horrified that I had a toolbox complete with powerdrill when we moved in and he had nothing, think he felt a bit put out lol.

We've had no taps in the kitchen for 4 weeks and no downstairs toilet for 5 weeks. I've tried and I'm physically not strong enough to do the taps and we need a new part for the toilet. Who's expected to source it? Me!

My instinct would be to get stuck in, BUT I have been warned off, I'm too... how shall I put it... curious by nature and can end up taking things apart without meaning too, to see what they look like inside and now have accepted I'm not allowed to do this anymore...

i don't go that far!

you reply made me lol!

I'd have a quick poke around and a look at the manual to see if I could work out what the problem was and if I thought I had a lead on the source of the problem I'd probably investigate past the point when I sensibly should stop. If I really don't know what something does though I'd leave it alone in case I flooded/electrocuted myself.

Apparently Mr P finds my manual reading very annoying. He will have been looking at something for half an hour and declared it "unfixable" so I ask "can I have a look", read the instructions and hey presto it's fixed in 5 minutes. My father assures me that my mother does exactly the same and that it annoys him too. RTFM then boys!

If I ask h to do something and it does not get done I will do it. As long as I am capable I will have a go, but certain things like trying to fix a leeking radiator is for H. But I will have a go, at most things if it looks simple.