, March 5 -- Despite that, I have learned that there are some duties a husband cannot avoid. And minor household repairs are first in that line. It is one of the age-old tests of masculinity, after all.

So, now and then, on a Saturday usually, I get in the car and head for the nearest Builders Warehouse. That's some testimony to the power of the brand, that I subconsciously believe they will have what I am looking for and that it will be reasonably priced, too.

Quite often, though, the friendly neighbourhood hardware oke just up the road is just as useful, as is Builders' rival, Chamberlains. Still, we (my wife can't resist plants and things for the garden) have spent a lot of money over the years at Builders. That's probably why the la...