Domestic frustrations

Houses here are generally bigger than in the UK. And accordingly - at least if ours is anything to go by - they are also more complex and have more stuff in them. And of course, the more stuff you have, the more it can go wrong. Examples of things which I'm having to deal with for the first time in my life are: a security alarm system, an air conditioning system, a lawn sprinkler system, rotary ceiling fans, hundreds of light bulbs of generally mystifying size, shape and design, electric garage doors, and a garden pond complete with electric pump, filter and goldfish (the goldfish aren't electric, just the pump). At various times, most of these things have stopped working, and I've had to try to work out why, and how to get them started again. My wife is more practically-minded than I am, and usually works out what to do much more quickly and efficiently - or alternatively, just seems to know, by some kind of magical intuition - which makes me end up feeling a bit useless. It's almost like you need to go on a week's intensive training course in order to learn how to live in your house. I'm feeling very nostalgic for my old attic bedsit in West Hampstead, where the most challenging domestic operation was inserting 50p in the meter so I could run the gas fire.