How to Have a Great Father's Day With Your Home Improvement Dad

You want to please that wrench-turnin', saw-pullin', sweat-drippin' dad of yours? Listen here, little gopher: Time to put down the screwdriver and treat Pa to a day he'll eat nails for.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Work Gloves
• Work Gloves
• Allen Wrenches
• Pipe Clamps
• Plumb Bob
• Slotted Screwdrivers
• Socket Sets

1. Give the old man a bouquet he'll love: Purchase several sizes of screwdrivers ' a good handyman can always use more. Throw in a socket wrench, a plumb bob, an awl and a few Allen wrenches. Bind the items together with various reusable hose clamps. Buy a good set of work gloves and stuff all the items inside to create the bouquet. Voila: a sentimental, yet practical, gesture.

2. Take a field trip to Home Depot or some excellent hardware store. Ogle the new cordless skill saws, laser levels and shock-absorbent hammers (and perhaps throw in a gift certificate).

3. Consider giving your dad a Bob Vila video or a book about wiring. Or just watch "Home Improvement" reruns.

4. Visit the Street of Dreams or some similar open-house area where Dad can learn the latest ideas and tricks of great builders.

5. Treat him to lunch at an old-fashioned diner. Home improvement dads don't eat tofu. We're talking here about a place that serves mugs of black coffee, thick homemade milkshakes, mammoth home fries and hamburgers the size of disc grinders. (Oh, and keep an eight-penny in your pocket for use as his toothpick.)

Tips & Warnings

• Come evening, rent an old movie: "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House." Cary Grant and Myrna Loy star in this comedic home-improvement tale. (Tom Hanks and Shelley Long remade it with "The Money Pit," but the original remains a classic.)

on 11/22/2005 Send him all of the ingredients to bake a cake. Yes, even the egg! Pack it very carefully & well. Add a musical candle for the top, and record a cassette of what joys he brought you growing up and your fondest memories. A true treasure!