Ever had one of those days?
I did today.
My intention was to pop over to Waitrose in the morning and then at 2pm my darling wife and I were off for the treat of the day (NOT), a trip to the surgery for our belated flu jabs.
After that exciting day out I intended to fit a new front door lock tomorrow as our old one was getting difficult, screw missing, hanging a bit loose but still workable until early this morning the whole fixing just dropped off.
Fortunately the new lock had arrived yesterday.
No worries, start the working day a bit early but should still have time to get up to Waitrose (I have just run out of my favourite cheese, a very, very mature Cornish Cheddar) then be back in time for lunch before setting off for the surgery.
All’s well, removed the last vestiges of the old lock and then tried a dry run with the new lock (a Yale, but unlike any Yale I had ever seen before), at which point I realised the piece which attached to the door jamb, to receive the sliding lever, was too wide, which meant chiselling out a recess into the masonry.
I was aware that under the plaster there was some tough masonry (I know because over the years I have blunted a few drill bits while fitting kitchen cupboards or just trying to hang a picture) and, although I had some strong chisels it still took a good 40 minutes just for that.
Next obstacle? The cylinder was too short to reach the outer surface of the door which meant chiseling out a square section on the inside of the door to inset the box of mechanical bits.
Sounds easy but not when it’s some tough old wood and it had to be squared off and to a precise depth.
By the time I had finished this, checking every five minutes to ensure the rebate was not too shallow, or too deep, and also checking, frequently, that the keys (there were four of them) all worked correctly).
By the time I had the whole lot done it was too late to go shopping so we had our lunch and then got ready to go and have the jabs.
Now I mentioned my new (well new to me) Mondeo.
I’m still trying to get used to it.
The dashboard might just as well be the flight deck of a Jumbo jet.
I’ve managed to get the clock going, plus windscreen wipers, side lights and indicators. The automatic side is coming along and I manage to keep my left foot out of the way.
Today it really threw a wobbly at me.
I had unlocked the passenger door for Marion (still got to sort out getting a new battery for the key so that I can open all the doors my remote control) unlocked my side and got in, but as soon as I put the key in the ignition and started the engine the alarm went off at full volume and the indicators all came on at once.
Now I’m not used to having an alarm so didn’t know exactly what to do. I turned the ignition off but the alarm kept going even when I took the key out and got out. Eventually the alarm stopped but the indicators kept going.
I kept trying to start the car but nothing worked and eventually Marion went back inside to call the surgery and rearrange the appointments.
Every tine I tried to start the car the alarm went off.
In the end I waited for the alarm to stop and then locked the doors.
When I did this the indicator lights went off.
I then unlocked the door and nothing happened.
That’s when I realised that when I initially unlocked the driver’s door I had turned the key the wrong way at first and had delayed actually turning it the other way. Apparently the alarm senses this as an illegal entry.
The sooner I get the key sorted out for remote locking and unlocking the better it will be.
If I could avoid doors I would but they are always there.
Robin's Nest 