Minor Strangeness (IHTM)

Floyd1 said:
And now that's been (hopefully) solved, can I urge you all to get some sash-jammers. They're not only an extra security feature for nighttime, but can also be used in the daytime when you're in, to save wear and tear from continually locking and unlocking the door (if you're going outside to the garden etc regularly);
Cheap and easy to fit.
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I don't lock my door when I'm going in and out. I quite frequently don't lock it when I'm out running with the dog, either. It is basically only locked if I'm going out all day, when I go to work and at night. Before you all come round to burgle me, I've got nothing worth stealing, my next door neighbour would notice you and the dog attacks on sight.

Mostly it's because locking the front door involves pushing up a handle and turning the key in the lock at the same time - a manoevre which is impossible to carry out if you've got a dog lead with an excited dog on in one of your hands, and letting go means the dog will run straight out onto the road. I have no idea why doors were designed with such a stupid feature, it must be even worse if you're trying to wrangle toddlers or your hands are full of things you can't put down.
 
catseye said:
I don't lock my door when I'm going in and out. I quite frequently don't lock it when I'm out running with the dog, either. It is basically only locked if I'm going out all day, when I go to work and at night. Before you all come round to burgle me, I've got nothing worth stealing, my next door neighbour would notice you and the dog attacks on sight.

Mostly it's because locking the front door involves pushing up a handle and turning the key in the lock at the same time - a manoevre which is impossible to carry out if you've got a dog lead with an excited dog on in one of your hands, and letting go means the dog will run straight out onto the road. I have no idea why doors were designed with such a stupid feature, it must be even worse if you're trying to wrangle toddlers or your hands are full of things you can't put down.
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It brings the door closer and allows the security 'brackets' to engage into the recesses of the frame.

I've just never felt comfortable with only one key lock.
 
Floyd1 said:
It brings the door closer and allows the security 'brackets' to engage into the recesses of the frame.

I've just never felt comfortable with only one key lock.
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But there must be plenty of other methods for door locking that don't involve having two useable hands. What about people who have had strokes, or suffer paralysis or, indeed, only have one hand?
 
My front door can't be opened from outside without the key. When I go out I raise the handle to engage the multi-point bolts and then turn the key to lock the door. I don't have to keep the handle raised while I turn the key.
The back door lock is the normal type and can be opened from outside without a key.
 
Mythopoeika said:
My Mum has a friend who knows Nadiya.
I'm not quite Kevin Bacon yet.
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In our house Kevin Bacon is known as Tommy Sausage’s…....…..or at least that’s what my 10 year son thinks.

Mr Bacon come will come on one of those mobile phone adverts, and I’ll say, oh look who’s on the telly son, and he’ll reply with oh that’s Tommy Sausage’s dad. :)

He’s gonna give a right old shoeing when he gets older (My son that is, not Kevin Bacon lol)
 
catseye said:
I don't lock my door when I'm going in and out. I quite frequently don't lock it when I'm out running with the dog, either. It is basically only locked if I'm going out all day, when I go to work and at night. Before you all come round to burgle me, I've got nothing worth stealing, my next door neighbour would notice you and the dog attacks on sight.

Mostly it's because locking the front door involves pushing up a handle and turning the key in the lock at the same time - a manoevre which is impossible to carry out if you've got a dog lead with an excited dog on in one of your hands, and letting go means the dog will run straight out onto the road. I have no idea why doors were designed with such a stupid feature, it must be even worse if you're trying to wrangle toddlers or your hands are full of things you can't put down.
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In a job visiting clients at home I learned all about the various methods of locking/unlocking different makes of double-glazed doors.
An education in itself.
 
This week I seem to have been adopted by a young swallow. It flies in through the open back door and yesterday came to sit next to me on the settee whilst I was sorting out paperwork. Twittered away at me and then came back later in the afternoon. Today it perched on a spade in the garage while I was fettling a car. Watched me intently and then flew off. Maybe hungry and wanted me to feed it, but there is a lot to eat in the garden at the moment. I've had many animals and birds venturing into the house over the years but never a swallow. strange behaviour indeed.
 
PeteS said:
This week I seem to have been adopted by a young swallow. It flies in through the open back door and yesterday came to sit next to me on the settee whilst I was sorting out paperwork. Twittered away at me and then came back later in the afternoon. Today it perched on a spade in the garage while I was fettling a car. Watched me intently and then flew off. Maybe hungry and wanted me to feed it, but there is a lot to eat in the garden at the moment. I've had many animals and birds venturing into the house over the years but never a swallow. strange behaviour indeed.
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Last spring Pete, we had a little robin redbreast come knocking at our bedroom window. It would stand on the outer window ledge and peck at the window for a full 5 minutes. Obviously looking at its own reflection.

You could set your clock by it - 7am every day for an entire month. Haven’t seen it since though.
 
Eponastill said:
Our door makes a similar noise and I tracked it down to the little cover (indoors) over the keyhole wobbling in the breeze. Weirdly regular noise tickticktickticktick. I rarely lock this lock from the inside (just leave it on the yale lock) so I sorted it with a bit of sellotape to keep the damn thing still. It must have been barely moving as it wasn't visible. Maybe some sort of standing wave with the air whistling over the keyhole outside like a flute or something?
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That was definitely the cause on my door so thanks - it was bugging me. The weird thing is, I’ve lived her for 20+ years & never knowingly noticed it before.
 
Dick Turpin said:
Last spring Pete, we had a little robin redbreast come knocking at our bedroom window. It would stand on the outer window ledge and peck at the window for a full 5 minutes. Obviously looking at its own reflection.

You could set your clock by it - 7am every day for an entire month. Haven’t seen it since though.
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I had a robin come into the house several times. It would be very scared and couldn't find it's way out despite flying past the open the door several times. It usually ended up playing dead on the kitchen window sill faking a broken wing. This allowed me to gently scoop it up and carry it out in the garden where it flew off. It never seemed to learn though and repeated this a number of times.
 
I lost my keys today - house, car, bike lock. It’s a fairly bulky bunch as the car key is quite large. I NEVER lose my keys as I always keep them in my pocket.

I spent a good 3/4 of an hour searching everywhere but couldn’t find them. I started to think maybe Alzheimers setting in. I had to go out so clicked the Yale to ‘off’ position [couldn’t find spare - made note to get spares cut] & used a spare key to lock the Chubb.

Came home, went upstairs & found the bunch on the floor close to the swivel office type chair in the room. They could’ve been hiding behind one of the wheels all the time I suppose but I’d been into the room several times whilst searching & didn’t spot them. Can’t be certain whether I moved the chair or not.

The ‘normal’ explanation is I dropped them & they landed hidden by a chair wheel, but I think I’d have heard the impact when they hit the floor. I just tried dropping them from sitting height & it made a very noticeable sound. You couldn’t possibly not hear it. I’m surprised I didn’t notice them if they were there all the time but short of weirdness, gotta be it.
 
catseye said:
I don't lock my door when I'm going in and out. I quite frequently don't lock it when I'm out running with the dog, either. It is basically only locked if I'm going out all day, when I go to work and at night. Before you all come round to burgle me, I've got nothing worth stealing, my next door neighbour would notice you and the dog attacks on sight.

Mostly it's because locking the front door involves pushing up a handle and turning the key in the lock at the same time - a manoevre which is impossible to carry out if you've got a dog lead with an excited dog on in one of your hands, and letting go means the dog will run straight out onto the road. I have no idea why doors were designed with such a stupid feature, it must be even worse if you're trying to wrangle toddlers or your hands are full of things you can't put down.
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I cannot imagine leaving the house without locking the apartment door, and then the front downstairs door.
I once had a front door which, when leaving the house, had to be opened with a key on the inside. Which is actually illegal, because if there were a fire or something similar and you had to leave in a hurry, you wouldn't be able to get out without the key!
 
hunck said:
I lost my keys today - house, car, bike lock. It’s a fairly bulky bunch as the car key is quite large. I NEVER lose my keys as I always keep them in my pocket.

I spent a good 3/4 of an hour searching everywhere but couldn’t find them. I started to think maybe Alzheimers setting in. I had to go out so clicked the Yale to ‘off’ position [couldn’t find spare - made note to get spares cut] & used a spare key to lock the Chubb.

Came home, went upstairs & found the bunch on the floor close to the swivel office type chair in the room. They could’ve been hiding behind one of the wheels all the time I suppose but I’d been into the room several times whilst searching & didn’t spot them. Can’t be certain whether I moved the chair or not.

The ‘normal’ explanation is I dropped them & they landed hidden by a chair wheel, but I think I’d have heard the impact when they hit the floor. I just tried dropping them from sitting height & it made a very noticeable sound. You couldn’t possibly not hear it. I’m surprised I didn’t notice them if they were there all the time but short of weirdness, gotta be it.
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Do you have a cat Hunck?
 
hunck said:
I NEVER lose my keys as I always keep them in my pocket.
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That's precisely why I used to misplace keys. They could be in a coat pocket, but which coat? Or a jeans one, shorts, cardigan, dress, skirt, maybe slung in a bag of groceries after shopping.

My cure was to keep keys on ski-pass type lanyards. The car and front door key go on the separating end and the rest stay on the long bit.
When I get in, the two sections are rejoined and the whole lot is looped over a hook beside the front door.

Works well. Take THAT, house polts. :dsist:
 
escargot said:
That's precisely why I used to misplace keys. They could be in a coat pocket, but which coat? Or a jeans one, shorts, cardigan, dress, skirt, maybe slung in a bag of groceries after shopping.

My cure was to keep keys on ski-pass type lanyards. The car and front door key go on the separating end and the rest stay on the long bit.
When I get in, the two sections are rejoined and the whole lot is looped over a hook beside the front door.

Works well. Take THAT, house polts. :dsist:
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I get endless complaints about the weight of my jackets when they apparently "need" to be moved. Weighed down by numerous keys equally balanced side to side. My explanations seem to fall on deaf ears but I've never not been able to find a key unlike those around me who continue to ask "have you seen.....?".
 
PeteS said:
I get endless complaints about the weight of my jackets when they apparently "need" to be moved. Weighed down by numerous keys equally balanced side to side. My explanations seem to fall on deaf ears but I've never not been able to find a key unlike those around me who continue to ask "have you seen.....?".
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My keys only go missing when someone thoughtfully moves them.
I have each set on lanyards and can tell at a glance where they all are unless Techy decides to get a set down for me. I hate that.
 
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