Some regular readers of this blog might recall that since late last year we've been struggling with some doggy anxiety-issues. Fortunately, we worked out a solution that at least kept her calm - we leave the dining room light on for her twenty-four hours a day (it's a good thing we're on energy saving bulbs!). The last vet we saw seriously mentioned that she may have doggy dementia. She's getting a little old so we want to just try and keep her calm. All well and good. Until the power decided to cut out at six o'clock on a Saturday morning!
I was woken suddenly, not really grasping what was different in my room (turned out there was no light coming through from the landing). Then I heard the usual banging as she threw herself against the door then the anxious pacing as she circled the room. I waited to hear it again before I moved. Downstairs, I realised why she'd been panicking but I originally thought the bulb in the dining room had finally blown because I was too bleary-eyed to realise I'd walked down the stairs in the dark and that I couldn't turn the kitchen light on. It took me a good few minutes to realise I was being idiotic trying to find a fresh bulb.
So what could I do? I couldn't leave her there because she'd kick off and wake my father up so my only option was to stand with my eyes half-open in the kitchen staring at the garden through the window. Three hours sleep does nothing for my sanity. Luckily, the lights came back close to seven o'clock. I left the dog with Sky News to calm her down (yes, doggy abuse) and went back to bed. But once I'm up, I'm up. Not sure I got more than an hour of sleep and I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience. If I'd found out the power cut was down to cable theft I would've gladly tracked down the culprits and strangled them with their own ill-gotten gains. However, I think it was just a plain old surge. No violent retribution for me then, just irritated sleepiness.
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Friday, 15 July 2011
Keys
I've left my keys outside the door on occasion. It might make me a little scatty but I've always realised pretty quickly. My grandmother did it a few times, leaving her solitary key with a picture of Mike Baldwin attached hanging limply from the lock. In the area she lived in we were lucky it didn't end badly.
The street I live in at the moment has a bit of a bad record. A few months ago my friend commented on the blackened letterbox half way up the road and we've been the victim of two car break-ins, one burglary and one theft from the back garden in the decade we've lived here. Still, it's definitely not as bad as it could it. Nonetheless, a couple of weeks ago it was pointed out to me that the neighbours next-door-but-one, who I can't recall ever seeing let alone speaking to, had left the keys in the front door. What to do?
Well, my conscience wouldn't allow me to walk on by. I knocked twice but there was no response. My assumption had been that they'd left the keys outside when they'd gone in but it was equally as possible they'd been distracted and walked off leaving them in the lock. Surely, in a high crime area, it wasn't a deliberate decision to leave them there... Well, people are odd but perhaps not that odd. So, again, what to do?
Without thinking, I posted them back through. After all, the chances of someone else not having a set were slim - if the keyholder didn't happen to be home. And, I weighed it up, if I were in their shoes would I prefer to have to pay for a new lock or new contents for my house? Easy choice. There hasn't been any comeback on it so I'm assuming things worked out all right. I did wonder, though, if the shoe had been on the other foot whether someone on our street would have covered up our stupidity or simply taken advantage of it? I'd better not attempt to find out.
The street I live in at the moment has a bit of a bad record. A few months ago my friend commented on the blackened letterbox half way up the road and we've been the victim of two car break-ins, one burglary and one theft from the back garden in the decade we've lived here. Still, it's definitely not as bad as it could it. Nonetheless, a couple of weeks ago it was pointed out to me that the neighbours next-door-but-one, who I can't recall ever seeing let alone speaking to, had left the keys in the front door. What to do?
Well, my conscience wouldn't allow me to walk on by. I knocked twice but there was no response. My assumption had been that they'd left the keys outside when they'd gone in but it was equally as possible they'd been distracted and walked off leaving them in the lock. Surely, in a high crime area, it wasn't a deliberate decision to leave them there... Well, people are odd but perhaps not that odd. So, again, what to do?
Without thinking, I posted them back through. After all, the chances of someone else not having a set were slim - if the keyholder didn't happen to be home. And, I weighed it up, if I were in their shoes would I prefer to have to pay for a new lock or new contents for my house? Easy choice. There hasn't been any comeback on it so I'm assuming things worked out all right. I did wonder, though, if the shoe had been on the other foot whether someone on our street would have covered up our stupidity or simply taken advantage of it? I'd better not attempt to find out.
EDIT 03/08/11: Well, I'm an idiot. In the middle of extremely heavy rain yesterday I rushed inside and...yep, I left my keys on the outside. Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door with some kind Asian chap (who may actually come from the house next-door-but-one!) pointing out the fact my keys were on the outside. Looks like my honesty was replicated. Not that I intend to do this again, you understand! As I said, I'm an idiot.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)