Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. - Cyril Connolly
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
More Neighborhood Goodness
My garden gate requires that I go through a fairly elaborate routine to lock or unlock it. I have developed this routine over time, and it requires a complicated, coordinated, martial arts move of lifting the gate with my knee, shifting it to the right, and pressing the key in - all at the same time. Doing it with one hand is not an option. You have to set down the groceries, briefcase, etc., to accomplish the "Ninja Gate Move" accurately.
So imagine my amazement when I arrived home in between Board meetings last night, and immediately realized that the gate had been completely re-hung with all new hardware, the lock oiled, and it opened with an easy twist of the key - with one hand!
I had a cookout on Saturday evening which included the parents of my neighbors, who are here on their semi-annual three week visit from the Netherlands for the first time since the Dutch wedding invasion last fall. Dutch Dad discovered that my gate was an engineering challenge, and as a retired engineer, took it upon himself to unstick the situation.
He must spent have hours drilling the gate mounts into the masonry brick wall, re-mounting the hardware and re-hanging the gate. I couldn't get him to accept $$ other than to let me reimburse him for the hardware.
Did I mention I love my neighbors?? (and their parents??)
