Slough of Despond

The temperature has dropped again, and with it my spirits. The locksmith has just charged me $383 that I do not have to replace the high security cylinder component of JK’s high security deadbolt. He explained that it is not the key, nor me, nor the deadbolt, but the little pins inside the cylinder that are buggered and that It Was Merely a Matter of Time before the key got stuck inside. We did a spot of Show & Tell and I now believe this to be true, rather than a device to ultimately part JK from her money, or the result of any inept stupidity on my part.

I just wish that a) it had not happened to JK’s lock whilst I was in charge and b) on the coldest day of the year as the chirpy Israeli locksmith needs to keep the door open in order to do his stuff. In fact he has been here for an hour so I guess the money is going somewhere - rather than just into the huge coffers in locksmith land. He is now telling me that the deadbolt is kaput also but that is he replacing that for free as I was close to weeping. Small mercies. Sigh.

What a non-productive blah of a day but, I guess in the balance of things, it is better that it was non-Proper Job I who turned the key today, rather than her housekeeper on Monday, or JK on her jet lagged return, and was able to do the waiting and overseeing of the locksmith.