We have some lovely new doorknobs, oil-rubbed bronze, good quality. BUT - beware - they open from the inside, eventhough they are still locked. So far, the only time I go out the door is when I am leaving for somewhere in the car, and whenever I feed the cat, I never shut the door AND, the other day when I had to look in the garage for the tile saw, I unlocked the door before going out AND as added insurance, I took Dad's keys in my coat pocket. Pretty clever was I. Last night, I opened the back door, went out and shut the door, fed the cat with NO coat - did fortunately have shoes on, turned to go back in, only to find myself locked out. What to do, it was snowing and cold. I walked across the street, rang the doorbell - no one home; walked to the neighbors, rang the doorbell - no one home; did not look like LaRue was home either - thought I might have to walk clear to Doran's office, but just in case, I rang LaRue's doorbell. She answered the door, wondered what in the heck I was doing all covered in snow looking like the abominable snowwoman with no coat on, but invited me right in. I called Susan who always has a spare key for our house, (Doran answered the phone and would not have been at his office) but when she arrived at LaRue's, she informed me that the only spare key she had was for the old doorknobs. Now what are we going to do. I was feeling thankful that I had not started cooking my dinner yet when she asked me if I did not know where the spare key was Dad always hides. She made me feel for it after she informed me that she had already brushed away all of the cobwebs. What a relief. I have really not ever had a need for the spare key, but I was most grateful for your Dad's foresight, however he had neglected to give Susan a new key. I could have gone out barefoot to feed the cat, left food cooking on the stove - thank goodness some one was looking out for me.
That happened to me once in Sterling - I walked out the door to the garage in my stocking feet to get some water we kept out there in jugs, but forgot to unlock the door first. We had to walk up a couple of stairs to get into the garage. Of course, your dad was out for his hour long walk and all I could do was wait in the cold for an eternity. It wouldn't have done me any good to walk out into the sub zero weather (it was winter) in my stocking feet and take a change on frostbite because the front door was locked anyway. I looked everywhere in the garage, in the landlord's office area for some kind of key that might work, but no such luck. I was pretty cold by the time your dad got back. Your dad found the spare key outside, went downstairs, unlocked the basement door and let me in, then proceeded to show me where the key was kept. To my chagrin, I realized I had left a teakettle on the stove with water heating for some herb tea. I am sure you have heard of burning water, but also the landlady's tea kettle was ruined, scorched inside and out.
