It has always been said that where there’s a will, there’s a
way, and I’m a firm believer in that. My whole life seems to have been spent
solving problems. I don’t mean major ones, just ones that make everyday life a
little uncomfortable. The expression ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’
always led me to think up ways and means of making things better or at least
easier. I remember many years ago, fixing up a system that lit the way to an
outside toilet, one that was not attached to the house. My son was quite small
then and scared of the dark so going to an outside loo terrified the pants off
him. To overcome that problem and others led to thinking-caps being donned and
solutions found.
I can’t remember the exact detail of my effort to light the way
but somehow I concocted an unsophisticated system using both electric lamps and
torches, all joined together and operational from one switch in the kitchen.
There were no trailing wires; instead I managed to run them along the wall,
then across to a facing wall like a washing line but high enough so that Jon
couldn’t tamper with anything. And it worked. I remember a friend remarking on
my ingenuity and quoting ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’. I haven’t
changed, my brain is geared to thinking up ways of making life easier, working
out systems, etc. However, if you asked for my opinion on world affairs I would
run into a corner and plead ignorance.
These days everything is to hand, all amenities are indoors and
thank goodness... I would hate to start doing makeshift jobs again. Not at my
age! However, since Charlie the cat came to stay I have found myself thinking
up ways to deal with certain situations.
My bungalow is brilliant but, as I am finding out, not good for
cats. I mean, a cat likes to go out, especially at night. In the early days of
Charlie’s occupancy I was the one who had to get out of bed to let him out. I
soon realised that couldn’t go on. So (sorry Matt!), it was time to come up
with solutions.
There are two doors leading from kitchen to garden, although the space between is under cover. That’s where my washing gets done.
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| Laundry room, for want of a better name! |
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| Pic.1. Door to garden |
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| Pic.2. Kitchen door |
The garden
door (pic.1) is where a cat flap has been fitted, but the door to the kitchen (pic.2)
is made up of glass panels. Not only is there a step outside the kitchen door
(I think Charlie could cope with that) but experts say it would be impossible
to fit a cat flap in a glass panelled door. It was a specialist’s opinion but I
wonder if an ordinary DIY guy would have the same opinion. A new door would be
the answer but the cost is prohibitive. Since the cat has to negotiate two
doors, the kitchen door proved to be a problem. Leaving it ajar was the only
way of getting a night’s sleep. Why cats have to be so active at night beats
me.
