Fifty Plus (50+) - A new low!

So, I figure before my ride today, I'll grab the chain saw and cut up some of the dead wood that is laying on our property (there is quite a bit of it from previous storms). I think to myself, "it will be nice to come home and have some wood with which to make a warm fire in the fireplace." I tell my other half that I'm going out to cut wood. I pull on a pair of flannel lined trousers, insulated shoes, my wool beanie, grab my chain saw, exit through the garage leaving the door up.

Half an hour later, the saw is out of gas, so I return to the garage only to find the door closed. Other half has left and locked me out of the house.

I have no phone, no money, no glasses, don't know her cell phone number (it's speed dial 1 on my cell phone), and have no idea when she will be returning.

I hang around outside for an hour, then decide to bite the bullet and break a pane at the back door to gain access. I take one of my newly cut logs and bash it into the window - nothing. Again, harder this time - nothing. Once more - nothing.

I decide that the window (or my higher power) is telling me to forgo the expense of fixing a broken window, so, I trudge off to the library about three miles away.

It's really cold here today, and the wind is blowing. I wish I had my real gloves - all I have on is a pair of leather work gloves. I alternate hands under my wool beanie to keep them from getting too cold. Once at the library, I access the net to send out some emails to the kids who can dial the mrs on my behalf.

Long story short, 5 hrs later, I regain proper access to my house. I no longer feel like riding, and building a fire isn't as appealing to me now.

I don't know what the Mrs. was thinking when she went out. I was within 15 feet of the house at the time making a loud ruckus with the chain saw.

She says she is sorry. Guess that will have to do.

Caruso

So, I figure before my ride today, I'll grab the chain saw and cut up some of the dead wood that is laying on our property (there is quite a bit of it from previous storms). I think to myself, "it will be nice to come home and have some wood with which to make a warm fire in the fireplace." I tell my other half that I'm going out to cut wood. I pull on a pair of flannel lined trousers, insulated shoes, my wool beanie, grab my chain saw, exit through the garage leaving the door up.

Half an hour later, the saw is out of gas, so I return to the garage only to find the door closed. Other half has left and locked me out of the house.

I have no phone, no money, no glasses, don't know her cell phone number (it's speed dial 1 on my cell phone), and have no idea when she will be returning.

I hang around outside for an hour, then decide to bite the bullet and break a pane at the back door to gain access. I take one of my newly cut logs and bash it into the window - nothing. Again, harder this time - nothing. Once more - nothing.

I decide that the window (or my higher power) is telling me to forgo the expense of fixing a broken window, so, I trudge off to the library about three miles away.

It's really cold here today, and the wind is blowing. I wish I had my real gloves - all I have on is a pair of leather work gloves. I alternate hands under my wool beanie to keep them from getting too cold. Once at the library, I access the net to send out some emails to the kids who can dial the mrs on my behalf.

Long story short, 5 hrs later, I regain proper access to my house. I no longer feel like riding, and building a fire isn't as appealing to me now.

I don't know what the Mrs. was thinking when she went out. I was within 15 feet of the house at the time making a loud ruckus with the chain saw.

She says she is sorry. Guess that will have to do.

Caruso

Only one way she could make it up to you. Get you a new bike!

Had afriend that was locked out of the house once- Within a few weeks the wife had also changed the locks- Packed all his clothes in a suitcase- and dumped them into his Car.

The wife said she was sorry aswell.

Half an hour later, the saw is out of gas, so I return to the garage only to find the door closed. Other half has left and locked me out of the house.
Couldn't you siphon some gas from your car and open the door with universal key that you were carrying?

Should have gotten out the log splitting maul. Using that will definitely keep you warm and, after 5 hours of log splitting, you certainly won't need any more exercise.

That's the kind of story that makes me glad a keep a key hidden on the property (about 25 yards away from the house). She says she's sorry? ! ? Well, I think actions speak louder than words.... a trip to the LBS with checkbook in hands makes sense to me.

I would have been so mad I would have broken the window any way. You've got some good control.

I don't know what the Mrs. was thinking when she went out. ICaruso

Either she didn't give it a thought, or she assumed that you had your keys since you were outside of the door.

You'll never win the fight on that one.

My ex managed to lock me in the breezeway of our house in only a bathrobe once. I went out to say goodbye to her as she left for work, so she locked the gate to the breezeway after she went through it because she knew I didn't have the house keys in my bathrobe. But after she left, I went back to the front door and discovered that she had also locked the front door...


It took me a while but I figured out how to unlock and get through a small bedroom window that was 5 feet up. Just best to laugh about it.

If you had tried the walk here today, you might have frozen to death. Right now, as I type this, the wind chill factor is -28.

A few years I picked out a window to break in case this happens. My garage window. Unheated garage, simple single-pane glass window. Cheap to fix. The rest of the house has expensive, double-pane/glazed/argon gas filled windows that would set me back at least $200 if I broke one. And breaking one means breaking through two panes of glass.

But as I also have a front door key underneath a rock (which not near to my front door) in my yard, I always have a way in. That key was placed out there after we got back from a vacation and were locked out of the house for 2 hours waiting for my daughter, who borrowed the key, to show up. Now digging out that key would have been a real task today, with 6" of snow covering it and the rock likely being frozen to the ground in sub-zero temps.

Things could have been worse. You might have broken the pane and cut yourself.

Only one way she could make it up to you. Get you a new bike!


At the very least a new garage door opener with a keypad:)

Carusowi...you made my day....I thought I was the only one who had things like that happen.

Sorry it happened but that's a great story......Glad you had the presence to find a warm place to hang out!

At the very least a new garage door opener with a keypad:)

That's what I've got. Then I've got a house key hidden inside the garage. If someone were to break into it, there is so much stuff in there it would take him at least a full day to find it. In fact one day I got locked out and had to use the key to get in. Unknown to me, my wife didn't put the key back to where it belonged. It took me almost a half hour to find it and it was only about 2 feet from where it should have been.

I would have been so mad I would have broken the window any way. You've got some good control.

- - not control, really. I wanted to break that window, but, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking that two minutes after I smash it, she'll show up. Worse, I'm going to have to deal with the broken window, and that would take up at least the rest of my day - so, really, what's the point.

The stuff must be double pane - I can tell you it's tough because if I had hit it any harder, I believe the door jamb and latching hardware would have failed.

Caruso

Thats why I never leave the house in any way withour my keys. I am pretty anal about it, I even keep my keys with me when I mow the lawn.

If you have a wallet with a credit card, you have a universal key;)

perhaps its my second marriage - tell me again why its HER fault?????


I always - - -always - - - always - - - - 'never' blame her for circumstances that happen to me.

perhaps its my second marriage - tell me again why its HER fault?????


I always - - -always - - - always - - - - 'never' blame her for circumstances that happen to me.

Well, actually, I don't remember ever stating that it was (is) her fault. FWIW, this is my first and only marriage. We celebrated 33 years together last December.

I did say (in my post and to the Mrs.) that I don't know what she was thinking about. OTOH, it wouldn't be the first time one of us in a moment of absent minded habit locked the other out. OTOH, neither of us ever leaves the house without saying goodbye and telling the other when we expect to return. I cannot remember a previous occasion when one of us locked the doors and left the premises when the other was outside working/whatever.

I didn't blow up at her - and she stated that she was sorry.

I just reckon that's good enough.

If y'all want to hide a key outside, that's fine. If you never, ever step outside, even for 15 minutes without your key, well, that's ok, too.

My initial reaction this weekend was aggravation, but, after reality set in, it was easy to understand how it happened - her mind was on where she was going, and, for a moment, consideration for me was not top priority.

It was pretty cold, but it was not the end of the world.

If I lived in a really remote location, I probably would be more exacting about keeping keys on me at all times - OTOH, in such an isolated setting, we might not be so anal about locking the house up all the time.

If at any time this weekend, I had felt my safety threatened for any reason, you can bet I would have kept beating on that glass until it broke.

Caruso

If you have a wallet with a credit card, you have a universal key;)

Unless you have deadbolts. Or even a deadlatch.

Az

I have one of these on the door from the garage to the house:

http://www.lockandhinge.com/scripts/main.cgi?action=big&product=7008

And a keypad for the garage door opener.

This may seem like a lot of trouble, but I live in a larger city and we've had some trouble with thieves who watch for older people working in thier yards and then head into the house to help themselves. This allows me to keep the house locked up while I'm working outside and still have easy access. And I don't have to carry or hide keys.

The wife did manage to lock me out once, and it was a simple thing to get back in the house.

Az

OTOH, in such an isolated setting, we might not be so anal about locking the house up all the time.
Caruso

I'm either naive, or optimistic, but we seldom lock our back door . . . I've always lived in small towns and have never had a problem. And if you needed a ride, my pickup keys are always in the ignition ;)

In fact, I'm more paranoid about someone stealing my bike!

I also have a keypad on our garage door, which is a great convenience.

Only one way she could make it up to you. Get you a new bike!

Well....there might be other ways.