I spent much of yesterday morning wrestling with locks, with the result (having tried all manner of options) I now have a lockable laundry door, but the handle still doesn't work from the outside due to a missing bit (the one for the new locks was not interchangeable no matter how I held my mouth!). It turns out that sugar ants produce wax - and had industriously glued up the lock irretrievably, so a new lock mechanism was the solution. Similarly, the kitchen door locks again as I managed to clear out the obstructing bit of wood.

That done, and no snow in the offing, I cut more of the back yard, then gave up and treated myself to another lunch in town.

Today was the History Room and I managed to finish off the back of the jumper and cast on the ribbing for the front. Several interruptions due to visitors calling in, but i also managed to alphabetise the As and Bs in the filing cabinet (they adopt a fairly cavalier attitude to the alphabet in there, with the result I have had difficulty finding cards at times).

 While there I had a text from Heather offering me this set of shelving for the future shed - at $10.00 I snapped it up, as they are almost a hundred new (I have a slightly larger one in the hot water cabinet which I use for linen storage).

And this little gentleman's wardrobe is now in the bedroom, replacing the open rack on which I have been hanging my shirts and jackets. It may end up in the shed, or another room in the reshuffle, but in the mean time at least I no longer have clothes dallicking around the place and making it feel cluttered (well, more cluttered than it has to).

I will be collecting up the various small tools lying around the floor in the house and putting them onto the shed shelving also, which will significantly reduce the trip hazards.

Tomorrow the painter is due back (with the gardener in tow to assess the work required and provide a quote on paving etc), but the rain forecast for tomorrow night is now forecast for mid afternoon, so I am not sure if he will come after all. I expect he will let me know. Meanwhile I have a cottage to clean tomorrow morning, and will be heading down to collect the animals, drop off some dry cleaning and perhaps get a quote on repairing a down doona I have that need recovering. And will also drop off the leftover lock for a refund. With rain in the offing I will have to make a judgement call as to whether I pick up additional kitchen counter tops and risk them being damaged en route.