Maintaining

A Short Story About Garage Door Openers, Composting and a Flashlight



According to the Owner's Manual I stumbled across the weekend. Garage Doors Openers are supposed to be adjusted monthly. I figured why not give it a shot.

Garage Door Hinges, Shafts and any noted bearings oiled.
Garage Door Closing and Opening Travel Stops adjusted.
Door Closing and Opening Forces adjusted.
Chain tension readjusted.

Judging from the amount of adjustments required, this has either a) never been done or b)hasn't been done since the opener was installed (guessing sometime in the 80s). The door prior to adjustment would have injured a foot or crushed something before being retuned.

The Garage Door is now a happy door. I'll have to use it more often.



In pursuing a more organic existence (and to help reduce the recent increase in barrels of yard debris around the house) I'm trying composting. We'll see how that turns out.



I was reading last night about bugs and damage they can do to roses; most insects are nocturnal. Armed with a flashlight at 10PM I was poking around the rose bushes. That is definitely a different world than during the day. I was also shocked to see a 'possum sitting there on the ground chilling out next to one of the plants. Surprised cause I live in the city.....used to see things like that at my folks house growing up, but that was on the edge of town; then I realized that I live within 2 miles of a wetland.

The crickets were loud last night and the dragonflies are still out in force......

Manly Beach, New South Wales, September 2005, by LHD