I'm in pieces, bits and pieces

Some time ago our up-and-over garage door became reluctant to both ‘up’ and ‘over’. The little roller on the right-hand side had been in the habit of falling off, but had always been directly below it’s assigned place (gravity can sometimes, when human bodyparts aren’t involved, be a marvellous thing) and was easily replaceable. Then one day it pinged off and vanished. As the months passed we became used to the excruciating squeak the door made as it was hoisted aloft, and then last week the cable attached to one of the weights snapped. Something Had To Be Done. So Ned bought new cables and on Saturday, shortly before Millie was due to arrive and time was tight, decided that it would be a good time to get this mended, squeezed himself into the garage (does anyone have space in their garage for a car?) and removed the cable housing.

Twoinnnnggg!!

Bits flew off in all directions and much cursing was heard. Two important plastic spacers, one from each side, had vanished. As a dutiful helpmeet I managed to find one of them, volunteered my assistance (refused) and retreated, because I simply can’t cope when DIY gets agitated. When I returned shortly afterwards I was told that another plastic spacer had vanished. Now we were lacking two spacers and one roller from the right-hand side. With the door forced fully open and propped up with the metal housing (the air had been blue with oaths when the door, lacking both counterweights, had clanged down onto Ned’s spine) I boldly suggested we clear some of the garage contents to find the missing (and vital) objects. This we did. Seven bicycles (don’t ask), a trailer, two barrels, a bucket of ash from the fire, a large ceramic table lamp (no idea where that came from) and numerous boxes of Important Stuff later the space was cleared.

The only explanation is that the garage contains a Black Hole that swallows important components. None of these missing items were in the garage. Anywhere.

I think we need to buy a whole new door. Bugger.