Never in my life have I had as many keys as I do now, living in South Africa. Let me count them for you. Remotes included, because they are just as annoying.
HOUSE:
- Front Gates = 1 remote, but for two gates.
- Garage Doors = 2 keys, 1 for each door
- Garage Door into house = 1 key
- Back Door = 2 keys, 1 for the door, 1 for the security gate
- Storage Room = 1 key
- Front Door = 2 keys, 1 for the security gate, 1 for the door
- Patio Door = 3 keys, 2 for the security gate, 1 for the door
- Hall Security Gate = 2 keys, 1 for the top lock, 1 for the bottom lock
- Office Room Door = 1 key, yes it has it’s own key
- Guest Bathroom = 1 key
- Ava’s Room = 1 key
- Our Room = 4 keys, 4 keys for our room alone. 1 for the door, 2 for the security gate on the door to outside, and of course, 1 for the door to outside.
Office:
- Front Door = 2 keys, 1 remote, and access card
- Post Box = 1 key
- Inside Office = 24 keys, 2 keys to each of the doors to our patio. (Not going to include these into the final total as it’s just ridiculous, we are on the 4th floor)
Misc:
- In Laws House = 3 keys, 1 remote. 1 key for the front door, 1 key for the front door security gate, 1 key to the garage.
- Post Box = 1 key
GRAND TOTAL: 32
32 locks that need keys, keys that I have to worry about, so it’s no wonder I found myself locked in the house, well the perimeter of our house, this morning.
As I slammed the security gate shut, my heart sank and I knew, my main house keys and remote, along with the house phone and my cell were on the other side. I was locked in, or out, let’s go with in. Locked in, with no way to call the husband for help!
Then it dawned on me, duh, spare gate remote in the junk drawer, and I can go out the back door, one day without my cell won’t be too bad.
As the rain started pouring down, I opened the gate at our house, pulled down the driveway and pushed the button for the lower gate. Nothing happend. I pushed and pushed, to then realize we just reset the gate motor and must have forgotten about the spare remote. AGH! I rang bell for the neighbor, no answer. @#$*!
Flustered, I ran back in the house to think hard on my next move. A few minutes later I heard the neighbor and ran to the window and was banging, hoping she would see me, as of course I had no key near by to open the security gate and then the door to shout at her. Thankfully she saw me, I ran to her, gave a break down of my morning, asked if she could please opened the bottom gate and send Skip a text message saying I had been locked in.
Upon my arrival at work was an email.
Mandie called. She said you were locked IN the house. Can’t wait to hear this one.
Oh what a morning…
Source: flickr.com via Mary Beth on Pinterest
For the next 45 minutes it took me to drive to work I cursed South Africa and South Africans. Why must we live behind gate after gate, locked doors and security gates? It’s unfair to have to be scared all the time that someone is going to break in. So scared that you must have slam lock security gates installed all over the house. When I lived alone in Charlotte, I sometimes forgot to lock the door at night. Here we check every lock and there is still a gun next to the bed.
Is this how I want Ava to grow up, when I know there is a safer place across the big pond, also full of people who love us?
It’s a rough day in Africa my friends. I @#$*! hate keys…
And THEN, I get this in my email from Skirt.com:
How do they know I need this?!?
On a lighter note, Ava turns 1 in 9 days! Yay for Ava!
Blair
What the f?? That is crazy you guys have to have so many gates/keys/remotes. At the risk of making myself sound completely ignorant, I had no idea everyday life in South Africa was so dangerous. But on a brighter note, so glad you have found you in our blogging gang today from Twitter/SITS! 🙂
It is hectic here. Thankfully I have never been a victim of crime. If that day comes my husband already knows that’s the sign and we are moving back to the states. With that said, I don’t live everyday in fear and do think our neighborhood is quite safe, we just have to be aware of whats going on around us. So much poverty here. It’s a different way of life then I am use to, but it has it’s upsides as well. The country is beautiful and most of the people are warm and welcoming! Definitely worth a visit.
So happy to meet all the new people and super excited about our little gang. I think I can learn a lot from you ladies!
Holy (you know what I wanna say!) I would be no good there with that many keys! I’ve had to replace my mailbox lock 3 times last year because I lost the key each time. I also lost my phone and house key, driver’s liscense and wedding ring in 2011… I’m really no good at keeping up with things. I’d be a hot mess out there!
My father-in-law lives in South Africa and it’s the same deal there – an INSANE amount of keys and security and gates and guard dogs… Doesn’t exactly promote a sense of community. But then again, the violence there is no joke! My husband knows someone whose husband was murder and had a friend raped, so those precautions are unfortunately necessary.