The post in which Tracy installs cupboard locks

Our social worker instructed us to put cupboard locks on our cleaning cupboard, so A wouldn't drink the draino by accident.

I didn't want the plastic locks that went on the outside of the doors, and our cupboard handles wouldn't work for those anyway, so I chose these. They are 'press down style' evidentally. When I picked them out in the store, I saw that they required a bit of work to install, which included drilling and screwing and measuring, but I didn't let it deter me (I should have).

Today I installed them. The part that attaches to the door will be called the 'outside piece' and the part in the cupboard will be called the 'inside piece'.

First I called my dad to ask if I could drill the screw into the cupboard, or if I had to drill a hole and then screw the screw in manually. He assured me that I could drill the screw in - just carefully and slowly.

I got out the drill and the bits, and picked the appropriate sized bit.

Got down on the floor and tried to figure out how to hold the outside piece and the screw at the same time, and then slowly drill it in like my dad said. Not easy.

I tried to tape the outside piece to the door. It fell off. I used two pieces of tape. It still fell off.

The bit started to grind the screw instead of turning it, so I put a bigger bit in. Backwards. I put it in right ways. Still didn't work.

I drilled a tiny hole into the door to see if it would help me hold the screw into place. Nope.

Then I finally decided to drill the hole and screw the screw manually. That worked. I put both screws in and shut the door.

It was too high and the door didn't shut.

I unscrewed the whole thing and put it lower. That time it worked.

Now to the inside piece. The instructions said something about marking with a pencil to get it in the right place, but I couldn't be bothered by that.

I drilled and put both screws in nice and tight and shut the door. It was in the wrong place and backward.

Try two, still wrong place.

Try three, finally got it right.

Moved to the other side. I learn from my mistakes well, so I only put in one screw before shutting the door to make sure it would fit. It did and I put the other screw in.

The phone rang. I answered it, and when I came back, I had lost all the inside pieces. They were in my pocket.

I didn't get a pencil when I was up, and maybe I don't learn from my mistakes too well, because I still coudn't be bothered to mark the place where it should go. I thought maybe I could just have better estimating than last time.

Nope. Wrong place.

Second time I got it; and now, with a few extra holes, our cupboards are nice and safe. :)

Maybe I should leave all the future home improvment things up to Brent, but I'm not sure he'd be much better than me.....