But a little something extra is not always a good thing.

Flash back a few weeks. I was assembling a dresser for my daughter. One by one, I pulled wood panels from box. I pulled out a bag of bits and pieces, which was attached to another, which was attached to another, which was attached to another.

I held up chain of bags to inspect. There were screws and bolts and dowels and nails and an assortment of metal and plastic bits for which no name exists.

I set about banging bits into boards, sliding bits into boards, screwing bits into boards, snapping bits into boards. By time I reached step 439 of instructions, I was finally ready to connect two panels (the bottom and one of sides).

But wait. What's this semi-white plastic half-moon piece? And what about this black plastic tube no more than an inch long? Where do these mystery pieces go?

I reread parts inventory – every chapter of it – in English, French and Spanish. I took a magnifying glass to every page of pictograms. But not a trace of either mystery piece. What should I do? I could not just throw them away. What if I discover next week that I really need them?

That's when I remembered "Spare Parts Gremlins". These devious creatures gleefully toss spare parts in where they will most confuse us.

tylers lock-history reborn !!

 The new site everyone is talking about, and featuring now massive cult status Stiffsteiff Teddy Bear family, also contains details of this famous Worcestershire landmark. Nestling on Worcester and Birmingham canal at Tardebigge, this used to be pump house for longest flight of locks in Europe, which still exist, and still work perfectly. Until recently same could not have been said about Pump House, however, with sheer determination, one of country's leading chefs has transformed it into a Wedding /special occassion venue extraodrinaire, and in process saved a piece of local history intact and secure. The owners would very much welcome any material whatsoever relating to Pump House and it's history, especially old photos and maps, which could be scanned and returned by Stiffsteiff expert, or brought in person.