The current bike project requires a set of lugs to be brazed onto the frame for the gear levers because I can’t use handlebar mounted levers like sensible people. It took a bit of organising but last week was supposed to be the moment where everything came together and I could I deliver the bikes to our in-house garage for the mechanic to fit lugs to frame so I could get on with making the bikes roadworthy.

The frames had been marked up ready, and the packet of lugs has been carefully kept in my kitchen where I’ll see it every day because otherwise I’ll lose them. This has been the case for over a year now.

So naturally when I went to get them the evening before delivery day, they were not there.

Poo. And other words.

Checked model making bench, checked bike bits box. checked drawers, cupboards and Xtracycle panniers. Found many useful things I’d been looking for, but no bike parts. Realisation dawned; I’d taken them to work, obviously; they were in my cupboard in the bike workshop. Panic over; went to bed.

Except they were not at work.

More rude words; this failed to make lugs appear.

Back to apartment, fortunately a few minutes away. Much digging in the storage cupboard: boxes litter apartment. Nothing.

Hang on. I checked my panniers right? Of course I did; that’s the obvious place if I remember taking them to work, I must have checked them.

Right, but did I check both panniers?

Looked in other pannier.

Lugs found.

Lock up apartment.

Back to work.

Bike and lugs delivered safely to our in-house car workshop. They made many comments about demanding customers, but promised to “Do what they can”.

In the meantime, the paint has arrived:

How long before I lose this, do you think?