Gates

I have just as many expert opinions on gates. There are nice, chunky gates with new and well oiled latches. But I know they won't last. This is coastal territory. Just as the postboxes crust up with salt and rust at speed, so do gates. So most gates are salty, rusty, have sunk a bit on their hinges, have added wire, rope or elastics or are just jammed and people go round another way. The rule of leafleting is to leave gates as you find them, and that is sometimes a huge challenge. But you build up your gate managing skills, learning to lift up a wee bit, and never to trust a click mechanism. Then there is the issue of gates in combination with dogs. I'm terrified of dogs, all dogs. There are dogs who are well matched to their gates, and they come out yapping or howling to warn me off touching the gate, or maybe begging me to open up so they can escape. I don't speak dog. In deepest Kilkeel, I met a wee tiny bulldog type person, throwing himself at a very wee wall and gate. But he just didn't bounce, and dinged himself off it every time. His family just had to do without a leaflet. Just down the street however, was a very high fence with built in gate. The fence reached right up to the bathroom window, really high. BUT, there was a doggy person right behind it that I suspect had the use of a trampoline, so high could he jump to peep out. At least his relatives could get their leaflet because his fence kept him jumping in the back garden only, well away from me. I was impressed though.