The sash cords were rotted on
My bedroom window, when it crashed down
Dad said he’d fix it, for about half a crown
Nip round to the oil shop, he said
Ask for a knot of sash cord
He gave me a ten bob note.
By the time I got back
One sash weight was out
Dad pulled out the clout nails
That were punched through the old sash cord.
He passed the new cord over the pulley wheel
And pulled it from the sash weight housing.
A reef knot locked it to the old iron weight
Right pull the weight up, to the pulley.
I did so, while he held the window, roughly in place
Nail the new cord into the cord recess alongside
This I did, and Dad cut off the rest of the cord
OK that was easy, he said, now you do the other side.
He showed me how to prise off the architrave
I then levered out the panel hiding, the sash weight
This time it was me who pulled the weight out
Removed the old cord holding it.
I tied on the new cord, and passed it over its pulley
Tied the old weight onto the new sash
Dad had to hold the window in place
As I was too small, to hold it.
Once nailed in place
I was pleased at how easily the window worked
Up and down, with so little effort
All that remained was to replace the architrave.
Best of all there was still over half of the new cord
So that we could replace other sash cords
As and when, the old cords rotted
I didn’t say anything, but I was so pleased he had taught me.
Dad made everything look easy to mend
From bricklaying to plastering
Electrical work to, even old gas pipes
It was he who showed me how to fix things.
I gave him back the 7/6d change.

Mike