my house

The unhusband moved out in January. The first weekend he had the kids I managed to do something I had never done and that was lock myself out but knowing he still had keys lessened the blow as I was able to hang my head really low and ask him to to come over and unlock the door for me.  He arrived brandishing a handful of keys to the house, he had more than I did as I only had 2. I realised right then that the locks need to be changed in order for this to ever truly be my house.

It turned out that the locks couldn't be changed since the door was really old and the inner workings were barely holding the locks that were in it so a new door was the order of the day. Thankfully my friend Ed offered to help but we had to wait for his hand to heal following a nasty accident with a saw.

Last week Ed and his nephew came over, they had already picked up the door and some locks and started work. As I watched Ed cut all the area in the frame for the locks I was amazed at some of the tools he had. No one has this stuff. That was when he casually mentioned that at one time he was a lock smith. I pick my friends very wisely apparently.

I don't have any before photos of the door because I always forget to take them and I know for a fact I don't have any of it as it was an eye sore that I kept out of photos on purpose.

Nasty old door with a knob that didn't turn at all and a lock that had been compromised at some point

the door is hing. but that was all at this point

ewww. looks worse than the old one LOL

at least that old one had some point on it.

Inside with the new one hung

Wow

I knew as soon as I got the new door it would not be staying white! 

At first I wasn't sure about the black. The girls were in Boston when this happened and when they saw it they were unsure also but after a couple of days we all decided we liked it better so it is staying. Ed helped pick out the locks with his expertise in the subject.

Ed bought his kiddos with him and merely seconds after coming in his daughter told me she needed to share a secret. (Eds' daughter turned 6 last week and she is the tiniest, girliest, squeakiest little munchkin out there.) I bent down level with her and in her tiny whisper she said, I have super powers. It was the most adorable thing ever. She has all these powers and she knows exactly what gesture releases what power, She has it all straight in her mind there is never any, "make it up as you go along", it is all so carefully thought out. She had me utterly captivated and I loved every second I spent with her.

At one point Ed cut his finger or hand on something and was bleeding a teeny tiny bit so I casually asked if he wanted a band aid. Both the kids heard me and both instantly jumped up and reacted. I guess after you dad cuts off 2 fingers the idea of him bleeding sends panic through your veins. Luckily we were able to calm them quickly. Eds hand his all  healed now and he is finishing up his P/T.

My friendship with Ed and Jen is one that I treasure. Through thick and thin we have each others backs. The piece of mind having this new door and being the only one with the key and combo is huge.

Thanks a million Ed and Ritchie.

Now there is just one massive project left to do outside and I am almost there. I plan on doing this one myself. Oh wait, no there are 2 both pretty big but I think I can handle them. If I can't I know where to call for help!