Doors and Dogs
Aug. 8th, 2015 03:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowI've lived in this house for over twenty years, and the front doorknob has been there all that time. The key to the doorknob was worn enough that, when I had duplicates made, they did not work. So, I decided to replace the knob.
I went over to Sears Hardware, and found a rack of doorknobs - every one of them labeled "Not for Exterior Use". I consulted one of the workers, who complained that they'd been moving everything around, but (after leading me in circles for a while) found the exterior doorknobs right where they had always been. (Or so he said; I have no idea.)
Today, I found a moment to install the new knob. The package was not one of those all-plastic ones that you have to take an artist's knife or a pair of scissors to, much to my relief; a bit of fiddling with cardboard tabs sufficed. I got out my Phillips screwdriver, and went to work: removing the old knob; inserting the new latch; attaching the outer knob and (with effort) getting it flush with the door; putting on the inner knob, and with much effort getting it flush; inserting the connecting screws; realizing that one of the connecting screws wasn't going into its socket; removing the connecting screws and the inner knob to examine things; (repeat x n); closing the door while the inner knob is off; realizing I can't re-open the door from the inside; trekking out the back porch door and around the house, and re-entering; struggling mightily (in over-hot weather) and finally getting the recalcitrant screw to work; closing it up; testing both new keys; sighing with relief.
Oh, and letting the dogs back in. I'd shooed them into the back yard and closed off the entry via the doggie doors. Gracie was very upset by this, scratching at the closed door for about three-quarters of the above process, and displaying a bad-dog slink when I opened the door again. I think she's forgiven me / accepted that she's forgiven for whatever - she's in the cubby right now, and Buster is mounting guard so that I can't get up from the computer without him knowing.
I'm going to have to take a shower.
I went over to Sears Hardware, and found a rack of doorknobs - every one of them labeled "Not for Exterior Use". I consulted one of the workers, who complained that they'd been moving everything around, but (after leading me in circles for a while) found the exterior doorknobs right where they had always been. (Or so he said; I have no idea.)
Today, I found a moment to install the new knob. The package was not one of those all-plastic ones that you have to take an artist's knife or a pair of scissors to, much to my relief; a bit of fiddling with cardboard tabs sufficed. I got out my Phillips screwdriver, and went to work: removing the old knob; inserting the new latch; attaching the outer knob and (with effort) getting it flush with the door; putting on the inner knob, and with much effort getting it flush; inserting the connecting screws; realizing that one of the connecting screws wasn't going into its socket; removing the connecting screws and the inner knob to examine things; (repeat x n); closing the door while the inner knob is off; realizing I can't re-open the door from the inside; trekking out the back porch door and around the house, and re-entering; struggling mightily (in over-hot weather) and finally getting the recalcitrant screw to work; closing it up; testing both new keys; sighing with relief.
Oh, and letting the dogs back in. I'd shooed them into the back yard and closed off the entry via the doggie doors. Gracie was very upset by this, scratching at the closed door for about three-quarters of the above process, and displaying a bad-dog slink when I opened the door again. I think she's forgiven me / accepted that she's forgiven for whatever - she's in the cubby right now, and Buster is mounting guard so that I can't get up from the computer without him knowing.
I'm going to have to take a shower.
no subject
Date: 2015-08-09 07:40 pm (UTC)