Job #1: change locks

Hello again!

I am trying desperately at the moment to upload a full house tour for everyone to see but for some reason, our MacBook isn't allowing the connection to may camera for that purpose. 

So, instead I will be updating you slowing on the progress we've made so far. It's been a hectic couple of weeks (as you all can imagine) and I will say that DIY home renovation is not for the faint of heart. I think that the only reason I am OK with having a huge hole-to-be-patched in my wall is because drywall and works-in-progress were a common part of my childhood in a 1870's farmhouse that was (and still is, kinda) mid-rehab.

Our main goal is to have the stuff ripped out that needs to be ripped out (mostly, the kitchen) by the time my parents get here so that we can start with a clean slate and focus on adding things back in while they're here. But, I digress...

Keys!

 These are all of the keys bequeathed to us upon taking possession of our new house.

That's 6 keys for 4 entrances and the worst part is that two of the doors didn't have real deadbolts. And to add insult to injury, the non-deadbolts also required a key to unlock from the inside. So, not only were we not really all that protected from intrusion but if we were to have a fire or emergency near the one door with a thumb lock, we would be stuck inside until we could manage to find the one key out of six that worked. 

And that's not mentioning the fact that the previous owners of the house were in it since the 1960's, making it very possible that someone on the street is still in possession of  a key to our house. 

Do I really need to say here that our first weekend project as homeowners was to change the locks?

 This back french door (leading into the sunroom) was one of the two requiring a new hold for the deadbolt. 

 The side door required the same treatment but unfortunately, the more cheaply-made-than-expected guide that we purchased to help place the hole wasn't working by this time and the drill bit that came with the inferior guide had warped, leaving us with a terribly ripped apart door.

Oh well, it works for now and you can really only see a bit of the raw wood peaking through at the top of the lock. There will be wood filling and staining later on to match the door but that doesn't need to happen yet. 

The best part: Every deadbolt uses the same key. And, we can easily change the locks to a new key whenever we feel like it (go out of town, give the pet-sitter a key, change the locks when you get home).

Phew! Project # 1 down, 3241 to go.