Last week we replaced the sliding aluminum seventies-era sliding glass door with a set of french doors. Unfortunately, we forgot to order the hardware so the installers could put that together when they put the door in, so now we're stuck with putting the locks and knobs on. That's no problem--what's turned out to be a bigger problem is actually deciding what kind of hardware we want on the doors. I've agonized over all the choices, visiting tons of websites and seeing different options. I even found a "Navajo" set with geometric designs--for the Southwest Indian in us all--because nothing says tribal like a oil polished bronze french door lever handle set with matching deadbolt and doorbell! I don't know why I'm making such a big deal out of it, either--the front door hardware is seen by way more people, yet that's just a plain knob and deadbolt from Home Depot. I guess when we spent that much on a door, I don't want to ruin it by putting a plastic knob on it. Although a plastic knob would be preferable to what we have now. While we're waiting for the hardware to arrive, we've just locked the back gate and stuffed paper towels into the bore holes. How's that for a security system!

Speaking of bad door hardware, I remember one time when we were in school, my little sister was trying to get to my mom, who was in the bathroom, and broke the lock to the door. It was quite traumatic, as she had broken the knob into the locked position and my mom was trapped in the bathroom. Mom was only able to try and comfort my sister by talking under the door. She didn't get out of the bathroom until my dad came home for lunch. After that, the only way to lock the door was to open the dryer door, which sat next to the door, which blocked the door from opening more than an inch or two. Needless to say, we never developed many privacy issues in that house!