Despite an attempt at sanding and not being able to get the fuzzy usually unseen edges of the door smooth, I stained them with the Watco as well.  This way the eye lands on the dark door edge, then the dark handle, then keeps on a' moving, progressing on to the bright windows in Mike's office.  Movement good, yay.


With an itty bitty teeny weeny tiny paint brush, loads o' patience, and a mistake wiping rag, I wedged some black acrylic paint into the grooves.  It's far from perfect but eh, so it is.  One a' those things:  I started it, had to finish it otherwise it woulda looked bizarro.

A smudging of Howard Feed-n-Wax*, a wipe down, and the door was ready to go.  

I attached the roller base plates to the top of the door as per the instructions, two inches in from the ends, on center.

That's the locking tab, sticking up there.  Nice basement mess still.  Sigh.

The instructions said the locking tab should be on the fascia side which was confusing as there was no indication of what they meant but thankfully the drawings were a helpful aid once studied very closely.  

Added the rollies per the instructions (two wheel side on one side, then two wheel side facing the other for balance), and really this time the door was ready to go.

Nice quiet wheelie rollies, yessss.

Ok, back upstairs.  After filling in the hinge cutouts, nail holes, random gack and divots, the catch hole, etc. with Durham's Water Putty*, I sanded, filled again, sanded,

Patchy patchy the hinge cut out.

then painted the jamb white with the I've now decided super crappy useless white satin paint.  It should not take three coats of white paint "with primer," but lo, it did.  *eyeroll*  Not fond of bashing products but I have to say, Pittsburgh Paint sucks.  *shrug*

So with the jamb pretty much in game time condition, final assembly was next in the works.

Hm.

Ya know, this is getting rather wordy.  Mike says I've been prattling on a bit lengthy lately.

I'd prefer not skip over steps as I learned some lessons along the way worth sharing.  I think I'll break this up into two posts plus a brief chat about the sliding door hardware kit.

Eeerrrrttttt, I know.  It'll be ok, trust me.

On a side note, our cool woodworking friend Scott celebrated his birthday this past Tuesday, happy birthday!  Unfortunately happy fun time was not to be as his sweet kitty Onyx passed away that very morning.  I am not a cat person but Onyx was one heck of a cool dude.  We always loved seeing him, giving him hugs, tickling his tummy.  He will be missed.  I feel badly that Scott is sad.

Not to be all me me me but Onyx's loss made me reflect on Hailey.  And how utterly heartbreaking losing a pet is.  And how I miss my sweetest pea in the whole world.  It still does not feel real, like this has all been one big long terrible bad not-funny mean joke.

And even despite going through this, I genuinely cannot figure out the right thing to say when bereavement falls upon others.  Sigh.  My heart aches for Scott.

Congestion in the face thanks to miserable allergies is bad enough -- now add in stuffy nose due to watery eyes and oy....

Ok, part two in the works, promise!  See ya real soon! (Click here to read part two!)

*The sliding door kit, second Watco oil, second wood conditioner, second Restor-a-Finish, Howard Feed-n-Wax, and Durham's Water Putty, and circular saw links are Amazon affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!