Yep, this lil Thinkpad was just too good to give up on it. I love it more every day (the keyboard is so fantastic!) and don’t regret a minute having put EOS instead of Mint on it.
Done this before? Well, not exactly this, but it helps having been in IT for more than 50 years. Once you grok how Linux works, they’re all pretty much the same underneath. Just the packaging and WMs/DEs differ a little.
Also, doing a little bug-hunting keeps the brains working, always good at my age! 
And the Arch Wiki is a tremendous help.
[Putting this stinky ole cigarillo into my mouth and muttering: “I love it when a plan comes together!”…]