Permits, Cowboys and Doors

What an exciting couple of days it's been on the house front! Yesterday we signed the application and wrote out yet another check to submit our house plans for permitting. Because we submitted quickly to beat changes to the UBC on January 1 that would do nothing but cost us money, we'll no doubt have a rather extensive plan check process, but that's okay. At least we're in the pipeline (along with a lot of other people who are also beating the changes). We've got plenty of other things to do during the next month before we start asking the building department what's happened with our plans.

Today Santa Claus arrived in the form of our purchases made at Antiques Warehouse in Santa Fe earlier this month. The driver was a truly delightful character, something of a New Mexico cowboy. We liked him so much we'd buy more stuff from Antiques Warehouse just to visit with him again. He's one of those people you encounter now and again who obviously has lived a very different life and you just want to get to know him better to learn what he's all about. I wish this guy could have stayed for lunch, to tell you the truth. I particularly admired his hat band. Turned out to have been braided of horsehair by a friend of his, a Native American, who is serving life without parole for a drunken murder. See what I mean?

Santa brought an antique cattle yoke with 4 hand-wrought iron coat hooks attached that will go in our mud room. The second piece is a small antique Mexican pantry door (and I do mean small, maybe 20" square) that will be used as a truth window in a straw bale wall, probably in the library since there's a little red paint on it and the library and its bathroom are kind of red in theme. Third is an antique Mexican chest that will be the vanity in the library bathroom. Very simple, but with tons of character. The cream of the crop is 2 pairs of Mexican mesquite doors. These old doors were made in pairs, each panel about 18" wide, to be used as French doors. We'll probably attach them, hang them on barn door hardware, and use them between the master bedroom and its bath and walk-in closet. At least that's the current plan.

Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about the garage and the storage locker. Not such an exciting tale, but an important chapter of the story nonetheless.