I guess I am a Texan now. Closing is over and I own a home in Texas . Sadly, I wrote these words four months ago with the intent of a longer post about the closing of my house, but I got diverted. All the prior posts were done on my work computer, and with a new home computer, I did not open my lap top much at home. Then I needed to find the photo software disc to load pictures onto my home computer. Excuses, excuses, excuses. However, we are not all systems go. First a new post and then some posts from events of the recent post...
Books of the Moment
Jan Reid: Texas Tornado: The Times and Music of Doug Sahm (Brad and Michele Moore Roots Music Series)
Wonderful biography of the American Roots Music Master and one of the original cosmic cowboys.Tom Nolan: Three Chords for Beauty's Sake: The Life of Artie Shaw
Well written and thoroughly researched biography of one of the real greats of the Swing Era. In the late thirties and early forties swing fans were either fans of Benny Goodman or Artie Shaw. While Goodman was easily the more popular, Shaw made music of rare beauty and was a much more mercurial figure. Unlike Goodman, Shaw retired fro performing in the fifties, but lived into his nineties to see his music reissued and revived. This book does a great job of telling his life and describing his music while unflinchingly describing his unnattractive personality.Anthony Bourdain: Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
Effectively a series of short essays, some as short as a blog post about a variety of food and dining issues. If you've seen his TV show (highly recommended) or read his "discussions" on the internet, you've heard all this before. Entertaining in his normal neo-Hunter S Thompson style.David Lebovitz: The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City
The author talks about his life as an American transplanted to Paris. Since is is a chef and cookbook author by trade, I would describe this as autobiography with recipes. The stories of Paris are quite good. So are the recipes.Michael Lewis: The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Riveting account of several big players who saw the financial crisis in subprime lending coming and made money based on their foresight.David Weber: A Mighty Fortress (Safehold Book 4)
Book 4 of the Safehold series continues the trend of being more action packed as the adventure unfurls. This book will be especially enjoyed by lovers of nautical fiction.Lynne Olson: Troublesome Young Men: The Rebels Who Brought Churchill to Power and Helped Save England
Very interesting book about the English politics that replaced Neville Chamberlain with Winston Churchill as World War two started. Much more interesting and complicated than you expect.Nathaniel C. Fick: One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer
Outstanding book that lets you see the front lines in our ongoing war on terror and the culture of the U. S. Marines.Rick Atkinson: The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944 (The Liberation Trilogy)
Excellent detailed account of the US European campaign in World War II started with the Pulitzer Prize willing An Army At Dawn. Reading this while traveling in Italy helped to underscore the impact that terrain had in this hard fought theater in the war.Dunstan Prial: The Producer: John Hammond and the Soul of American Music
John Hammond is one of the great figures in American music and an important figure in the early civil rights movement. He produced Bessie Smith's last record session and Billie Holiday's first. He was an important figure in the careers of Count Basie. He also signed Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to their first recording contracts. I much prefer Hammond's autobiography but this is is a well told tale.
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August 12, 2007
March 20, 2007
More on the House
Even on a Saturday there are workers moving the house forward. 
As you can see, the stone and brick on the exterior is getting done and the tile in the family room and around the fire place is getting installed.
Fire Place
Nice to see the mantle installed. 
I continue to be reminded that the framers of the house drew a little
shrine on the framing around the fire place.
Moving Along
Each week brings more progress on the house as the miracle that is modern construction marches onward.
Here you can see that the kitchen cabinets are in and they have started to build the island. I am particularly pleased to have the book shelves in the kitchen island for cook books etc.
March 17, 2007
Kitchen Progress and The Library
This lets you see where the kitchen cabinets etc will be. 
Imagine a triagular island with book cases facing out for cook books and a restaurant quality cook top with a griddle and a grill. Cooking on the restricted kitchen in my temporary apartment is just making me all that much more excited about the possibilities in the new house
The other real exciting room for me is the upstairs library. Imagine each wall of this upstairs room with 15 feet of walnut book shelves (6 ft tall). Its going to be real nice.
Drywall is Up
As you can see, progress continues on the house. This is a view from the breakfast nook into the family room.
It's a lot of fun to watch he ongoing progress from framing to finished house. I am certianly getting tired of living in a temprary apartment and looking forward to being able to move into the finished house.
January 11, 2007
Progress on the House
The house looks like a house now. Sadly they have cut down the oak tree in front of the house (since it was in the middle of where the driveway had to go).
Progress continues to get made on the interior. As you can see from the photo, the fireplace is now installed.
Also, the upstairs bathrooms both have the tubs installed.
Sadly, the whirlpool bath for the master bathroom is waiting for installation.
January 03, 2007
Identity
Nice to see the house number up.
The March of Progress
Construction continues to move along nicely. As you can see, the constructions workers have put a little shrine where the hearth (fireplace) will be to bless the house. Very thouching, even to a non-believer like me. I can't wait for my buddy, Neolithic man to read this post. Bonus points if any readers of this blog can identify Neolithic man.
Interior Construction
You can see where the whirlpool tub will be in the master bathroom.
Windows are getting installed and here's the one in the dining room.
