So I refinanced my house and they sent me this paper and I needed to file it or something. I put it in my to-do file, for about three years. Not really a file either, more of a stack, any way, it was lost before we moved. If it was so important, why did they send it to me anyway?
Today I got a call from the bank saying they need proof that I own the house, and that was it. Ugh.
Update Jan 22: Found it, and my old alarm clock, and the instruction maual for my camera, and my old phone, and my prescription sunglasses, and the remote control for my boat stereo …

For the last couple of days I have been thinking about the exterior design of the house in terms of elements found in our neighborhood. My obsession with this may be the fact that the 3 largest features of the house are not consistent with the other houses. These are:
1. 2 Stories
2. Shed Roof
3. Upstairs Deck
So the challenge is, how would a 2 story, shed roof house with a balcony have been built in 1951 in Crestview. So we’re covering the house with patterns that are found all over Crestview.
This will be better with photos, but for now I’m just taking notes.
1. Notched roof edge, really wide eaves - Firehouse on Grover
2. 12 inch lap siding, 6 inch flat siding - everywhere
3. Mixed siding - many houses
4. double hung windows with wood frame screen - everywhere
5. Casement windows - slightly common, maybe 1/4 of houses
6. mixed casement and double hung - common on all houses with casement
7. painted front door - only replaced doors are wood grain
8. low slope roof, 12:2 - very common and unique to this area
9. carport, no garage - attached garages are very rare
I realized that I had internalized this way of looking at architecture and had completely forgotten about the Christopher Alexander book that got me started. I’m thinking that clearly communicating the features that are designed to match the neighborhood might help with acceptance of the design by my neighbors. Maybe a sign or flyers in the front yard with photos from around Crestview.

Turns out you need more paperwork to knock down a wall than to build one. We thought we would get the permit yesterday, now we have to wait 3 days for the county to process a “Certificate of Title” or sum-such. This will prove that we really really paid our taxes (and it costs $10.00). The tax office front desk lady gave me a request form to fill out and then just sat it on her desk. Literally wedged it halfway under her keyboard with a bunch of other random stuff you might see on a messy desk. I guess all I can do is cross my fingers.
Update Jan. 20: Travis County had the papers ready two days early. I got sandbagged! Yea!