D and I met with Mike Tuesday at the house to confirm painted walls and wallpaper walls. Mike and D talked about the configuration of the driveway and sidewalk. I can't visualize it so Mike will draw it out for me. Stomp and drag...sounds like the title of one of the many ghosts stories we used to scare ourselves with as children. It's actually the type of texturing that will be used on the wall. Mike says the closest description is like an orange peel...that'll work. Ceilings will be smooth, sorta like plaster, not that sprayed on acoustic stuff that makes a mess on the floor everytime you dust a cobweb out of it. While we were out at the house, the new oval window was being installed. It has dividers similar to the transom over the front door. Another Mike Stephen's touch: he thought to tint the glass so the roof rafters wouldn't be visible from the outside. We cannot say enough about Gems. They do excellent superior outstanding work!

We also talked about the railing on the front porch. Mike asked me what I thought it was going to look like. My reply, "Like the picture." I was referring to the elevation drawing in the plans portfolio from Historical Replications but I couldn't remember exactly what the actual plans called for. Turns out they don't spell out anything. Seems that this is one more discrepancy for Historical Replications. First they depicted a standing seam metal roof in the elevation drawing but call for a shingle roof in the plans. Well we couldn't afford the standing seam anyway so that was okay. Second, their description in the portfolio says "Once inside, a spacious foyer is surrounded by cased openings topped by interior transoms." But guess what, no interior transoms are drawn in the plans. (This is something that we might consider adding in a few years--one of the reasons for this photo.) Now this deal with the railing pattern. I looked up Cottage Gardens in Mimi and Ron Miller's book, The Great Houses of Natchez, when I got home. The railing on the original house, according to the Millers, was a "Sheaf-of-Wheat" pattern: "Connecting the columns is a "sheaf-of-wheat" pattern railing like that installed at Choctaw in 1836." Pictures are included of both Cottage Gardens and Choctaw but do not clearly show the detail of the porch railing. Now where in the world am I gonna find that?

...Yesterday morning I wrote the above sentence. Yesterday afternoon I was going through the umpteen gillion Southern Livings and other magazines I have saved throughout the years. I was searching primarily for kitchen pictures to take to my meeting with Mike's cabinet and trim person next Tuesday when, lo and behold, what did I come across? In a May 1993 issue of House and Garden, there appeared an "exclusive" article on (then) Governor Ann Richards. Prefacing the story was two page layout, full color picture of Governor Ann on the porch of her private quarters on the second floor of the Governor's Mansion in Austin. And guess what the railing pattern was? Sheaf-of-wheat! Now what are the chances really? God's hand continues mightily in this project.

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Luke.11:9

I got Mike's fax with the driveway drawing Thursday. I made a couple of mods changing straight lines to curved ones. Saturday D and I drove out and outlined the sidewalk, driveway and back landing with the hose. Then I traced the hose with lime to give the driveway man an idea of what we want.The concrete areas will have brick spacers in between each section. It will be a special touch and really is going to make the "hardscape" look nice. I'll have plenty of room between the drive and the house for a wonderful garden. Mom called from Natchez Sunday morning. She'd been by Cottage Gardens to take pictures of the railing for me then to One-Hour Photo to get them developed. She'll overnight them so we'll have them soon. Thanks, Mom, for all your help.

Sunday afternoon we had our old (Friendswood Good Shepherd) home church group out for a preview party. They toured the house and we took pictures on the porch. We served wine and beer and cheese and fruit out on the picnic table under the trees that are leafing out. It was a beautiful day and so nice to have a chance to visit with old buddies. We haven't really talked to anyone since before Christmas. At sunset we all adjourned to Ninfa's Seafood Cantina on the bay for dinner. Perfect day!