Monday, May 01, 2006

Gracias, Amigo!

I am so itchy to get into our new house. We've got piles of stuff everywhere in the apartment. It's such a challenge to be in limbo. Yes, we move in tomorrow. But I would love to bring some things over today. All the clothes we have here at the apartment, various stuff from the frig and the pantry, books and magazines that have been piling up.

But...

Our house is not really completely done. There is a bit more painting to do, plus cleaning and fixing up all the windows. Sigh. I'm sure this is the way it is with most new construction. You set the closing date, lock in to the interest rate, etc etc etc and then you really just have to sign the papers. (Well, you don't HAVE to obviously.) We have complete confidence in our builder that all the remaining details will be attended to, so the closing was without question.

But...

I just want to move in! And this is complicated a bit by "a day without immigrants." Nearly all the contractors that have worked on our home have been Hispanic. For the most part they have been professional, polite, very skilled and dependable. Some speak a little English, some speak a lot of English and some speak no English.

Dallas is 43 percent Hispanic. The population in Maine is .7 percent Hispanic. Not 7 percent... no, that's seven tenths of a percent. Clearly, we have moved to a whole new world. I'm delighted to be here and though I'm eager to get every little detail fixed up on the house, if it takes a few extra days while some of the Hispanic contractors stay home to encourage the government -- and everyone -- to take note of their enormous presence in our community, that's cool with me.

I don't have strong political views. I don't know what the answers are to the many challenges of immigration. But, when an individual shows me respect and he or she is good at what they do, I am thankful for their presence. That goes for everyone.

In the meantime, we've been shopping for handles for the cabinets. This is the special order section at one place.

So fun!

This is one of the handles we're considering. Photo by Benjamin! He got both me and the handle. Good job!


Here's a close up of the knob. This would actually go on a drawer, not a door. But you get the idea.

It's pretty plain. But I didn't find anything more interesting that I just adored. Plus... all the really interesting stuff comes with a really interesting price tag. (You know what I mean.)

Jeff originally thought he wanted silver colored hardware to coordinate with the appliances. I think I have convinced him that this bronzy color will help tie in the darkish tile and counter with the lightish cabinets. Plus, they feel warmer and more cottagey. I'm all about "warm" when it comes to decorating.

11 comments:

Micki said...

Deb, your house is beautiful. I agree with you about the bronze color for the cabinet hardware. We have that same type on ours only in brushed nickel.

Gerrie said...

Oh, I think you should get those Texan Longhorns I saw in the photo.

My son could not run his business without his Latin American employees. He is fluent in Spanish so has a great rapor with them. He pays them a living wage - way above minimum. California, like Texas, is very dependent on these workers. I am absolutely supporting them today and I am doing NO shopping.

Deb R said...

I like the bronze-y hardware with your cabinets! Is that inset in the door colored glass or a different type of wood?

It's amazing how many of those little decisions you have to make when you're building a house, isn't it? Cabinet hardware, light fixtures, outlet covers - little things you don't normally think much about just pile up one after another. It can get a little overwhelming sometimes!

Hope you get all moved in soon. And tell Benjamin I said he took a great photo!

Debra said...

Yeah, moving into a newly built home is a challenge. I've done it twice. Had workers in and out for one thing or another for 6 months afterward. (though that first 10 days were the full-on work days). Our last house... the well failed the bacterial test the day before we had a house warming.

on the strike: i support a lot of what they are doing.. except, I'm sorry illegals making demands!! And for goodness sake... my immigrant family learned English within 2 years.

I need my car fixed (the check engine light is on and my tire has a nail in it). I cannot get it done today.

Joanna Stein said...

You can special order handles, knobs, you name it from ME!!!

I would LOVE to make some to accent the beautiful colores!

Lisa said...

First of all, I'm very jealous that you are wearing such summery attire! And secondly, that is one Texas sized kitchen! I love the hardware you chose for the cabinets and I think you're right about them tying in with the dark colors in the tile. Great choice! Happy Moving Day!

Anonymous said...

Your kitchen is lovely, I am sure you will spend wonderful hours in it. I love the hardware you chose too. Goes well with everything else yet doesn't distract, very harmonious.

Kim Carney said...

Your house, inside and out LOOKS AMAZING. That seem to go so fast (for me) ;))))
I bought some of those longhorn door pulls last trip to Texas, I have them on a piece of furniture. I just had to do it.
I supported the Immigration protest today.

Anonymous said...

Your house is beatiFUL! Enjoy it, you are very blessed to have such a cool house.

Anonymous said...

Tell Benjamin he is a better photographer than most of the grow-ups I know!!

Re: immigrants: I live in Michigan where we could not get along without the migrant workers. They work hard and long hours for little pay and no benefits. I have all the respect in the world for them be they Mexican, Haitian, Dominican, Guatamalan, etc. I have found all I have come in contact with to be honest to a fault . My concern is the American boss who takes advantage of the illegals. I have worked in migrant camps doing pediatric care and am often appalled by the poor accomodations, lack of health care, use/abuse of children in the fields. There has to be a way to let these workers stay/return and protect their rights at the same time.....

Hope the move is going well.....

teri

Cynthia Padilla said...

Welcome here to north Texas. I live in Dallas but teach art classes in Plano (Collin County Community College) we will have to meet for tea/coffee and sketching. When you settle in.

Cynthia Padilla
Editor Sketching & Drawing for Garden & Hearth Publishing: www.gardenandhearth.com/SketchingandDrawing.htm