Repossession!

...that's right. We have re-possessed our home from the clenches of the City of Austin and their ability to tell us what we can and can't do in, on and with our house. Yep! Today, friends, we PASSED FINAL INSPECTION!!

Not without some quick thinking, acrobatics, diplomacy and ingenuity. Who knew so much was required of a building, mechanical and plumbing inspection? But when the City mandates some random code in which the lone person they send to your home is the police, judge and jury on what you can do...well, you end up with lawlessness.

Best summarized by the fact that after several protests and complaints (all of which were meet), he finally determined he couldn't pass us because... duh duh duh: the end of the EXTRA stair railing we had to install during the last renovation didn't connect to the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Funny, it was perfectly okay last time. And the time before that, and that.

Determined to pass today, Mr. Price persisted and the inspector made him drill a hole into the end of the otherwise lovely railing and make it touch the wall. Somehow, I don't think I can quite capture this with words. Here ya go:

Yep. that's right. THIS passes code. Really? because I am QUITE sure that is was much safer before.

But nonetheless, once he witnessed the uglifying of the railing (and creation of a new hazard) - he passed us.

Done. Done and Done.