45 Degrees North

In high school I took Drafting as an elective class, back when CAD was a fairly new concept, and our high school could not afford the computers capable of it. So I learned it the traditional way.

I had watched in the mid 80’s as my father sat at the kitchen table and designed our future home on quad paper. You know, the type we used in school for geometry. Over the course of a couple days he turned his and my mothers concepts into a rough drawing, then a floor plan, then a relief and profile complete with landscaping. He eventually added, electrical, HVAC, foundation, and plumbing plans to the stack. I rode with him as he drove into the township building inspectors office. He handed the clerk the stack of plans, and wrote them a check. We waited for a little while and the inspector came out and asked him a few questions. My father answered his questions, and they shook hands, and the inspector stamped his plans. The clerk then gave him a permit, and he was ready to start building our future home. Such was simplicity in the 80’s. Now my inspectors office advises a two week turn around for approval of self drawn plans.

Since that time I have kept in the back of my mind that I would like to design and build my own home. Now, spoiler alert, I am no where near the craftsman that my father was. So I have a lot more to learn, but I thank God the between my drafting teacher Mr. Denzel, and my father I know how to create the plans.

I started last week ordering the things I need. They are simple tools, Mechanical pencils, quality erasers, drafting compass, architect’s rule, velum, and a few architect’s stencils. They have all arrived and now the next step, and quite possibly the hardest step. What will the final design look like. It will be simple, and 1300 sqft or less. But for the rest, you’ll have to stay tuned to see!

Also I have begun sending out several of my narratives for publication. I received the first response about 30 minutes ago to the first one. Its a 400 word Flash Fiction, and the first journal declined it. So as soon as I post this blog, I will send it out to the next journal in line! I’ve been published several times and this is how it goes, there will be rejections, until you find the right home for it.