Stairway to the Stars!

Recently our son Ron and his wife Cindy moved to a new house on top of a mesa (flat hill) in southwest Austin, TX. They had been looking for more yard space for a long time, away from all the traffic in NW Austin where they have lived for over 20 years. Both girls are in college now and they don't have to live near schools, swimming pools, movies, etc. that the girls liked. So I guess they felt it was time to do what they wanted to do for a change.

Now to the point. They sent us pictures of their beautiful new home and I really admire the spiral staircase going to the second floor, which is a huge loft or media room. I don't know if I'll ever make it all the way up there as I have a fear of heights and swoon when I go to the 4th step on our small ladder. I get dizzy when I look down from above. They might have to install an elevator just for me!! When we were much younger, I wanted spiral staircases in a couple of houses we lived in; one to go to the basement and another to get to the attic. But we never did install them. I guess we probably moved before we ever got around to adding the spiral stairs.

Coffee House stairway

Then there's the new iron staircase that a local artisan made for the Just Folk Coffeehouse on the square in Elba. The treads haven't been put on the steps yet so I couldn't test it out today when we were there for a luncheon. Also the floor at the top of the stairs hasn't been installed yet either. So I just stood there and looked at this beautiful piece of art.

We have had stairs in many of our homes but they were always just straight, never curved or spiral. When we moved from Florence, SC to Albany, GA and traded our 2-story house for a ranch style home with windows that went almost from the ceiling to the ground, I had trouble sleeping near the ground. We always slept upstairs and it was quieter there.

I'm waiting for the first opportunity to go to Austin and  try out these "stairways to the stars" someday soon. I wonder if I can make it all the way up, and if once I'm upstairs, will I be afraid to come back down? I'll guess I'll just have to wait and see!