Well, that didn't take long...

Our kitchen remodel is almost complete. In an old house like ours, once you make a change it inspires you to make another change, and another...



Coffee and a bit of whipped cream.

Once we got the counter top in I decided the wallpaper would have to be changed - - - Mr. J&C suggested that it be eliminated.  I begged him to let us get rid of the old wainscoting that screamed 1966. Stalemate.

A day or two later our neighbor, Terry, walked in and asked when were we getting rid of the old, ugly paneling and when I told him how right he was and wouldn't the room look better with when I got it all wallpapered, he looked at me like I was nuts and announced that wallpaper went out in the 1950s. After he left, we picked ourselves up, decided to go for broke, and ripped out the paneling and the wallpaper. Sigh. Sounds quick and easy. We were lucky that there was sheetrock, this was the summer we got to learn about "mud" and "tape and bedding." Then we had to put texture on the wall - I would redo that in a heart beat, and probably should, but for now it will do.

Before...

Almost done...

If it's Friday, the plumber is scheduled to come back and properly attach the dishwasher to the countertop. Also, we have wood trim to put up around the floor and the windows and the door - - - did I mention we took out a door, jamb and all, and now I've got to go to the lumber yard to get trim and ...

Someday this will be done. During our two months of construction we've had house guests, friends over for drinks, and friends over to play Mahjong (I'm learning a new game!).  Life has not been all play and no work or all work and no play. The dust has not yet settled but we think we are going to like our new old kitchen.

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Waiting, Working, Waiting

Our kitchen remodel continues, happily so does our marriage.  We are both ready to get this done.  Not in a sad way, an "Oh this is terrible, I wish I was through with it!" way.  But in a happy "I can't wait to see what we've created!" way.  Still, I don't care for the waiting part of this redo...

Right this minute I would like to be playing with or reading to my grand daughter...

Or playing (hiding) in the garden like Rodney...

Not now, not today, there's work to be done...

Moving furniture to make room for the coming destruction and reconstruction of the kitchen...

Waiting with all our new cabinets...

that are still in the boxes... waiting for Tuesday... and it is Thursday.


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Winner!

The winner of my book give away is:

 

 

Janey

at

Thick and Thin (air) 

a fun blog about life in Texas and Colorado. 

On this fine day I've got lots to do.  The new hot water heater failed the city inspection so we will wait for the plumbers to return and make things all better. We can take hot showers so life is still good, it just the whole pass/fail thing.  *Sigh*

In Kitchen Remodel News:  We have learned that we can't take down the wall between the kitchen and the family room, still we will carry on, somehow.  *Sob* I would love to open up all the space, take down this wall that blocks my view -- but since this particular wall is holding up my house and it would cost more than I care to spend -- the wall stays.  *Sigh*

Mr. J&C has reminded me (more than once) we don't want to put a $1,000 radio in a $300 car.  That balance of old and new is a bit tricky but I think we can make it work.

Right now, I'm going to finish my coffee and then I'm going outside for a walk.  It's a beautiful day in my corner of the world, whether there are ants...

or flowers in the sidewalk, life is good. 

Tomorrow, I'll deal with the plumbers and sweep the sidewalk.


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Perfectly Good Home

I am enjoying the benefits of grand motherhood. Once a week I travel 30 miles to the west to visit the most beautiful and intelligent baby in the world. Sigh. Life is good.

Sometimes you have to look around to find a place to call home.

For a few weeks Mr. J&C and I toyed with the idea of moving to the other side of town. It was a good time to look around and see what is out there because after a year of retirement we want to make a few changes in our home (the kitchen). Why put the money into this house when there might be a perfect house just down the road?

Sometimes all it takes to make a place your home is adding a few touches of your own.

There is no perfect house. 

I really hate that. 

On the other hand, getting out and looking at a few houses has given me new appreciation for what I've got. So this weekend I will happily weed in my garden in the morning and in the afternoon I'll continue to look for clever ideas and inspiration for our kitchen remodel.

Sometimes we realize our house has become our home because of who shares it with us.

We are keeping the same 'footprint' just changing the wallpaper, moving the fridge, changing out the cabinets, getting a new sink, knocking out a wall between the kitchen and family room... Shouldn't be too hard, right? 


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