SLOW Progress in the Making

It was late September that I told you about my plans for a moderate kitchen renovation.  Really, it hasn't taken this long to accomplish what we've done so far.  Shall we say, a few interruptions happened along the way that were totally unrelated to the kitchen.  A minor gallbladder attack that turned into surgery for my husband, a "bronchitis" episode that turned out to be viral which sent me to the ER, and then a trip to the the Women of Faith conference with Karen and Gail--all took place in the middle of the remodel. Said project is still uncompleted, but we are taking it slowly.  Easier on the pocket book this way.  But counter tops and new appliances already make the room feel like a different kitchen. Now I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to do it.  I went into this with fear and trepidation that I would regret my decision.  Oh, if hindsight could just come first!!  Somehow I second guess myself and usually realize later that I was right in the first place.  Guess my gut instinct works better than I thought. 

Loving the new stove!  It is SO nice to have a level pan on the stove.  Oil actually spreads out all over the bottom of the pan instead of rushing to the back side leaving a dry area for food to burn.  Yep, I endured that for eight years.  Call me "stupid" if you want to.  I deserve it.  AND I wish you could hear my dishwasher.  Or rather listen to the silence.  It is great not having to turn up the volume on the TV while washing dishes or turning off the dishwaser to answer the phone now.  I actually have to get my ear down close to make sure it is running.  That was my one minor splurge--buying the best quiet dishwasher I could find.  The microwave is a microwave---stainless, simple, does the job.  Didn't really need a special button for "HOT DOGS". Yuk,  I don't even eat those.  Well, maybe a NATHAN'S hot dog on the grill once every blue moon.  Refrigerator is still its lovely "bisque", and will remain so until sometime next year.  It is on the other side of the room, so I am pretending it doesn't matter that they don't match for now.  Hence, you won't see pictures of it. 

The granite countertop is so worth it.  No more cleaning grout or scrubbing just to get crumbs off the counter.  It is so easy to wipe and voila, it is clean, clean, CLEAN.   Now I actually stand at the sink and don't take my daily shower.  Yes, the old faucet was spraying the kitchen and me everytime I turned it on.  The stress is gone!  I am so grateful for the leak in the sink that started this whole process rolling.  It was the sink that had to be replaced, making it necessary to either put in another one just like it or bite the bullet and do the whole--countertop--appliance--replacement project.  You know, just like painting a room.  You think you are just changing wall color and the next thing you know you are buying new curtains, bedding, furniture and anything else you think you can justify. 

I'm the slowest to make changes so this is a real undertaking for me.  My philosophy has always been that if  it "ain't broke, don't fix it".  I have friends and family---yes, you will remain nameless--who redecorate or replace at the drop of a hat.  More power to them.  I don't have the energy.

Said project is still incomplete.  I'm waiting on the cabinet maker to build a bookcase with doors for my cookbooks.  I finally got the cookbooks into my kitchen last year into a store-bought shelf.  They lived down the hall for the longest time---I told you I'm slow to make changes.  Then crown molding will be added to complete the plain-ness of my cabinets.  Never have been sold on their blank look.  Going to like the finished product.  It will finally look complete.  And undercounter lighting will be the final task.

Now the search for the right window fabric is on.  I know what I want in color and pattern.  The job is to FIND it.  I've spent hours on the internet--it's my visible Yellow Pages.  Better to let my fingers do the walking!! 

Stay tuned for the final episode of Becky's Long-Awaited Kitchen Renovation.  Now I have to go cook something.  (Did you count how many times I used the word "slow"?)  I'd better do something about that!!