One year ago, I was watching my 1960s kitchen cabinets(photos in link) get tossed out into my backyard, along with the sink and oven. I was a little reminiscent of days long gone by, like my baby’s first bath in that sink (given to him in his blue Fisher Price tub by his mom mom) and him standing on a step stool, looking so cute as we dyed Easter eggs together over the years. We did a bunch of messy things out there! But it was time for something new. There were more things on the countertops then inside the cabinets! I had drawn up a plan years before we actually went to the Home Depot for them to help us design the kitchen. I know I wanted light colored cabinets-it’s not a huge kitchen and the honey wood maple or whatever was not to my liking anymore. So I got the ‘fawn glaze’ finish which is an off white with ‘distress’, meaning little boo-boos to make them look older, but not overdone. The plans that were drawn on the computer were very much like the ones I had made up in my head! I wanted a pantry closet, a movable oven and stove combo with the glass top and a separate counter for baking.

I liked that we did some of the finishing-painting, tiling (with glass mosaics that I did) and tin which Bri and I both worked on. I pretty much know where everything is now. When I buy a bunch of groceries, they get ‘put away’ and you can’t tell I was even food shopping. It’s really easier to assemble things for cooking too.

I was just thinking I should give each cabinet a wipe out for their anniversary. I already do that to the bread drawer and pot cabinet frequently, but I think I will do that tomorrow as we are planning to meet Bri’s pal Kathy tonight for dinner. I am praying my sinuses will decompress soon. They started ‘acting up’ last night. Sean and Bri both are having nasal issues too. I was blaming mine on emptying my mom’s bagless vacuum out in the wind a few days ago. Speaking of mom, I so need to get her one of those mats with the stiff bristles for muddy shoes. No way should two people be making that much dirt-they are dragging it in on their shoes-no real sidewalk and Jim walks up and down the stone drive which is more dirt than stones now. When four kids lived there I don’t remember seeing that much. Maybe I just didn’t care or my live-in grandmom kept it cleaned up. I think both!

…of life-Monty Python.

I’m having one of those days when the dark side is overpowering the lighter side of our lives.

First I called my mom and the discussion went sour when I mentioned again that she should get rid of half the stuff in her house so she doesn’t have to worry and do things she likes such as draw and watch movies. She doesn’t care to be told this, says she cleans when she can, which is practically never. She doesn’t seem to have trouble shopping though. (I know who I take after, but I don’t shop as much as her, believe me). Said no one helps her and I only talk about myself when I call her. She started crying and hung up on me.

The heater man came before noon and within 5 minutes called me to the basement and said he couldn’t clean the heater as it was shot! It’s like 19 years old and a piece had broken off. We are looking at a big bill for that. I was reeling from that and called my mom back and she said she couldn’t catch her breath right. I think she had herself so worked up and with all the exercise she got last night she did that to herself. She’s ok, I’m going there in a few hours. So the poor man from the heating company thinks I’m completely loony because I heard his voice which sounded like a friend of my son’s who seems to call at all the most inappropriate moments. After my ‘please don’t call this number…blah, blah’ he said he was calling about the heater! Man. The good thing-the warm weather is setting in soon (please). The bad thing-I had to sign a paper that said ‘run at your own risk’. I’m crossing fingers and toes that my van is ok when Ken inspects it tomorrow.

In the meantime…always look on the bright side of life..da…da..dadadadada. : )

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (from Monty Python)
words and Eric Idle

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you’re chewing on life’s gristle
Don’t grumble, give a whistle
And this’ll help things turn out for the best…

And…always look on the bright side of life…
Always look on the light side of life…

If life seems jolly rotten
There’s something you’ve forgotten
And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you’re feeling in the dumps
Don’t be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle – that’s the thing.

And…always look on the bright side of life…
Always look on the light side of life…

etc.