End of Week 2

My enthusiastic announcements that we are on task needs to be tempered just a bit. I had secretly hoped we would be further along. I can't bitch REALLY cuz we are making remarkable time and it is, for the most part, going along smoothly. These pics give you a good idea of where we were Friday of Week 2. Mike is doing a great job. He needs a couple more guys.

TARDIS cabinets and Settlers of Catan Floor.  #nerd

But, is this where I can rant about the hood? It is huge. It is too big. I guess if I back up and describe a thing I learned about "decision fatigue". Where one is just overwhelmed with choices. Are you familiar with Joe Jackson's song, "It is all too much?" yeah... can you hear him singing?

Some days I can't get started
Wondering which shoe to put on first
Or should I brush my teeth
Before or after I put on my shirt
So many big decisions
Boiled or scrambled, fried or even raw
I'm so damn open-minded
Used to think I'm lucky but I'm cursed

Those lyrics might explain:

THE HOOD--So there we were eight weeks ago after a 90-minute drive to the Shelby showroom. My hackles are raised cuz this Edie Falco wanna be is telling me what is trending instead of listening to what I want. She sells cabinets (I don't think she actually cooks) so of course, when she fails to return the favor of the drive back TO THE SITE to do the visual check LIKE she is SUPPOSED TO DO, something is gonna fall through the cracks. We end up with an exhaust hood that is JUST TOO DAMN BIG.  I am sure I had gotten to the glazed over portion of ordering stuff that was just
TOO MUCH INPUT.
There have been a lot of men assuming a lot of things in my kitchen lately. I might be getting a lil stabby. Tuesday was particularly hard as one of the installer guys is very old school and very patronizing and quite sexist. He did a good job installing a fab product in a non-square, not flush modern build-- but, I sure hope he doesn't come back to do the trim. 

Weds/March 27

Progress!

Drywall holes all patched. SINK HOLE!

Pennisula counter top. Local reclaimed Black Walnut. Made by Officer James.

End of Week One=Three Surprises

The living room. You can see through the fireplace. 

I am going to go with an A-. We are on task. The kitchen was demo-ed and the backer board for the new flooring is installed. The cupboards are delivered and safe. We are on task. However, the three surprises were 1. My own stupidity. I somehow expected the ovens to stay put. FOOL! #Monday 2. The second surprise was that the core crew would be down a guy who rather suspiciously was "very sick" after St Patrick's Day.  Mmmmhmmm. That dude has since redeemed himself as he is a workhorse and we are right back up to speed. The third surprise was the most inconvenient. Upon arrival, the cupboard delivery guys backed their massive truck in. I greet them and point out where I would put the truck-- if it were my job. Puzzled, the guy with the great beard asks, "Where do these go?"  I respond, "Now? or ultimately?" I ask. "They are for the house right?" he asks. "Yes!" I said. "Oh" he pauses, "the install guys are not gonna be happy. They have trucks full of tools to do the install. They don't carry dollies or straps to carry the cabinets that far."  Note dear reader, our garage is about 75 feet away from the house.  OKAY, move the dining room table into the library and smash it into the corner cuz now the library AND the dining room are both full of solid maple, made in Michigan, Tardis blue cabinets. Until Monday. When the truck guys assure me they will be in place in one day.

There is a tiny path from the working end of the fridge to the microwave.

WHY??

Everyone remodelling a room always has the funny WTF were "they" thinking moments. When we first moved in we were surprised by how many TV/Cable jacks were scattered around this big old house. I can't imagine having ONE tv in my kitchen let alone TWO? Cable jacks in every bedroom, ok, not mine thank you-- but OK. One in what we call the library and one immediately next room over in the "living room", uh sure.  But, even more confounding to me, is why they would need so many outlets? In this one corner? They did have a lot of under cabinet lights and lights behind glass doors, but none of them have worked since we lived here and why do they need so many outlets?

March 19

The prerequisite ugly old wallpaper (behind ladder in upper pic). Not really ugly, just too cute.

The highlight for today was right away in the morning. The ovens were very heavy and had no place to grip. Failure was not an option and after much pondering Mike&Don got the beast out of the way. Wednesday is floor demo. I hope to take Keiki to park and avoid a lot of noise. There is a 90% chance of rain in forecast. BLEH.

March 18

Last three days in the Tall Left Handed Kitchen

I have beans soaking for a chili contest/bDay party on Saturday.
I have roll out cookie dough chilling in fridge for Shamrock Green Tea cookies for Sunday.
90% of the kitchen has been Marie Kondo-ed.
80% of the kitchen is in boxes in basement.

Tonight is the last proper dinner cooked in this GOD AWFUL KITCHEN.  Ok, the room isn't that bad. I fell in love with the space when we bought the house in August of 2007. But I have been very patient. Cosmetically, the feel is very 70s. Sleek. Modern Danish(?) NOT MY STYLE. It was also done very "economically" and those tall left handed people were also very confident in their own handiwork. Which, to be fair made it about 30 years. But, it is impossible to get replacement "custom" parts. I do know it is gonna get worse before it gets better. I am completely familiar with "This Old House" projects and if the builder guy (I will call him Mike, for that is his name) says "two weeks" I know that IRL?--That prly means 3-4 weeks.  But, I am genuinely excited to NOT have my cooktop at boob height. To be able to mop the floor and not make stone age tools with the shards. To OPEN THE DRAWER with (gasp!) a drawer pull.  To have a little counter space to the RIGHT-hand side of wherever I am working.

Things I am worried about: no decisions have been made on new flooring or lighting. Pete claims Motowi is gonna do the backsplash but we haven't told THEM that yet! Letting dogs out should be interesting-- our front door has very steep (c1901) steps, not great for poor old Luna hips.

I need to go gut the pantry.

I need more bubble wrap...

This was yesterday. I ran out of bubble wrap. Today I shall get MOAR BUBBLE WRAP.

This unknown thing is amusing. It was NOT saved for future use.

Six Days till Kitchen Demo...for posterity

The floor. Slate! Yes! BUT it is flaking off in sharp plates because a.) it is a cheap product from the 70s AND b.) we didn't know you are supposed to re-seal it every now and then. THAT is on us. c.) See also grout. d.)However, I think "they" never bothered to level it at all. ("They, of course, being the tall, left-handed people who liked to grill and designed this very hip kitchen 30 years ago.

The thing I will miss the absolute least. The exhaust fan hasn't functioned for at least two years. The blower has been replaced twice. The louver is broken and INVITES cold air in. How do you like those "decorative" drawer fronts?  Those drawer pulls were the bane of my existence for about the first year we lived here. 

 Who needs toe kicks? We don't need no stinkin' toe kicks.

 "Their" dogs were very destructive. Bulldogs did this and they also damaged the upstairs bathroom. I feel for the dogs getting trapped and ignored for so long that they managed this. I am happy after living with it for 12 years to finally get it repaired.

The word you want here is delaminating.

 ...or glue just failing after 20+ years.

 Hey! Old houses settle. Shit Happens. (I am NOT gonna miss this aspect either.)

I just don't even.

Lil dinner party

 Polpettone Farcito (or Egg-Stuffed Meatloaf)We had a date! Some dear friends we don't get to see enough came down to a.) deliver a HUGE PAINTING that I called "dibs" on and b.) just hang out and be together. Dinner and Scrabble. No biggie, but I wanted it to be special cuz we haven't seen them since Ray's funeral.  Leah has been having fun making soap and candles and brought a sample/beta tester pack of her "wake&bake" coffee&herbage scrubbie soap, a gorgeous goat milk soap, an apple scented soap, two candles: one gardenia and the other is a soft dove gray and is faintly bergamot? I swapped her some of the lemon curd Izzy & I made over the weekend.

Leah chose Italian as the inspiration for our menu and I started thawing all the things. Using venison hunted locally by the son of a friend and pork & bacon from steinhauserfarms. I used a simple spice mix of onion & garlic powder and black pepper. I used eggs from our hens and the last of the spinach from last year's harvest.

That was served with rosemary sweet potatoes and was very well received.  I was thrilled to also serve a peach and almond cheesecake. Everybody loved it but I wish I had put some peaches IN the batter. The almond flour crust worked a treat. Super caramelized and crisp. I would share the recipes, but I basically just winged it cuz...well...I like to cook!

It genuinely makes me happy to feed friends and it was such a lovely night. Can't wait to go up and see their farm!