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| An old, wooden toy box makes a perfect ottoman/coffee table until I find what I want |
I swore to myself (I do that anyway quite often) that when I die, I do not want my children to go through what I did when we moved my mother to my sisters after my dad passed away, My parents were victims of the depression era and my Mom took it beyond the serious level. She became obsessed with saving, reusing, recycling everything even when the times were much better for my parents.
We didn't have a lot of money growing up. I could see then why Mom saved and reused things. What I couldn't see was why she saved every single butter container, the little green ties, the ones wrapped with paper around wire, that held the plastic bags of bread closed. She saved the plastic bags, too. She saved magazines. But only the Church or religious kind. Go figure...During the depression magazines were then used for cleaning certain areas of ones body.....Since I was also alive, running around, and causing general grief to my parents during the ColdWar stage of the 60's, I'm glad that I didn't have to experience having to use a magazine. She just knew they would come in handy in our bomb shelter that she begged my father to build. He never did.........She saved newspapers..she would go through the obituaries and find people that might have a family tie. She was big into family history..........with that said, clearing out her house was a chore. I knew then that I did not want my kids to go through the "why did she save this, and what the hell" phase of clearing out my belongings. I'm sure I will not be immune to their comments, but I'm hoping it will be "I'm so glad she saved this. I wondered what happened to it".............
This remodel gave me a chance to conquer a project that was a long time coming. With all the kids grown and out of the house, my grandpuppies with their dad now, the new dog, Bear the Shitzu, safe in the house of my middle son, it was time to "getter done". I'm happier now, my hubby is definitely happier now that I am happier, and Charlie the Dog.....well lets just say that she's very happy that she doesn't have to spend her days locked up in a kennel while the workers were here. Me, too!!! It's not fun being shut in a room while people rip, tear, nail, pound, paint, your home.......would I do this all over again? Yes. Would I do it the same way? Yes..........
What was supposed to be a 30 day remodel took over 3 months to complete. Waiting for subcontractors to finish previous jobs, having a painter quit before he even took brush to wall, pushing back installation of appliances, carpet, because they weren't at that stage for them......soooooo many variables to a remodel process.
My kitchen had been done in stages over the last 20 years. All that I wanted this time was new flooring, better lighting, paint, and a new ceiling.
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| Looooooooove the ceiling of my kitchen |
The kitchen had new laminate flooring, the stairs and the landing also got the laminate treatment. Love it. Kitchen ceiling has tin panels.........new stove and microwave complete this part of the kitchen. I will eventually replace my frig which is white with stainless steel, but not until it dies which I think will be soon now.......twenty years is a long time to have a frig!!!! Part of my mother is in me "if it ain't broken, don't fix it"..............
The living room had a rock walled fireplace torn out and redone. Tile, fireplace surround and mantel were built. I showed my contractor a picture of the fireplace I wanted. He built it........he's magic. I had a china cabinet that had been buried for years behind drywall uncovered. The fireplace and the china cabinet are my favorite things in this remodel. Crown molding, paint, new carpet, completed this area. The interior doors were all replaced, too. I'm done......finished. Now the fun part of adding the finishing touches.
I have a passion for old things. I love old furniture, quilts, textiles. And, I love old glassware......Because my mother saved everything, I was able to swipe some of her pieces before my beloved sister snatched them. I use them all the time. There is something special about using something old. What did it hold? Who held it, washed it gently and then put it away until next time? Was it used only for special occasions? Or did it grace the table on a nightly basis. I use every piece I own. Oh, did I mentioned I love dishes too!!! I have 4 sets of dishes that I use,......Two of which I inherited from my beautiful mother-in-law...Ivy pattern dishes that I use in the summer. I have one of her two sets of china. My sister in law has the other. I have my dearly beloved grandmas china, which I shared with you in an earlier blog, and my everyday white dishes that go with everything!.....I guess I have a passion for things breakable just in case I ever get out of control and need to throw something at the hubby!!!! I've been tempted on more than one occasion.........either from the kids or my hubby.......But bless their hearts, no dishes were harmed!!!
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| Just a sampling of what i have. These are some of my fav's |
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| I don't own crystal. Just glass, simple glass that still sparkles in the light. Cut glass, smooth glass, rippled glass....it all sparkles. |
Now that I am done, I'm ready to venture outside the walls of this humble home and explore what I have been missing this winter. I've missed my little buddy that hangs on my shoulder, who whispers to me to snap pictures. To look with both of my eyes wide open. See what I see, through the lens of my camera............................
Happy Valentines to you all.......including my oldest baby boy who despises Valentines for some odd reason. Oh, well........I never said that I had perfect children. Frankly, I'm glad that I don't............they certainly never had a perfect mamma.....
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