Tuesday, June 18, 2013

mental status

I told CD the other day that I was two bricks shy of a retaining wall. Then I realized just how apt that phrase was as a description!

I started building this dang wall just about the time the work started on our kitchen. Since then either it has rained and made the steep slope inaccessible, or I've had plans requiring a morning shower, and then been unwilling to get hot and muddy later in the day. I've gone to the store for additional bricks already, but still find myself two bricks short.  It may never be done.


Paralleling this wall project is the kitchen project. We've been "almost done" for two weeks now. At least. I keep postponing photos because I'd rather wait until all the cabinetry is complete. And it.will.never.happen. There is still a hole in the wall where an outlet is not going in after all. There is molding missing from the ceiling here, the floor there, the cabinetry somewhere else. A few cabinet doors were the wrong size and got reordered. All little stuff. I swear, if they'd just put in an eight hour day once or twice, they could be done!

Thinking positively, the ugly tree roots exposed after the last ivy removal are no longer visible from the house. The wall is doing its job, finished or not. I can't fill it in with dirt because I've learned that roots rot when uncovered roots become covered. It was suggested that I put a larger brick row on top to make seating.  Possible.

The kitchen is usable. It has a stove, oven, sink, garbage disposal, dishwasher... all the good stuff. It has a counter, some cabinets and most of a floor. Nothing to complain about. Just two bricks shy.


Friday, June 7, 2013

mucho bueno

The electrician tells me my kitchen is mucho bueno. I think he's right!  Our final inspection is coming soon and the appliances are up and running. That means we have convenient running water (never, ever underestimate running water!), a garbage disposal and dishwasher, an oven that heats, and even a stove all properly vented to the outside. There are plenty of unfinished details, but there is clear light at the end of the tunnel.

There has been great discussion about what we will cook in our kitchen first. We're seriously tired of cooking everything in the microwave. I've purchased some baby red potatoes at our farmers market, so I'm planning to make a potato salad today for the first use of the cooktop. The top choices for the oven are blueberry cobbler and bacon. Either one would give it a good smell! In honor of a working oven, I am polling my dear readers. What should we cook? Any suggestions beyond these can be left in the comments!

First Food in New Oven?