Pardon Me, Do You Have The

For the first time

in a long time

I finally have time

~

it's

about

time

!

- The and I'm wondering what to do with it all Bag

My Bliss

a place for everything and everything in its place

The kitchen sucked...warm air, that is. The linoleum was nasty and poorly installed, the kitchen-as-hallway-to-the-basement was a tired concept, four linear feet of counters and cabinets just weren't enough, the RCA brand appliances from who-knows-what-year were crusty, and the candle sputtered as we held it in front of the dishwasher during one of last winter's sub-zero spells...the cold air spread from behind it out across the kitchen floor in the same way the evil spirits crept across the ground in that Charleton Heston movie dammit, I can't remember the name....

Straw. Camel's back. You know.

After six years of that kitchen, we dove into the remodel last fall and got some other maintenance issues out of the way as well. The bulk of the work happened from mid-October to Mid-December. Everything went smoothly, no contractor horror stories. We couldn't be happier.

I figured the timing was fine: done with grad school. But what I hadn't banked on was my need to take care of everything I'd put on the back burner for a year and a half during school: financial papers, old clothes, files, storage boxes in the basement. Just when I figured life would be getting back to normal, I instead found myself on deadlines for kitchen demo, for emptying a storage closet that may become a bathroom one day, for moving furniture out of the way, for scraping paint off difficult-to-replace trim...appliance shopping?! Bah. We lived in the midst of boxes and dust between runs to the kitchen place and Home Depot. The back burner pot got larger.

It drove me crazy.

The contractor's lock box is still out on the deck, but we've had our house back since December 15th. Christmas vacation was finally spent in my version of heaven: cleaning closets, sorting through dressers, and straightening the basement tool shed. Then I sent stuff on its way to Goodwill.

This past weekend it was my office.

I even got to dust.

- OB Nirvana

It's a Kitchen

More photos.

- The happy Old Bag

2008 Recap

Recapping the past year seems to be a common theme among bloggers this time of year. Goals met and missed. Stats for the year. Ride amounts. Monthly highlights. How 2008's mileage stats compare to '07's totals. How 2009 will differ.

I think the last time I kept a running total was in 2000. Over the years, I've found my cycling life gradually expanding and more difficult to track.

Everyone knows mountain biking totals can't be combined with road riding totals...miles over pine needles, leaves and stumps just don't add-up in the same way.

Do grocery-getting miles translate? My position on the beater is less efficient, thus creating more drag. The headset is pitted, so the bicycle really tries to use the shortest distance to get from Point A to Point B. And, there are resistance, weight and balance issues when hauling full Arkel packs home from Cub Foods and let's face it, any miles done with a baguette sticking out are plain stupid and should be thrown out.

My commuting miles start off as bleary-eyed, caffeine-starved wobbles over limestone-covered railbeds on their way to a day of patiently waiting, only to do the same damned thing whilst going the other direction later on. How do miles zig-zagging down the road with a bulging daypack stack up? Depending on the time of year, I'm either on thin knobbies or studded tires that weigh a ton.

And, touring miles...leisurely-coasting, beer-drinking, burger-sopping, sun-drenched, napping-next-to-the-beach miles put in while yakking-up new acquaintances on a week-long escape....it seems one of these miles should count half of what a regular mile would, yet I come back from one of these trips in phenomenal shape...maybe each of these miles counts for two?

-OB it's all so confusing

Step Five

Preamble | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4.5 | Original | 5
The reason we started it all.

The color, according to Behr: Wilmington Tan
The color REALLY: Baby Diaper Brown

- ob

Original Kitchen

Preamble | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4.5 | Original | 5

Original pine cabinets had been refaced in a dark panel, then had been whitewashed (including the hinges) in the early 2000s.

An electrical wire ran along the OUTSIDE of the wall, around the bottom of the pantry, and up to the countertop. Peeling laminate floor squares were a camouflaging vomit color....

Cabinets to the left. Nothing but a range and fridge on the right.

I moved in during October of '02. The doorway to the left of the range has been closed-off during the remodel -- well gain about 3' more counter and cabinet space.

Shelves from Target between the fridge and range gave me a bit of storage. The bulk of the big things (mixing bowls, crock pot, baking pans) were all stored in the basement.

This was my attempt at making it livable until it was feasible to remodel. Paint and rugs can do wonders! The Sweetie moved in about a year and a half ago -- once we decided to stay, it was time for this to go!

- TOB

Step Four-Point-Five

Preamble | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4.5 | Original | 5

The side door used to enter onto a landing, then into the kitchen. We closed off that doorway to gain some more counter and cabinet space there. The doorway was changed to enter into the living room.

Before

Same Corner, no Sofa

New Doorway--the arch matches other doorways in the 1948 house

- OB we weren't quite ready to give up the whole main floor during construction!

Step Four

Preamble | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4.5 | Original | 5
Sliding door off the dining room.






- The only thing getting exercise is my pocketbook Bag