the old kitchen

From the day we first toured the house we knew we wanted/needed to re-do it! I think the house was built in the '60s and I don't think anything had been done to it since that time. There was a live-in maid who may have done all the cooking--the homeowner/housewife was a professional (doctor or lawyer, can't remember) and a single parent for a time so she needed the help. But maybe if you are NOT the one in there everyday preparing the meals you don't much care about the kitchen. So here are some snapshots of it:

On the wall separating the kitchen and the dining room

Nice window over the sink.

Our refrigerator did not fit in the space allotted for it so we had to rip out the "kitchen office" area and put the refrigerator there. Another nice window on the end wall.

What you don't see except for a tiny piece of it is the wallpaper that was on the fur down over the range and over the sink areas. So happy to have that out!

Everything worked so that made it harder to make the commitment to tear it all out. But we did!

You have to wait to see the 'after' pictures until it is really finished! Currently the cabinets are installed and the walls painted. The range (gas, yeah) is in and fires! The refrigerator is in but not connected to the (new) water line. No counters yet--they come next Wednesday. Getting close--but close does not win in sports or war or kitchens! Stay tuned!

I've been working in the studio this morning but came in to greet the A/C repair man! Our A/C was not cooling yesterday afternoon--but by morning it was holding its own. None-the-less, we called for help--expecting 108° on Saturday. I don't think we've ever had temperatures that high as long as I've lived here (all my life.) I'll get a bite to eat then go back out and see how much I can get done before the studio gets too hot for me.

I've had so many wonderful ceramic adventures this year: NCECA in March; Ron Philbeck's workshop featuring Doug Fintch and Hannah McAndrew in April; walking Austin's "Art of the Pot" in May; a great time with Tony Clennell when he returned to Texas in June; and this month I got to meet and attend John Britt's glaze chemistry workshop--a long wished for opportunity. So many stimulating experiences, I should be cranking out the work. But I'm not. It is HOT here and even with a small A/C unit in the garagio it is still way too hot around here--57 days OVER 100° already--and 110° predicted for Saturday. And, as announced earlier, we have a new grand baby! Sweet, beautiful baby girl, Caroline. Then to top it all off we are having the kitchen remodeled! What a time-sink and head-ache that is! Today is the 15th day without a kitchen--and we won't get the counters and sink in until a week from tomorrow.

Somewhere along the way I lost my steam. Tony had me fired up about making several compotes with different aspects to mix and match. I was excited about that--but the fire dwindled. I have glazed two and have one in need of glaze--but there is nothing exciting enough to photograph.

In spite of the heat, the workshop with John Britt last weekend was great. I came away with a long 'to-do' list for exploring a favorite glaze. I will do those…but will probably wait for a break in the weather. It is so bad here that we were wishing Irene would head our way--foolish, I know. I guess some of the North & South Carolina folk are wishing we had gotten our wish.

On a brighter note: the kitchen is looking great! I was overwhelmed by all the decisions I had to make--the hardest was paint color for the walls! I anxied over that for a week or two. I brought 5 different sample cans of wall paint home(each an independent trip to the paint store!) and had splotches all over the kitchen. I kept running out to beg to bring home the cabinet sample to hold up next to the newest test paint again! But now that the walls are painted and the cabinets are in I am convinced that I made the very best choice. Jim and I both are very pleased with the result. I am remembering watching (via her blog) Sandy Miller re-do her kitchen herself! It was amazing even then--more so now that I know more about what all is involved that we are having done for us!

Pray for rain.