Why Did We Wait So Long?

For over twenty years we have wanted to remove everything but the dish cupboard in this part of the kitchen.  The surround cabinets over and next to the fridge made it impossible to buy a decent sized new fridge (too wide and too tall).  The desk, while nice to have for the computer, is no longer needed. Everyone who knew how to do finish carpentry and saw this area--said "oh, it was all built on site, remove one thing and you have ruined the rest".  We believed them.

Here is G working on removing the only custom part of the overhead cabinet and book shelving.  The side cabinets came down easy-peasy.  We had some problems with the countertop as it was screwed down before the drawer units were installed.  But we got it out in perfect condition.  The tops of the drawer units was custom fitted so that took a bit of thinking. Finding the screws was never ending. Now G has two sets of drawers for his workshop.

The hardest part of the de-construction was the part we wanted gone the most.  That long side board and over the fridge cabinet.  So deep and high that we had forgotten what was stored in it.  Tupperware. Ancient 40 year old stuff.  Try as we might to do no damage, the remaining dish cupboard was damaged on the front top edge.  Where the finish carpenters had broken off long screws in the upper connecting space.  G tried everything to work the screws out and nothing worked.  So we lifted and pulled.  It was all we could do.  G now has the crown molding to recut and assemble on the top of the dish cabinet.  So It matches everything else.

The good parts of this job: we found lots of things we had forgotten we owned. The sad part: we bought this stuff. I got to move everything in the desk area to new homes and, because I usually try to put new things with things that are "like" them--I am hoping I can find them again when I need them.  I did successfully figure out where I had put my index cards.  I had a few recipes to copy out of the Rao's Cookbook.  Yes, Dee, the eggplant sauce and I may write down the one with olives as well.  I did copy the Tiramisu and Cheesecake recipes.

Now we need to fix the floor under the the cabinets due to water damage (if we had been smart this would have been an insurance claim years ago), figure out what sort of paint or panels we want on this wall and go shopping for a new fridge with bottom freezer drawer and it won't matter how wide or tall it is.  The other side (where the desk was) will be a rolling restaurant shelving unit about 48 inches wide.  With all my pots and pans handy and no digging in cabinets looking and trying to pull them out.  We were thinking of a new microwave on the shelving unit but I don't really want to take apart any more cabinetry.  Leave well enough alone.  It is just the first month of retirement.

My computer is tucked onto the little English desk in the living room.  It all fits and works.  I could even start watching movies on the computer while sitting on the couch.  It's something to consider. Could Netflix be far behind????

My new low carb diet (Dr K's Optimal) is going along quite well.  I try to eat the recommended breakfast, get too full and then have no desire to eat again until 5 or 6 pm.  The carb count is higher than I am used to and the fat content is WAY higher than I am used to.  We'll see.  I have no scale to go by.  I FEEL lighter everyday.  The button on my pants is no longer digging into my waist.  I am not happy with my reflection in the mirror.  I look sallow and tired.  I may need to bundle up and sit on the porch in the sun.  Get a winter tan.  Sort of a skier's tan.

Is there any project you have put off thinking it would be too difficult?