Up and Down, and Upside-down!

Though I think of myself as always healthy, just about never sick, I have been "hit" with a bug. It started as a sore throat, and progressed to congestion, sneezing, blowing and hacking youknowwhat. It's now at the "lost my voice" stage. I sound rather demonic and scary which is, well, what it is. I don't have great energy so I get up and do some work like laundry or watering plants and then I go down and rest a bit. Then up again and paint a bedroom and then down and watch HGTV. Do I dare say/admit just how much I love HGTV!!!

Oh the talent of Candice Olsen, Sarah Richardson, Genevieve Gorder. I love, love, love what you do to a room. And I'll just go on the record as saying I miss the" old" Color Splash team. I think Ian McCart can build almost anything. And oh dear, I've already forgotten the cute blond gals name that is so good with paint and decorating. Miss you people.

That's the up and down part of my life.

Now for the upside-down. I live in an 80's house. There's good and bad to that like most things. The good is large size rooms, large lot, dedicated dining room and sturdy old oak kitchen cabinetry. Emphasis on old . We've just found out that though we live in an 80's home the cabinets were made in 1979. The kitchen also has original, extremely worn linoleum that I regularly color with brown and orange Sharpie markers to conceal the rips, dropped ceiling with plastic panels and florescent lights. Ugh! Still, having admitted all that . . .

I am grateful for my kitchen. Even thankful.

I can produce goodies and yummies in that old kitchen.

I can be happy working in that kitchen.

I could admit that the thought of picking out all new cabinetry, nice granite counter tops or maybe cement, a new sink-perhaps soapstone, stainless steel appliances, raised ceiling with pocket lighting, wood floors and window treatments would be fun, fun, fun. I would be up to picking all those goodies out. But . . . it's not happening so making more small steps.

Here we are. Last year painted the kitchen a green. All of my appliances are white, very white.

And just look at those sturdy oak cabinets. Must have been breathtaking in 1984!

Here are more of my cabinets and you can see

the "shutter" shelf that fell down

last week in our big winds breaking many of those

little treasures.

That's the family room on the lower level in the background.

And the oh so lovely "formica" butcher block look counters.

And the latest "step" are my new windows.

Lovely and energy saving in the Arizona desert.

Oh, and you may see the microwave on the far right counter.

Would love a built-in above the stove

but that's not happening either.

Yup, you guessed it, I am happy and thankful for a microwave even if it's on the counter.

Here's the kitchen today.

All taped up, base coat on and waiting several days for completions.

New, creamy white paint covering up that old, dried out 1979 oaks.

It's soaking up the two coats of primer it's so terribly dried out.

And I'm rather upside-down with all my kitchen contents boxed and around the

dining room, living room and elsewhere.

It's hard to find many things . . . though some of you could

rightfully say that's not so unusual for me. Oh dear. I can't defend myself either.

Here's the bedroom I just painted. When I took off the air vent you can see the purple it was when we moved in. You can also notice the ivy stenciling one of the girls did ages and ages ago.

I'm very, very please with the color and paint that went up; it's All In One "Castle Path" by Behr, with the primer included so to speak. This room has been home to all six of our kiddos at one time or another and had all the push-pin holes to prove it...posters galore and a lot of spackling on my part. I also lost count of the number of glow in the dark stars I picked off.

Not finished yet," artwork" and I use the term extremely loosely has yet to go up, curtains or shades and just a tad more to put away or rearrange.

I think I/one could watch all those lovely HGTV shows and be dissatisfied if not careful (although I love them and the great ideas they generate).

I also think it is important to determine where your heart and financial priorities are.

I also know if I cannot update anything else I will continue to be a happy, grateful homemaker, making yummies in my 80's kitchen. There have been a few hundred killer cinnamon rolls created in this old kitchen.

I know if I am able to make more changes over time I will remain that old, rock solid, happy homemaker I hope my family can see in me.

And I'll repeat one of my favorite, favorite sayings:

Use it up,

Wear it out,

Make it do, or

Do without.

Happy day, msk