New Kitchen, New Lease on ....Cleanliness?

Around April or March of this year I turned to Gene and said, “I hate this kitchen. I think if I had a new kitchen, I’d keep it cleaner.” Clearly desperate for a cleaner kitchen, he readily agreed with my hypothesis. I walked into Northeastern Kitchen and Bath’s showroom, stated I hated my kitchen, and I haven’t looked back since!!

We’re now in the throes of construction. Ron, my contractor, is steady and deliberate breaking only to eat lunch (I supply some stale bread and room temperature water in a three ounce Dixie Cup) and to take the occasional call from another client (the nerve!) or his wife (good thing!) He and his helper work while Sesame Street or Scooby Doo is blaring from the family room TV, or Cathy is asking them to please stop using the nail gun because she can’t hear said TV, or Xena is laying in the worst conceivable spot and they have to get her to move; sometimes having to enlist my help 'cause when Chickie don’t wanna move, Chickie AIN’T movin’! But I just give her the stink eye and the gravelly-voiced “let’s go, Xena” and voila! Clear path…for at least the next couple of minutes anyway.

Then we have Mike at Northeastern who is quick to praise my good taste or shoot down a bad suggestion. I’ve called him from Home Depot’s lighting department, I’ve called him while pouring over sink catalogs, I’ve called him whining about the price of granite. He takes my call every time. My husband doesn’t even do that! Maybe if I pay him….?

At any rate, at the end of six days in, I have seen the last of the vinyl-covered cabinets, the blue formica countertops (yes, that’s right, I said BLUE FORMICA COUNTERTOPS), the dishwasher that lost a piece of rack at every wash, and the crusty range with the burners that had three settings: high, higher, and holy crap get the fire extinguisher! I’ve lived through the panic of having to find additional floor tile for a floor put in almost three years ago (thank you Avalon Carpet!) I watched my half-empty garage fill up to the rafters with boxes and boxes of cabinetry until it resembles the closing scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark then watched my once 80’s-style, completely empty kitchen fill up with absolutely beautiful cherry cabinets. Sweet.

I do miss my kitchen sink though. I miss microwaving in the kitchen as opposed to the dining room. I miss my countertop…well, I should say I miss a place to put stuff down ‘cause Lord knows it’s not the blue I long for! I miss, most of all, my dishwasher. Even though I know it’s only for a short time, cleaning dinner dishes in the laundry room slop sink and setting them out to dry on the top of the dryer is a drag.

Yes, I’m complaining about being inconvenienced while my dream kitchen is installed. I know, I know, what nerve! What can I say? I’m human and slightly anal but honest. I’ll keep my impatient foot tapping and laundry room whining to a minimum but I can’t guarantee a full cease fire!

-Eileen Cassidy Bishop

Plethora...don't you just LOVE that word?

My favorite words to date: Serendipity, hurl, and now, plethora.

Serendipity...a happy mistake...how cool is that? I mean, you dump too much garlic in your broschetta and instead of it being ruined, you make the cover of GOOD EATS magazine! Rock on!

Hurl...this one speaks for itself. It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Hurrrrrllllll. Love it! You can hurl a ball, a discus, or your lunch; very diversified! Is and always will be, never to be replaced, favorite!

Plethora...this one is relatively new to my cashe of favorites. It's fun to say; almost like you have a lisp. Say it out loud right now...don't you feel like following up with "Thylvethter the Puthy Cat"? Definitely a fun word to say. More importantly though, is what it means; at least to me. When I think of that word, I think of cups runneth-ing over or an abundance of friends. When I think of 'plethora', I think of how blessed I am with the friends God's granted me...

Old friends that I've disconnected and reconnected with and pick up exactly where we left off; that no time has passed since our last meeting. New friends that I'm just getting to know, to thoroughly enjoy, to look forward to seeing. Friends who laugh at my jokes and rejoice in mine and my family's successes as if they are their own.

Then there are the friends who have and always will stand by me no matter what. Even with little spats in between, they're always ALWAYS there for me. The friends whom I can tell my darkest fears or darkest secrets to and know that they'll listen and not judge. The friends whom I can gossip with with no fear of my opinions being shared. The ones who would take care of my family, no questions asked, if, God forbid, something happened to me.

Many of my old friends are in this group, many of my current friends are in this group, and I know, in time, many of my new friends will be added as well.

I have a dear new friend who told me she hoped God was still creating people like me. I have never, EVER been so touched in all my life.

Thank you to all my friends, near and far, old and new. You are the reason I start my day and brush my teeth. You are wonderful and you know who you are!

~Eileen Cassidy Bishop

Why?

We introduced the kids to Indiana Jones this weekend. You remember how incredibly exciting Raiders of the Lost Ark was, right? I mean the booby traps, the giant rolling ball, the snake pit; all meant to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Here's how it went...

Guy gets speared trying to escape with the idol..."Why did that guy get killed?" "He should have waited for Indy." "Why?" "Because Indy could have protected him." "Why?" Sigh.
Giant ball chases Indy..."Why is that ball chasing him?" "It's just another booby trap." "Why?" "Because people wanted to keep the idol from getting stolen." "Why?" "Because it's important to them. Just watch!"
Indiana runs for his life from the natives with the poison darts..."why is he running?" "Because the natives are trying to kill him!" "Why?" "Because they work for the bad guy." "Why?" "Um, I don't know; maybe he pays well. Just be quiet and watch!"
Indiana splashes in the water swimming to the plane waiting for him..."Are there alligators in there?" "Maybe." "Why?" "Well, it's the jungle." "Why?" "Why what?" "What?" "Please just watch the movie!"

I mean, talk about killing the moment!! And that was the first five minutes of the movie!! It got worse as the movie progressed. One asking more inane questions, another running from the room or covering his head at every scary part (or every 45 seconds) then asking what happened.

We agreed to send the movie back to Netflix and watch it again when they're in college.

~Eileen Cassidy Bishop