Islands In The Stream...Er...

...kitchen...have always been something I envied. Now, remember

I don't have a big kitchen. And after watching far too much of HGTV's House Hunters, I have

come to realize that I possess a kitchen "too small for any living human being" (Does this mean UNLiving folks will fit?), that has

 "old fashioned Granny cabinets", and, for the pièce de résistance, is "positively grotesque"! All comments I heard last week alone about kitchens resembling my own. But I digress.

Suffice to say I do not have an HGTV dream kitchen. But I now do have an island...well...of sorts. But I like it. I really like it!

Recently, the vivacious and always glamorous Sue from Sullivan and Murphy,

and I spent a morning and afternoon sale-ing around garages and yards. *smile*

We came home *mostly* empty handed. But I had seen the cutest old sewing table bottom and wow. I wanted it. Sue knew I did but she and I were in total agreement that I NOT buy it!

Why? The lady of the house would not dicker at all. We tried for a measly 3 dollars off her asking price. She just turned and went inside. Not even a response! Obviously we offended her sensibilities.

We are pretty rude sorts you know. But this was a GARAGE sale. We were not in a high end department store. I may be a virgin yard sale-er but I have come to learn that dickering is expected and yes. Even desired! And we only asked for 3 dollars off! So we left. Uh huh.

So here is what Sue has yet to find out. (This is a little surprise for her by the way!)

The next week I was out with Bill and I asked him to drive by the house. We know the area as we had once looked at the house next door to purchase. I wanted him to see this house...and gadzooks!

They were having another garage sale. We pulled up and what did my little eye spy?

You betcha.

And had she come down 3 dollars? More like 15! Yippee!

So Sue? You were right!

Oh, and this is the first time I have shown off our new tile floor! What do you think? It only took us 8 years to do...next up? New counters. Let's hope they will go in in less time! *smile*

Oh Is My Face Red...

...but I do so love that color! I hope it did not sound as if I wasn't happy in my kitchen. I am, so very much! Yes, I still see those words on RMS in my head..."Unremarkable, so very unremarkable." It seems that this person was unimpressed with my choice in counter and flooring material. Heck, so am I. I went for less expensive and neutral. As a military family who moved 19 times, we never knew when that next "sell fast and get outta Dodge" would occur. We now know this is where we will remain, well, until our knees and backs totally give out. And yes, we are working on making this a more "our own strange" personality driven home. Still, there are colleges and orthodontists that, for some strange reason, love to be paid! The sweet person on RMS actually asked me why I had yet to "spend my money where it was needed". Ah, but I DID. We adopted our daughter. That perfect floor and counter would have to wait. And, for anyone who thinks for a second that this kitchen is always so clean...let me put that notion to rest! I knew family would be coming by this evening (more on that later) and did a quick clean up. At this moment, there are plates and glasses in the sink, a table full of left overs waiting to be put away and a pile of laundry in the middle of the floor. Can anyone explain to me how 3 people (Daniel does his own laundry) have this many dirty clothes? Sheesh...and it is staring at me, calling to me...wash me...dry me...fold me... Why I let that unremarkable line bother me, I have no idea. I am rather red of face that it DID upset me. Perhaps it annoyed me because I can not imagine why anyone would say something so unkind to another. But you know? I have learned something. No matter what I do or do NOT do to this kitchen, powder room or basement, some will always find it "unremarkable". I have always enjoyed watching HGTV"s Househunters. Recently, however, it has left me miffed. Yes, miffed. To watch one young couple after another spurn a home because it has, and let me say this exactly as the lovely young woman did so eloquently... "Egad! Vinyl flooring! I can not live with vinyl flooring!"... left me a teensy but cold. This remark was quickly followed by the inevitable, "NO granite? NO GRANITE!" She practically swooned. It was a shock to sweetie's delicate sensibilities that some of us barbarian cave dwellers actually suffer the lack of granite counters. We should be shot at dawn. Just today I picked up a copy of a new magazine to read what a young designer had to say about updating my dining room. Well, straight away he said to rid myself of any dark walls...IE, burgundy. Oh yeah, like in the burgundy walls we spent a week painting 2 months ago. Those walls are already dated. Who knew? And I need to lose the *old fashioned* table and chairs. Uh huh. Just like the ones we bought and paid for 2 months ago. I think I will kill myself. So, I was dated before the paint had a chance to dry. Why should this amaze me? I am sorely out of touch with most clothes styles, music and books. Shouldn't my home reflect the me who is out of touch, out of whack and probably out of cumin in the pantry? And so it does...from the burgundy walls in the dining room to the eclectic mix of treasures in our family room. Someday soon I will change this flooring and these counters and will be thrilled to do so. But, until then, I will relax and enjoy being so delightfully unremarkable. You see, being unremarkable isn't tough at all when you are surrounded by the wonderful blog friends that I have. Bless you all... Have a sweet Wednesday...I need to run. The laundry pile calls.

Unremarkable Kitchen...Remarkable Memories

Sweet BJ at Sweet Nothings is hosting a Kitchen Party on her blog this week! So many talented and creative bloggers are sharing their kitchens with us or are sharing one they have found that, in their eyes, is glorious. I have so enjoyed seeing these wonderful spaces and wanted to join in. Then, stupidly, I chose NOT to send in my photos because I was sure my kitchen would be deemed quite unremarkable...and yes, that RMS sting still hurts! So, unremarkable as it is, each photo is *clickable* and it will give you a larger image to see. Just don't look too hard for batter spills or cracker crumbs! The tea towels are really used...and are picked up on trips here and abroad. I have so many of them and they make me smile!

I considered removing the refrigerator decor but heck. It is part of our life so here it is. As is!

Good question...what IS for supper?

The sign over the window reads, "Enjoy the Journey" and I think we do! As you can see, a minimalist I am not!

We do not all have large homes or enormous design budgets. I am one of those! But hey. I have a lovely home and am surrounded by the treasures and people I adore. That counts for something right? We have already chosen the flooring and counter tops/tile back splashes that will be added to our kitchen, hopefully, next year. When we bought our home, we chose very neutral colors because we thought we might well have had to move again. When we realized, last year, that we were finally home for good, adding our own personality began...a little here and a tiny bit there. It will all come together someday soon but, until then, this is my kitchen, unremarkable perhaps, cluttered to some, but mine. It will never be featured in a magazine but it is our nest. Our kitchen table has seen it's share of dinners, laughter, hurried breakfasts and tears. Almost every member of my extended family has, over the years, dined at this table. You can see the small indentations from completed homework assignments and a nick here and there from each of our 17 moves. There is even a scorched spot that brings back memories of candlelight dining during our first hurricane. Isn't it wonderful that I love vintage? It was at this table that scores of adoption paperwork was completed and at which Daniel studied for his Senior year finals. It was here I sat after learning that my beloved father had passed away and it was here that we both sat upon learning that we had a daughter waiting for us in China. Yes, I have scores of dishes and glassware, all pretty and of which I am quite fond. I do love to set a sweet table and use the linens and lovely tableware I have. But this is how our kitchen looks on most days...mid afternoon. I have cleaned up from the morning rush and Grace has yet to get home, dragging with her an overstuffed backpack and many papers to check. I am still in the process of aging the walls so don't look TOO HARD! It is a dreary, rainy day so may appear to be a bit gloomy. Of course, odd duck that I am, I adore such days and feel all the more cozy in my little home. Someday soon I will have the brick flooring I crave (Not quite like our pretty Kat's but she WAS my inspiration!) but, until then, our kitchen will continue to be our safe haven. It will still shelter dogs with muddy feet and shedding cats. Young men, and not so young men, will still forget to remove their grass covered shoes after mowing. Watercolor paint will be splattered on the table and pancake syrup will still, somehow, magically find it's way onto the floor and walls. And I will love it all. I will be grateful for it all. Thank you dear, dear BJ for being such a gracious hostess this week! If you have yet to take a peek, please do!