Wednesday, August 03, 2011

OLD KITCHEN, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU

 

My mother taught me that the word 'hate' is a very strong word. So when I talk about my old kitchen, it's dislike immensely, but never hate.

But it's been made clear on more than one occasion (like here), that I have been looking forward to our kitchen renovation. Very much, in fact.


So, the old gal is leaving the building in five more sleeps (but who's counting, right?). And there's not much I will miss. Like this:


The lino. I think this was the part I was most happy to say goodbye to. It never looked clean, was textured and held every food and sticky drink morsel. And then once it was clean, it still looked grubby. I even used Jif to clean the floor once (yes, on my hands and knees!), and it looked a teeny tiny bit cleaner. For a few moments anyway.


Peekaboo tiles. The kitchen had a quick makeover before we purchased this home. I say quick, because the original tiles have been giving us a sneak preview in the past few months. Two words: not pretty.


Painted benches. As part of that same Lick n' Promise was the painted benchtops. Charming they were.


The contact. You know that sticky stuff that was really trendy in the 70/80s, and it had assorted patterns on it? Well, it lines every one of my cupboard shelves. And it's uber classy with the paint blobs on it.
 

The slick 70s style. Need I say more? Actually, yes I do. This house is a Victorian, born in 1904. Not 1974.


Brown appliances. The brown Blanco. Mmm, mmm.



Modern Maid. I'm sorry but is there anything modern about this maid? (See above comment.)


Reliable timer. I can't tell you how many dinners have burnt because this bloody thing never went off. It kind of just stopped. Without telling anyone. Thanks Modern Maid.


Sawdust overkill. Everytime we opened up a cutlery drawer, a little sawdust made it's way into the lower one. Nothing like cleaning the drawer and all its contents. All. The. Time.

The constant need for soap. Because the drawers weren't on runners, they got sticky, then the handles would come off. Handy (pun intended).

The pantry. Well, I did have a pantry, a gorgeous hutch my husband made which was placed in the closest proximity to the kitchen (in the dining room). And so obtaining ingredients for a meal or snack would often mean several trips across the kitchen, around the dining room table and then into the small hutch. Oh, and then I would have to take seven things out to get the item I needed. There's plenty of reasons not to cook right there.

No dishwasher. Sadly, for the whole of my married life (that's more than ten years now), I haven't had a dishwasher. And before then when I did have one, I never used it. My fairy step-daughters often joke with me that we are the only family they know that doesn't have a dishwasher. And since my best friend just purchased one, I think they might just be right.


The lighting. I've spent the last four years cooking with just one little fluoro in the middle of my large 12 foot high kitchen. I've basically cooked in the dark. It's amazing I have ten fingers still. And who knows how many snails I missed when cleaning the garden spinach?

Okay, okay...

Perhaps I'm being far too harsh on this kitchen. If these walls could speak, it would have plenty to say. The meals, the memories, the stories, the eras. And, yes when I think more about it, I've made lovely homecooked meals in this kitchen, and watched my boys start solids there too. We've had many a family discussion, talked over the most amazing things, eating home grown produce (possibly gritty) with old and new friends, and spending far longer than planned chatting over a hot cuppa. The kitchen truly is the hub of this home.

But imagine how many more memories are going to be made in my new kitchen?

Plenty, I say.

And I can't wait to start them.

15 comments:

  1. I love you just a little bit more for jiffing a lino floor. That's something I would do!

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  2. I have a 1 year old oven and the timer never works on that either. I mean seriously, how hard can it be to put a timer on an oven?

    I bet you miss that lino when it's gone!! Can your tell I'm LOVING my own grey lino at the moment??? Bleeehhhh!

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  3. I can't wait to see your new kitchen! I think I would strongly dislike that old kitchen too. When we first moved in we had to replace our kitchen 'cos it wasn't fit for food storage or preparation at all. Our bathroom, well that's another story..our money didn't stretch at the time and it's very like the era of your old kitchen.

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  4. OMG, I dislike that modern maid too! You totally deserve a new kitchen - can't wait to see your after photos :).

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  5. When does it go in? Can't wait to see pics of the newbie. I love a good kitchen. Bit excited for you Kimmy!!

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  6. I love, love, love a new kitchen. I am addicted to the Block and Renovators at the moment and it is giving me a real itch to renovate. So best I live vicariously through you. Well deserved I must add!

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  7. All I can say is that you are a far better woman than me living with that kitchen for so long :)

    x

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  8. 'Dislike immensely' is being rather restrained in my view - after ten years you deserve the kitchen of your dreams, or at least one without brown appliances and better lighting!

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  9. Oh dear, I can understand the 'dislike' completely... in fact I kind of dislike after reading this post ;o)
    I was cracking up when I read about the contact! I can't believe people EVER thought it was a good idea to put contact on anything other than exercise books... oh what a blast from the past that is!
    So many things to improve on and I'm sure it's just the ammo you needed to build yourself a dream kitchen. I almost can't wait to see the finished product of your new one... you deserve it! :o) xo

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  10. Think of it this way...from here, there's no way to go but up :-) Cheers!

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  11. This is so classic! Love your kitchen description. The colours, the lino and the contact...oh my! you are going to be in kitchen heaven. I totally love your three story looking dish rack. Adore it! makes me feel happy knowing other women pile their dish rack so high. Haha!

    So looking to the next post on why you love your NEW kitchen so much xx

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  12. Jiff can't fix everything, sad as it is true.
    You deserve a nice kitchen. Can't wait to see the finished product.

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  13. Great. Now we're going to be the only people without a dishwasher.

    We thought that not having a dishwasher would break us, but you get used to it pretty quick. Doing the dishes by hand is just a normal part of life now, and it usually doesn't occur to me to even want a dishwasher.

    However, if we ever move to a house that has one I may find myself quietly weeping tears of joy as I press the 'go' button and hear that beautiful swishy-swirly music it makes as it washes away half an hour's worth of housework.

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  14. Wow, if anyone ever need a fabulous kitchen!! it would be you. I am so ecstatic for your transformation, really it is WORLD's better!! WIsh I could come over and help you break it in :)

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  15. "All I can say is that you are a far better woman than me living with that kitchen for so long :)" Nice story.

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Thank you for your thoughtful and positive words and taking the time to comment. Love Kymmie. xx