This Week In my Home: Rainy Days and Mondays

 

I chose this week's kitchen because I love that stove angled across a corner that is typically lost space in a kitchen.   I've mentioned to John a couple of times that if I had my kitchen to design from scratch I'd start by building the stove into the useless corner in my own kitchen.  Of course, when and if I do get to renovate my kitchen, we don't plan to do a 'from scratch' start over.  Moving the vent over the stove, which I consider a necessity would be a right pain and require messing about with the roof and no need of doing that.  Unnecessary temptation to leaks and such!  No way!

As usual we'll start to the left and work our way about.  I'm wondering if just perhaps the refrigerator might not be in the space next to that rolling cart...But maybe not.  The cart however seems to have been standard in homes of the late 30's and early 40's.  Again, I believe that's due to the whole servant free households.   It's astonishing really how many women did have a maid of all work in her home right up into the 20's unless of course, they had a group of daughters to help out.

The floor is rather attractive and needless to say is the spin off the kitchen color scheme.  I think they got the balance of red just right with all the white cabinetry and appliances.  I'd have been tempted to use black hardware on the cabinets but I can see that the silver/chrome keeps the room light and bright.  

There appears to be ample room for work space on that first bit of counterspace.  I note that the mixer is there but if you look closely, nary a plug in sight...I wonder if that cute little stove has a plug built into it's control panel?  Hard to say since we can't see the burners to tell if it's a gas or electric cooker.  

Quick swing back to the far left and I note the mixing bowl and canisters on the rolling cart...I wonder if that's where the mixer typically sits?

Note right behind the stove instead of allowing the space to drop off, they built up the counter there so it's handy to hold things that you might typically use on the stove top.  Perhaps electric plugs were fitted into the left side end of that raised counter?  It would be a good use of that, I think, don't you?  Note the little wire shelves to the far side of the stove on both walls.  I am sure their placement was done to make things easier to reach.   

And here we might take note of the fact that there are NO upper cabinets.  It results in making the kitchen seem far more open and less cluttered.   Did I tell you that in our planning for my one day/some day kitchen reno we mean to take down all the upper cabinets for just that reason?  Yes, we do.  It was John's idea and I could immediately 'see' the kitchen in my mind and knew it was perfect for us.

Round we go to the right and I confess, my love of symmetry has been completely thrown off by the close proximity of the metal drainboard to the stove.  I do see they centered the sink, but since the drain board is essentially part and parcel of a sink you'd think they might have centered the whole unit wouldn't you?  However, how would one arrange the cabinets if one did move the whole unit to the center?  There's the puzzle.     I think I'd have a free drain board and stow it away once dishes were done...Just to preserve my own need for symmetry!

We have no real idea of the placement of the refrigerator but I suspect there is no eating space in this little kitchen.  Past kitchens we've looked at have been very clever in squeezing one in somewhere but I think that an eat in kitchen is not always the best use of square footage in a house.  

Well let us move on to the week ahead...

Work:

It's meant to rain on Monday of this week and three other days I think.  It's also pollen season, so no hard complaints about rain which rinses the air clean for a little while at least.  I like Mondays and I like Rainy Days so there's nothing to frown about here!

Zone 1:  Kitchen/Laundry.   These past few weeks I've done little enough.  The house looks like it's being kept up well enough but then you look a little bit closer...and it's not so much!  This week I mean to go over my kitchen and laundry surfaces and give them all a good clean/dusting.  I'll work in increments about the space as it is really quite large.  

I especially noted that the window blinds sticks (that little thing that opens and shuts the blinds) is looking grimy.  I have no idea why!  We don't typically have dirt laden hands when we touch them. In fact, typically my hands are fresh from dishwater, dried and then I close the blinds but there you are.  Grimy.  The inside of the kitchen window has suffered with a bit of moisture and looks mildew-y inside.  The laundry area is dusty.  

John has seemingly acquired the back entry bench as his personal parking zone for tools and power tool batteries.  I have plants in desperate need of repotting and some in need of potting period, that I'd nursed through winter.  Time to just focus and get as much done as I can.   Besides, even if it's raining most of the week, it's time to get spring ready in my opinion.  Enough of these lazy winter days.

I have a few first of the month bills and mail  and such to attend to this week but nothing major.  I'll take time to check my bank balance against my register and see which checks have cleared the bank, etc.

March goals. Time to make new goals for the new month that starts on Monday!

March wardrobe set up.  I joined Stitch Fix this past week, planning to give it a try rather than go out to retail shop.  We'll see how well that goes.  I'll let you all know.  My first box is meant to arrive on Monday.  I've seen things that Bess got in hers when she belonged and I was favorably impressed.  That she's still wearing some of those clothes lo these many years (Five, I think) later says something of their quality.  I opted for a box once a quarter.  

Aside from routine work I'm making no further plans other than Zone work for the week.  I'll see how the week goes.  John's off to lunch with his partner and best friend one day, and if I'm feeling well enough I'm going to head out for a bit of retail fun all by myself provided my issues have cleared up so I dare venture from home.  Then on Friday I'm meant to have the three children for several hours, from afternoon into evening.  I've already been asked to make pancakes that night and I guess it's as good a supper as any.  

It's time again to make a list of projects and odd jobs and such I want to attend to.  I've noted that the porches  need some  work this year and indoors there are things I want to get done...So I shall make out my list and tackle them one by one.

Kitchen:

Honestly, the kitchen generates the most work of any room in my home!  Perhaps because it's food central for the house and so I tend to concentrate hard on that.

I want to make bagels this week.  We've been buying them but there's really no need.  I can make decently good ones and they aren't difficult to make.  While I'm at it, I'd like to make some English muffins, as well.

And it would be nice to have some cookies.  We haven't had homemade cookies since Christmas.

This week, I have a small list of expired or about to expire items which I'd like to use as much of as I might.  I plan to clear the fridge of most leftovers on Sunday and make those our meals for that day, which essentially buys me a free kitchen day.  I have quite a few leftovers on hand but not enough to make a complete meal of any sort.   I left the list lying on my desk and I'm far too lazy today to go get it but I also had an item or two from the freezer and cabinet which I'd like to see used as well.  And of course I must really go through the fridge with an eye for forgotten bits so I might gather those fragments, too.

Tonight's supper is an easy one:  Creamy Italian Chicken with Pasta, Steamed Broccoli  I'll likely have leftovers of this, as well.  If it's really substantial I'll put it in the freezer.   I'll use some of the expired spaghetti for our pasta tonight.   Which reminds me: Grandmother NEVER made macaroni and cheese.  She always made spaghetti and cheese and I thought it was so good.  Anyone else ever have spaghetti and cheese?  I might cook a little extra pasta and make a small casserole of it for lunch one day this week.

Leftovers Galore

Red Beans and Rice or Black Beans and Rice?  I'll definitely make beans and rice but we'll see which I favor come Monday.  Which I have will also decide what sides we have.  I typically do Coleslaw and Cornbread with the Red beans or a Pineapple Salad and Tortillas with the Black beans.  I do have a can of pineapple that is expired and ought to be used, so that might sway the decision a little... 

Pot Roast with Vegetables and Gravy, Beets

BBQ Chicken, Potatoes Au Gratin, Green Salad  Honestly I could just eat the au gratin potatoes and be happy but it would not do a thing good for blood sugar levels so I'll do well and eat properly.

Tuna Rice Casserole, Sliced Tomatoes, Green Peas  I expect there will be some leftover rice. I generally tend to cook once and make enough to have twice.  I found this recipe tucked into my notebook with a note that it was Rhonda's recipe and I've never yet had a thing she shared come out tasting anything other than delicious.  Thought I'd give it a try.

Pancakes, Turkey Bacon or Turkey Spam and probably an egg or two scrambled to insure I get the protein I require to balance the carbs in the pancake I'll eat.

Leisure:

I might as well call the February stack of books my March reading.  I read one chapter this past month. One.  Ridiculous.  I have another new book to add to my stacks of new books and how shall I ever get to them if I don't get busy reading?

Seriously, I mean to take a little longer break from the computer daily.  It eats up an inordinate amount of time I might spend in far more pleasurable and better ways.    It's always best to have the computer handy if I'm researching genealogy.  However, I've two or three notebooks of notes to add to my current work and I might as well adjust my work to doing that task first.   

It's just beginning to be pollen season.  The first warning showed up on my phone today.  Le Sigh.  That means my porch sitting days might well be at an end.  Fortunately I have a sunny window indoors that catches afternoon sun and I'll take time to sit there for at least 15 minutes on any sunny day we have.