In or Out?

I am not a terribly trendy person. Believe me, I certainly like new and up-to-date things. I am not a moron!! I enjoy the technological advances (read TOYS) that society has afforded. I am composing these little ditties on a state-of-the-art laptop from the fruit company. I would be lost without my cellphone, as it also contains my calendar and my phonebook, imperatives for my controlled lifestyle. My car comes equipped with a wonderful little gadget called a seat warmer. At least my ass is warm in winter. The microwave, the internet (e-mail), cordless phones, Mr. Clean Magic sponges (how do they work?), Ziploc bags and containers, central vacuums--all time saving and life affirming. These gadgets have long past trend, in my mind, and moved on to the realm of "can't live without it"! But, when it comes to fashion and those damned "What's in/ What's out" lists, I fail miserably. I find it exhausting attempting to keep up with dress lengths. I can't understand how to fasten, let alone attempt to wear some of the so-called clothes that designers are foisting upon us season after painful season. (Can somebody please explain the purpose of a sleeveless turtleneck?) Empire waists and low-rise pants don't work for somebody with no legs to speak of and big boobs! I am lost when somebody asks me what the "in" colours are this fall in nail polish. (My nails are short, trimmed, clean and free from polish that will only chip as I attack the guitar!!) I wear clothes that are comfortable, seasonal and appropriate for me. I curse the misogynistic bastard who invented pantyhose and stiletto heels. (It must of been a man, because no woman who has ever experienced childbirth would come up with something that requires that much pain!) This is not style! We are being led through the desert to the mirage and drinking the sand because we don't demand and question something better! So it stunned me, when in one of my initial conversations with Overall Designer, he asked me if the kitchen needed to be functional. I stared at him with a look that can only be described as stupid. "You mean that there are non-functioning kitchens?" I asked incredulously. He explained that more and more people are putting hundreds (yes that is hundreds) of thousands of dollars into kitchen re-designs that have absolutely nothing to do with cooking and eating. Top of the line appliances that never get used. Preparation areas that act solely as receptacles for that day's take-out. Expensive and hidden coffee devices, fixtures, granite counters and Italian marble all installed for show! I find it stunning. Our kitchen is literally and figuratively, the centre of our home. It is the place that everybody congregates. It is where the newspapers are read over morning coffee and where anecdotes about our daily grinds are shared over evening meals. We cook, bake, eat, talk and share in the kitchen. Certainly, I want it to be up to date and fabulous looking, but only if it is functional as well. The idea that I would have something in there strictly because it is trendy is an anathema to me. Who builds a kitchen to treat like a Jewish living room? When these guys finally leave, the plastic is coming off and we will cook and eat with gusto!

We have a floor that would make Fred Astaire blush. Inside Reliable worked all day Saturday and laid the entire thing. The walls are all up and the first coat of tape and guck went up. Sanding begins in earnest today. We may actually be on target for the appliance delivery this weekend. Pictures to follow.

I cannot begin to tell you all how floored I am by the response to these little rants. It really started as a way to keep my snowbird parents up-to-date on the progress, but it certainly has taken on a life of it's own. Thank you all for the kind comments. The technical people in my life have come up with a way for those who are reading this stuff, but are not registered on facebook, to indulge in the blog habit.. Simply go to dawnponders.blogspot.com. You are free to share the link with others. I can't imagine why!!