PROJECT UPDATE #2

THE KITCHEN PROJECT

  

As noted here previously, I don't have a lot of confidence in my decorating choices and prefer to defer to someone else for ideas and recommendations.  Nor have I completely reconciled myself to the shopping necessary to make changes.  Thus, the Kitchen Project had a quality of intimidation for me.  It was next up on my list, though, so I decided to put on my big girl panties and GO FOR IT!  

No structural, paint, or furnishing changes were required.  My plan was to replace curtains and chair cushions to complement a nice framed poster by the table,  replace our dinnerware, silverware, bakeware, cookware, and storage containers.  Yep, all the existing stuff was that old. And not in an old and cool antique-y way.  In an old, tired and used up way.  Lots of throwing away and donating were scheduled.

Here we go:  this is the on the wall by the table that I used as the basis for the color and pattern of the curtains and chair cushions. 

curtains, old & new,

 

and the chair cushions.

I replaced our Old Town Blue pattern, found now only in Corelle's "discontinued patterns" section, with Classic Cafe in red and black.

Silverware and glasses

I chose to keep these bread pans given to me by my Mom,

but replaced the rest of my bakeware.

New cookware included skillets

and a stew pot:

I chose to keep my bread mixing bowl:

but replaced this oldie 

with a glass set.

 Tupperware "Crisp It Lettuce Keepers" are on-line in the "vintage" category. 

I found Glad to have satisfactory replacements:

These oldies were given to me by sister-in-law Karen for my wedding shower (I wasn't kidding! But I got all those years of use out of them.)

 

and were replaced by these:

As I was delightfully ridding myself of that old green stuff, I was highly amused to find this new colander in only one color:

but it does this for easy storage, so I couldn't resist:  

And finally, my favorite new piece is this salad spinner.  Press down on the large black button to activate the spinner, and the job is done in no time!

So, my kitchen is all up to date and I'm pleased with my choices, despite my initial uncertainty.  Some of the shopping was more fun than I anticipated, so I must be progressing in that area.  That's a good thing, because there are projects involving shopping still pending!

 

HAPPY 4TH!

 

  

 227 years ago...on July 4th, 1776
This great nation, the United States of America,
In a struggle for what was right and free,
Was proudly born...
May we celebrate that precious freedom
For which our forbears fought so bravely...
The freedom that is inherent
In the Stars and Stripes, our revered flag...
Celebrate Freedom
This Fourth of July! 

                                                     JOSEPH P. MARTINO
Read more at http://www.theholidayspot.com/july4/poems.htm#sfu7H9VqVC1S2cgs.99

A PROJECT UPDATE

THE DEEP FREEZE PROJECT

 For at least 33 of the 35 years we've been married, I've had a small chest deep freezer.  I've found it invaluable in the ways you'd expect:  baking & freezing bread, keeping a selection of frozen meats and veggies, taking advantage of sales to stock up.  At best, chest freezers don't lend themselves to finding things easily:  what you want is always at the bottom of the pile.   I've compounded that inherent problem by ignoring any semblance of organization and letting WILLY-NILLY rule.   Yep, 33 years of digging and wondering what a "freezer surprise" might reveal when thawed.

Until now.  This is the kind of Getting My Life In Order retirement was made for!

I was pleased when an Internet search revealed a number of options for organizing one's deep freeze, and chose one that appealed to me.  Given that inherent challenge of finding things, this one is simple and inexpensive.

The basic organization is to collect like items in some sort of bag.  I chose recyclable bags because they're inexpensive, readily available, easy to look into, and colorful.  I mined our existing collection of bags, purchased several for no more than $.50 each, and acquired some for free.  All the meats are divided into appropriate portions for cooking for two and (oh, my) even labeled with portion weight and date frozen.

Beef is divided into hamburger and "other":

 Chicken and fish:

 

Pork:

Veggies: 

 The bread I bake (these two bags made & given to me by Mom years ago):

 

Other breads (muffins, hamburger buns, pitas):

Tortillas:  

While there's still an element of finding, it's easy to grab the bags by their handles and lift them out to peer about underneath.

Our freezer lives its life on the back deck, exposed to the elements.  Last year we said goodbye to our original freezer when those 32 years caught up with it.  Since this freezer is new, I wanted some sort of cover that gives it protection while still allowing easy access.  This is the kind of job that makes my brain freeze (hahahahah), so I asked Ron to see if he could devise something suitable.  This is his tarp-and-tape solution.  It's working very well.  Eventually the sun will destroy the tarp, but it's inexpensive and simple enough (for Ron) to put another one together.

 Since I use the freezer daily, this project is constantly rewarding.  I'm giving it two thumbs up!