Stray Kitties and Clean Kitchens

Our garage is in our backyard. We can't park a car in there as there is only a 'people' gate in the fence by the garage. So I use the garage for storage. One of my goals is to clean it out and put all the boxes of my kid's memories from their growing up into the wooden shed (we also have a metal shed -- it is great that each shed is different - makes it easier when you are trying to tell someone where to find something!). Then I will set up the garage for Jerry to use as his hobby shop. He has a lot of things he would like to do once the weight is off and he can move around easily again.

Garage above picture, sheds below picture. That is Honey by the lemon tree, she was waiting for the gopher to pop his head out of the hole. My dad was a housemover and his truck yard is behind our house. I love to be able to look out my windows and see my parents working around their yards. Seeing my mom working in her beautiful flowerbeds puts me in the mood to work on mine!

So, yesterday morning I went out to the garage to get something and Honey followed me. There is a stray mama cat who has had 3 kittens and our little side yard is their hangout. Well, Mrs. Mama Cat had those cutie pies playing on the patio in front of the garage. Of course when I walked outside it scared them off. Mrs. Cat, though, turned and hissed at Honey and I. So Honey, being a dog, started to bark at Mrs. Cat and got too close. Mama was intent on protecting her young ones and nicked Honey's nose. For the rest of the day Honey layed under Jerry's chair in the living room and no amount of coaxing could get her out from under there. Her pride and her nose were hurting.

This morning Honey acted like she wanted to go into the backyard, so I opened the screen door for her. She stopped and would not budge any farther than halfway out the door. I said "In or out, Honey". She backed inside and ran to the glider rocker by the big living room window, jumped into the rocker and went crazy barking. I looked out and sure enough, there was Mama Cat and the babies relaxing under the vining plant in the sideyard. I had to laugh at Honey... she learned her lesson and was not going to risk having her nose swiped again.

Honey was content to spend the next hour sitting next to 'Daddy' (as I call Jerry when I talk to Honey). She sat there next to him with her little milkbone treat beside her and was the Princess of the house. She likes having this chair next to him and thinks it is exclusively her chair. The wing chair used to be in the office where we used it for Jerry's 'make-do' desk. I am waiting, still, for Kyle to come and get the treadmill. When he does, this chair will go in the place the treadmill is now sitting in the office. That way when a client or Bruce (Jerry's friend since they were 9 years old) come to see Jerry and he is working at his desk, they have a comfortable chair to sit in while they talk to him.

A little later this morning I went into the backyard to do some yardwork and Honey followed me out. Mama Cat was back on the patio and turned and got Honey's nose again. I guess Honey forgot her lesson again... kids and dogs and husbands... do they ever learn?? Sigh.....

Here is a chore that never seems to be done.... dishes!

My mom gave me the wooden dish drain about 20 years ago when I lived in Iowa. I love it. Everytime I have finished drying the dishes, I take a clean, dry dishtowel and dry off the drain, the drain board and the dishtub and store them under the sink for the next time. I think by doing this faithfully for the last 20 years it has kept my dish drain in good shape. I don't let my dishes airdry in it either, I always dry them and put them away as soon as I wash them. I like having a clean kitchen and dishes on the counter makes the kitchen look cluttery, even if they are clean.

In the pictures above you can see my hand towel and dish rag hanging on the towel rack above the sink. I love this little towel rack. It is so handy to have the dish rag and towel right there. I love to collect vintage kitchen things and display them around the picture molding and other areas all around my kitchen. I still have to paint the entire inside of the house so I haven't put up too many pictures, etc. I will take more pictures after I paint.

I love the old style cabinetry throughout this house. In the picture below you can see more nic nacs displayed above the cabinets, door frame and window frame.

I also love the old small hexagon shaped tile on the kitchen counter and the bathroom floor. The kitchen sink is a good depth and wide - lots of room to work in. On the counter in the above picture are 3 antique glass coffee cans that I keep my all-purpose flour, wheat flour and sugar in. The little shelf above the glass coffee cans holds some of my vintage salt and pepper shakers. The two small upper cupboards on each side of the counter space holds my drinking glasses and the 2 cupboards by the laundry room door are really spacious, the top cupboard holds my spices and baking supplies and the bottom cupboard holds my pots and pans, cake and pie pans, cookie sheets, etc. I keep a small trash can under the kitchen sink along with a bucket, rubber gloves and scrubbing brushes.

This kitchen is small, but it sure can get me in the baking and cooking mood - it has a real old-fahsioned feel to it.