Before & After: Our Kitchen Renovation

There are times that looking to the past is a good thing.

 Renovations are examples. Going to an open-concept plan was a correct choice for us. Our kitchen became Light, Bright, Airy.  I am thankful to the Lord; and to Andy & Lucas the workers. 

Also,  better doing the project then, than now, with inflation nipping at our heels.  

More work around the house is needed, of course.  It seems endless, with lots of money involved 😐 Someday the projects will be completed, Lord willing and as He provides.

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Metal Pot Rack: Theirs and Mine in the Kitchen

The Brown's pot rack

I first set eyes on the above pot rack during a post-wedding party.  Maybe it was the great food and/or the great friends with whom I mingled, but I simply had to have this simple, useful pot rack and asked the hosts for its source.  Long story short, I got my own version within 3 weeks of the event through the kindness of a mutual friend's husband. This was a good deal on all fronts. Thank God for men of integrity. 

First,  young daughter painted the wall where it was to be installed.  There was once a strip of mirror running horizontally across near the ceiling. Paint primer was needed before the paint was applied.

Next, hubby measured and found the wall studs.  This rack was HEAVY.  Plus, we had to consider the weight of the pots, pans, glassware and other stuff we plan to put on it (such as the beautiful Courtly Check pot below).

MacKenzie-Childs 2.5 quart pot

Some time after this beautiful metal rack was installed, we renovated our kitchen.  The particular wall onto which it was installed no longer exists. The rack has been put away in storage till a proper place for it in our home is found once again. 

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While I Was Driving, 12: Winter, License Plates & Names

Dear  Son says his German home town's Winters are not as harsh as ours; and the snow accumulation is tolerable.

I wonder if he misses Winter scenes such as this one.  Doggy Bubbles certainly misses him.

Pam: proud Mercedes Benz car owner

Dyana: likes her name and her Lexus

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God-is-Good Riches

Hubby's company Pension Fund is being terminated (company reason: expensive yearly upkeep). We've been notified of our options, and one of them is a Lump Sum payment.  Hence, my thoughts running wild ....imagining me with the fat $ check $ in my grubby little hands. If it were only up to me, I'd cash it in right there and then. Who cares about the taxes, LoL. First thing I'd buy would be a piece of luggage, similar to this, from GOYARD:

pc: wikipedia

Realistically speaking, the pension check belongs to our future because it's on its way to a direct roll-over. My Honey insists, and I agree. Sigh. It's still a thankful-to-God sigh, of course. May God give our whole family the time and the ability to enjoy future years using Hubby's company benefit. I never tire of pointing out that God  has used hubby's Company as the conduit of His great mercy towards us and our big, expensive-to-upkeep family. Obviously, He is quite able to furnish a table in the wilderness. 

Anyhoo, how short-sighted and selfish of me to say: Sweetheart, let's cash in the money and run away to Paris, France...and let the dog take care of the kids for a little while; and vice versa  ^_^

link:  Retirement Plans in the USA

How They Are Spending Their Christmas Break

I miss these two.
So does Mister B. They are at the Camp/Conference/Retreat Center for the week. Serving the Lord by working very hard for little money and putting in long, long hours. But it's worth it. They are part of a much-needed Kitchen Staff, cooking and feeding 350+ Attendees. Learning to go beyond what they can gain financially from the experience; to putting the needs of others first (many are fellow Christians).  Ministering to the Body of Christ. Faith in action. The fruit of the Spirit for all to see. To God be the glory!

Mr Bubbles

She's been with us exactly a year. In spite of our friends' warnings that a big dog means big poop, big hairy mess (true), and loud barking (double true) my hubby went ahead and filled out adoption papers for her at our local county animal shelter. THEN, he told me about it. He was second-in-line, though.  Another family was ahead of us and ready to pick her up that very evening. However, the Lord had other plans as she was still available 3 days later. Who would have thunk! 


Here she is, in all her kind-of sleepy glory: