Goodbye old friend

A blog about a new kitchen? How absolutely riveting?

I'm hoping so.

From what I can tell, most blogs are nothing more than a person rambling on about his life. Well, this kitchen project is going to be a big part of my life for the next couple of months. So I'm jumping into the blogosphere to share it with anyone who cares to join me.

And I'm sure this blog will build some sort of an audience. Despite the fact I know it is all a hoax, I'm still checking out Lonelygirl15 on YouTube hoping that the video soap opera of teenage angst, murder, and the occult will somehow come to an end. So I know blogging can be addictive.

While my blog won't feature a pretty 19-year-old, it will be a first-hand account of something that happened to homeowners all over this country.

Remodeling is big business. This job is the second most expensive purchase we have ever made, ranking only behind the house itself. As I said in my Feb. 1 column, I'm facing this project with a great amount of trepidation.



It's not that it is the most efficient kitchen, but it is my kitchen. Soon it will be gone. In its place will come a new one with new appliances and a new look. But will I like the look? Will the expansion of cabinets along the wall make the small space even smaller? Are the cabinets too dark? Is the countertop going to over whelm the room? I've been assured by my wife, Judy and our designer that I am going to love it when it is done. I don't see it. I mean I've seen the drawings and they look nice. But I can't get on board as joyfully as Judy would like.

But this blog is going to be about more than my neurosis and construction problems. It's going to be about living without a kitchen. Cooking has become second nature for me now. Will I be able to revert back to my bachelor days and eat out every night?

One advantage is that by being forced to eat out, it gives me a chance to explore restaurants around town. I'm not going to review them per say, but I will write about the places where I eat. And because I'll be eating on my dime, I'll be venturing into the smaller, less expensive places that may not get the attention they deserve in our restaurant review and dining notes pages.

I also look forward to your input. Oh, I expect there will be plenty of the "Quit complaining, you're getting a new kitchen" posts. I'm actually looking forward to them. I need that mantra to get me excited about the project. Share your thoughts and opinions. I'm hoping that those of you who have gone through this before will offer a tip or two.

So, let's start at the very beginning with a few before pictures. Like I said, it's not a great kitchen, but it is mine. Above is the view of the kitchen sink and the garbage can that Judy hates so much. The other view is along the long wall. As you can see, there's plenty of clutter.

So, it's time to get things started as I envision Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's Ty Pennington screaming into his megaphone: "Macdonald family, let's re-build your kitchen!"