When Steve worked at the VA in East Tennessee, a veteran made him this sign from the Wizard of Oz. (Steve often quoted the movie.)
The sign came with us everywhere we moved. Here, it hung on the balcony wall. A few months ago, the sign disappeared. We guessed it flew away in one of the big windstorms that afflicted New York this spring. Maybe it was offended I didn't listen to its advice when I went to renovate the kitchen.
Today, I visited Susan next door. She is getting ready to renovate her apartment with the same contractor I am using. When Susan and I stepped on her balcony, there was the sign. Susan said it just appeared one day. It flew from my balcony to hers.
I said maybe since it didn't succeed in stopping my renovation, it decided to give you its good advice. She gave me back the sign with a rueful laugh.
And yet, the 3/4 of the kitchen that is done is lovely. After two tries, I got the right part from Electrolux, and Avi, the contractor manager, fixed the stove. (He apparently didn't trust the laborers, who have been known to lack common sense. See broken oven door. See jiggling the refrigerator to make it level, then opening door and watching wine bottle fall to the floor. Floor 1, wine bottle 0.)
Today Steve made a real Southern breakfast like he did in the old-timey days in Tennessee. Biscuits! Delicious.
We like the big doorway to the dining area.
This area doesn't look much different than it did before we started. But it's all smoother, there's more storage space, that door on the left is the ever-loving garbage drawer, the refrigerator with the freezer underneath is great, and--and there's an ice maker. Ice any old time. Ice. Happy summer.
