Grump Central Archive: Week of 31 May 2020

Saturday, 6 June 2020

Aside from staining/finishing, the kitchen island cabinetry is done. Now I'm much better prepared to entertain, starting with dinner for friends tonight.


Friday, 5 June 2020

Been going full-throttle on the kitchen island cabinetry: three drawers down, five to go. Note the flush-faced drawers (and cabinet doors will be the same)—harder to pull off, but a cleaner finished look. Also completed the center cabinet interior. You know the old saying about a place for everything... here's a prime example. Top to bottom: splatter screens, small pots and pans, lids, and large pots and pans. I especially like the space-saving lid rack.


Thursday, 4 June 2020

Welcome to summer already. Yesterday, a predicted thunderstorm rolled through around noon, but evidently the power company wasn't paying attention to the reports, since they usually broadcast an alert to everyone on well water when there's a potential for outages, and I received nothing. They must have been caught with their pants down, as power was out for six hours.


Wednesday, 3 June 2020

One of several things I learned hosting a party is that it's challenging too cook efficiently when things are not organized, and not having any finished kitchen cabinets proved to be a handicap. I also learned that I'm seriously rusty when it comes to construction; also, the stores are depleted of a number of items I needed. Which, taken altogether, means my cabinetmaking will be very slow-going. It took nearly a day just to prepare one of two spaces for drawers, which bookend a large cabinet in between. At this rate, it may take a week to finish just the island cabinetry—and then there's the twelve feet of cabinets that face the island.


Tuesday, 2 June 2020

A year ago, I'd moved in just shy of a month before, and I was working furiously to make the house livable. I was hooking up the septic system control, installing a washer and dryer, and making the water potable. Yet I'm no closer to getting a CO now as I was then. Strange. Anyway, the party was a complete success, and well worth all of the prep work. (Ric Mac, my emails to you have been bouncing back, in case you're wondering why I've been so quiet lately.)


Monday, 1 June 2020

I baked a birthday cake! But I have no oven. Whatever did I do? I used the microwave. Yes, dear readers, it is possible to bake a cake in a microwave, and without a special recipe. Indeed, you can use plain old boxed cake mix. The secret? Set the microwave to half-power, and do each layer for 10 minutes, followed by 3 minute increments, testing for doneness with a toothpick in multiple spots each time. Worked perfectly. Also, I didn't have any cake pans, let alone microwaveable ones, so I used Tupperware containers. Seriously! I applied a generous coating of floured Pam, and they worked perfectly, too. I must say, it was quite a lot of fun improvising. And that picture of Pris being a "demon cat"? She's just meowing and reaching for me to pet her. Honest.


Sunday, 31 May 2020

I'm preparing to violate the self-quarantine in a major way tomorrow: I'm throwing a birthday party for a friend. Four guests will also be breaking self-quarantine by attending. Ask me if I'm at all worried...

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