Never Did This Before/A Special Collection

When you move constantly, there are a lot of things as a homeowner you never get around to doing.  This is the longest we have ever lived in one place other than Michigan (which was four years).  And even there, we never did heavy fall/spring cleaning.  We just ripped down the walls and remodeled, and then I called it  the aftermath cleaning.  But still, I have never dusted my ceiling.  I have never polished my cabinets.  I only washed out drawers and the fridge when we moved in and then out.  Which was only a year apart usually!  I am no great housekeeper.  I am sure I have several friends that go to these lengths on a regular basis.  A few friends are blessed to hire someone to do this on a regular basis.

Today it started with looking in the fridge for leftovers for lunch.  I was finally fed up with what I opened up the doors too.  We ate a late lunch because I took action.  I took EVERYTHING OUT.  I threw away.  I hot watered and windexed the heck out of this thing.  It is soooo shiny.  I was enthralled.

 So I decided why not try these other things such as using Pledge to polish all the cabinets.  Why not take down my collection and scour it all.  And then degrease the shelf.  Why not use my amazing far reaching swiffer to dust all of the lights, skylight, and the ceiling.  No small task with that pitch and my height I tell you.   Standing on top of the fridge is probably not recommended.  And I reorganized my drawers.  Ha!  And then I polished all that stupid staining steel.  RRRR which means I have to mop because it gets everywhere.  So then I got down and cleaned under them all and under the kick.   Ha! Ha!  But it finally looks kind of like my friend's shiny kitchen that I always admire.  Or my other friend who has a really cool new remodel.  Maybe I will decide to like this room again, it can be quite pretty when clean.

But before I look toooo braggy about being all clean.  I have to 'fess up.  I got most of it, except for this spot.  I don't think I will ever ever get it under control.  It makes my blood boil and makes me want wine. And notice I have not mentioned any other room.  :)

I cannot not mention my collection.  My mom started it for me, and actually most everything she finds at thrift stores for my birthdays.  Which I love, but my dad and husband don't get.  I always shriek with excitement when I see the really big box that always has a new treasure.   :)

Aluminum.  Teapots and coffee pots are my favorites, with colanders or bundt pans tied for third place.  I LOVE imagining a group of women, coffee moms perhaps from a generation or two ago, meeting up and drinking tea or coffee brewed in these.  Sharing recipes for the new bundt cake.  Snapping beans or shelling peas over the colanders.  I know these things were USED, possibly favorites.  I love the shapes, the dulled shininess.  I have pots and pans too and baskets, but those are in my art studio.  I wanted to give my favorites the limelight.

 A few other pieces are thrown in:  a cake plate, my grandma's waffle iron, an old pot.  And then I have a couple plates painted by my other grandmother up there.

 All that history up there gives me warm fuzzies.  I cook from old church cookbooks, using recipes from family and names I remember.  I like to think all of those ladies are helping me out.  Helping me get through.

 Helping me raise my family and be there for my friends.  Good lessons.  I'll bet they polished their cabinets and dusted their ceilings.  See, it is already rubbing off!