Kitchen Obsession

Sorry I’ve been absent.  I’ve been up to my eyeballs in this project management endeavor:

“Before”:

Planned wall removals. (And actually, since these photos were taken and since our visit with a structural engineer, we’ve decided to remove just about the entire wall!)

Cool schematics of our general plans using a virtual Kitchen Designer tool:

Our already-selected granite slab, “virtually cut” for our kitchen:

The cabinets we’ll likely order later this week:

Flooring and backsplash TBD:

Lighting…

We signed loan papers yesterday, so this is definitely happening!  Although I’ve always insisted that Tom cannot do our kitchen remodel for fear that it’ll take forever, he’s doing a huge amount of prep work while we wait 5 weeks or so for the cabinets -- like taking out walls, installing a bigger window and skylight, moving electricity, running a gas line, and installing the floor (thought the kitchen and also in the dining room).  By Fall, we should have a whole new kitchen!  After that, the main bathroom remodel will seem like a piece of cake.

“Oh, but the summers in Seattle are glorious!”

(Bullshit!)

A Three-Golden-Retriever tug-of-war (I feel sorry for the one in the middle!)

Hot air ballooning in Woodinville, Washington

Our town is best known for two things – hot air balloons and wineries.  Can you see why I like living here?

Late this afternoon, Shasta came running into the house barking, obviously shaken by something happening outside.  (Quinn, on the other hand, was unfazed.  We’re thinking therapy dog!) 

Once I recognized the intermittent sound of the loud burners, I knew that a hot air balloon was floating nearby.  I grabbed my iPhone, ran onto the deck and started filming.  Then I got in the car and chased the balloon until I came to the end of a residential road, hopped out of the car and caught its final descent.

Have a I said it before?  I love living in the Pacific Northwest – especially in the summer!