Hi, Heather -- We haven't purchased the cabinet yet -- but that's what the lady at Home Depot helped us come up with. The microwave is the "thing" and apparently you have to have a cabinet up there to help anchor or stabilize it. I like the idea of "distressing" it -- I think that would kind of fit in with the rest of it which is -- hum -- "primitive?" Is that the right word?

Naw -- the mixer is white. Nothing else is white, but it was the only one they had. :lol: I don't really have a color scheme, I don't think. If I do have one, I'd appreciate someone telling me what it is. :lol: Okay -- You're right -- One smidge coming up. I'm just a little embarrassed to post these, but I really do want to get it finished up. :blushing: The "long shots" (one and two) are pretty dark. The one of the center cabinet gives a better idea of the right colors and the floor, which is pretty light. As you can see, the counter tops aren't finished, either. We've cut wide pieces of the same wood as all the other cabinets to finish these. I'm thinking if I use the same paint/stain on these finish pieces as I do on the over-the-stove cabinet, that might help tie it in together a little better? Or do you think the wood around the counter needs to be the same as the other cabinets? I'll be going to my hardware store tomorrow to see if there's anyway he can get the same stain for me. But I'm realizing it's been about four years, so I'm not holding out a lot of hope. I really appreciate the help.

Yes -- yes -- thank you so much for "decoding" that. I'm thinking I should do the one cabinet like a "special" piece of furniture. I'm not wanting to change the existing cabinets. The new one is completely different in style. I'm thinking a green stain maybe . . .

Yeah -- I think contrast is much preferred to a clumsy attempt at matching it -- but I don't know what color to use.

I tried to find someone to finish the work for me, but we just couldn't afford it. What color would you paint it? I'm thinking green and maybe antique it or something?

A friend built my kitchen cabinets for us, but he died unexpectedly before the job was finished. This was a few years ago. We had always planned to put a microwave over the range, but the over-the-stove cabinet is one of the things he didn't get to before he died. Home Depot has unfinished oak cabinets, and I can get one of those, but there's no way I can match the finish on the other cabinets -- they're birch and I can't even find the same stain anymore locally, though I already know it won't even be close on the oak wood. We stained some scrap oak pieces back when he was here and they turned out almost black. So I need to come up with some way to finish the oak cabinet to at least look like it belongs there. I was thinking of painting it, but I don't want brown. I don't want it to look like I tried to match this cabinet with the rest of the kitchen, because it can't be done and will just make everything look worse. I've finally decided I'm tired of the half-finished kitchen (two of the cabinets haven't had doors on them), and we're already having to do a lot of "make-do" stuff just to finish the job. The stain that's on the cabinets is pretty dark, and only works because of the beautiful grain in the wood. The counters are light colored marble tile with rose veins. The appliances are bisque. I've attached a GIF of the wood on the other cabinets. Is stenciling "out?" Don't know if I'd be able to do it without making a mess anyway.

Naw -- everyone knows one woman's tacky is another woman's treasure. Otherwise, they wouldn't market most of this stuff in the first place! :D

Fer shur. I'll trade you a picture of the vase for a picture of our ceramic octopus. :lol:

Wow!! We use propane. We have a 250 gallon tank and we have to fill it twice a year -- once at the beginning of winter and once to help us finish winter and get through to the next winter. Now that prices are coming down, it will probably end up costing us less than $500 for the whole year. *But* we keep the house a lot colder than that. We pretty much don't turn on the heater unless it's below freezing outside. Also, we don't have central heat. My neighbor has a smaller, and probably less drafty, house and he needs to have his tank filled every 45 days -- but he has central heat.

So far, the only book on my list is Don Quixote. It never fails if I try to plan ahead more than that, by the time I finish the one I'm reading, there's something else *not* on the list that I want to go to next. So, if I made a list, I'd spend a week trying to decide whether to stick to the list or just read the one I want to. I'm learning to avoid putting myself in those self-defeating situations. :lol:

I'm not a FlyBaby -- I'm more of a FlyGnat. :D

Sweetie used to drive a truck for Goodwill and you would not *believe* some of the stuff he brought home. I mean, stuff that you couldn't figure out why they made it -- let alone *sold* it! -- in the first place! I actually thought he was kidding about some of it when he presented it to me with a huge smile and the look of satisfaction on his face. Then one day we were cleaning out after a move and I asked him if we should throw some of it away. He was totally crushed! "But -- I gave that to *you*!" Whoa -- I'll *never* do that again! It's all still here -- here and there. And I can't say it really bothers me. All those little things are just part of the background now. And yes -- if anyone ever asks about one of his knick knacks, I just say, "Yup! Isn't it kewl?!" Some things are just more important. I know how you feel, though -- I really do. I went through something similar -- and posted here for advice, too -- when he brought home those junkie knives (which are also still here :lol: ).

It's not any more weird than telling kids a strange guy comes into the house once a year and leaves goodies! :lol: I think it sounds fun! I was wondering how old your daughter is, but that really doesn't matter. I think it sounds fabulous.

I had mice as a kid. They were great! Never noticed a problem with the smell.

We never stopped -- The Kid has been working all week.

I was wondering if there was *anyone* with this reservation. There's just no way I could do 52 books a year. I'm reading one now that I'm really loving, but I've been reading it at least a month! Maybe a 12 in 12 for us? :lol:

If your son is overweight, insulin resistance can be improved by weight loss, as well as diet. If he isn't, then yes, absolutely, it can be controlled by diet.

I'm sorry, but your FIL is DEAD wrong. Protein is NOT bad for a diabetic. White flour has everything to do with sugar because carbohydrates -- ALL carbohydrates -- are metabolized as glucose, which is sugar. You do *not* have to follow the Atkins diet to keep carbs low enough to prevent damage. What you *do* have to do is determine what the carb limit for your son is, and what foods will work for him, by testing. I just don't even know where to start. If your son is insulin resistant, the best way to make sure it develops into a full-blown case of T2 diabetes is to follow your FIL's advice and killing off his pancreatic beta cells. It is MORE than possible to manage this with diet alone by limiting carbs. Get him a meter, if you haven't already, and test. I've posted this link before and I'm an NOT joking when I say I think following this procedure has literally saved my FEET! It is information for people who are newly diagnosed with T2 from the alt.support.diabetes newsgroup. The procedure outlined gives information that you can use to plan your son's meals. Randomly stabbing him to get a reading will tell you nothing. There are recent studies which I interpret to suggest that eating whatever you want and taking meds to compensate is just as bad as not doing anything at all. The studies state that keeping blood glucose levels within normal range is DANGEROUS. What they did NOT take into account is that they used medication and insulin to compensation for the much touted -- and ineffective-- low-fat, high carb diet. I believe -- and I am not alone here -- that it was the medication that caused the problem, NOT the fact that BG was maintained at normal levels. If THAT were the case, then "normies" would be in serious trouble. It doesn't make sense that the body maintains these levels in healthy people -- but in diabetics it doesn't matter? There's a *reason* why the BG in a healthy body is as low as it is. I'm sorry, but this kind of misinformation just lights a fire under my butt.

I found that, as long as the dog was otherwise well-behaved, we had no problem finding homes for our bird-loving canines. Just be sure to let people know about it. I am so glad that your fifth is doing well, and your son got some good press. I hope it helps just a bit!

Nope -- everyone just has their confirmation about how unbalanced I am. So I am able to bring joy and happiness to others. :001_smile:

I can't find the "I'm not worthy" smiley. You, and the others in your camp, deserve a medal or a years supply of chocolate or something. It doesn't matter if I'm with that "special someone" for five minutes or five days -- the visit isn't complete for him until he's pushed enough buttons that I actually say the words. :D

Even though I wouldn't jump to the conclusion there was anything untoward going on, I would want to be asked. The first time we went to a studio for pictures of our son, they asked our permission to use them in advertising and had us sign a simple release. He should have asked you, and I don't think it would be out of line to ask him what his intentions were.

Definitely.

I made the cinnamon rolls this morning, using the blog tutorial and my bread machine. I have horrible luck trying to "do" dough with my Kitchen Aid. Aside from the fact that I'm an idiot, it's a small machine and doesn't seem to be up to the task. But -- They were AWESOME! Now, if I can just get through my head that a half cup of butter is NOT a half STICK of butter -- :confused: But -- they were amazing! I have *never* had dough turn out like that before. I think that blog post should be re-titled "Cinnamon Rolls for Dummies" because this one managed to do it. :D

:smilielol5: You're sunk. Why add more work? :smilielol5: