I was shocked and quite frankly embarrassed to see the state of my cupboards in this photo:


From a distance they look fine and honestly, who really looks at their surroundings in a room they occupy for half the day.


But close up they were disgusting. It's DH's job to rinse the dishes and he's not too careful where he's flinging the water. That's the reason we need a kitchen mat in front of the sink. Also, there was the accumulation of black gunk where we place our hands to open the cupboards. I had tried every way to clean that gunk off the wood but didn't have much luck.


Granted, the cupboards are 26 years old but there is no way we could afford to replace the cupboard doors. So, yesterday I got out my Christmas gift from earlier this decade and got to work in the kitchen. In a moment of insanity DH had given me a Black & Decker Mouse sander (I'm really not that difficult to buy for.) which I had placed in the garage amongst his tools and promptly forgot about. DH has used it a few times but Yesterday was a first for me. I sanded the worst of the cupboards and this morning I put a nice new coat of stain on them. What with the new countertops, new linoleum and freshly stained cupboards, my kitchen looks brand new.

The lighter part of the lower left cupboard door is just reflection from the flash.

I should paint the upstairs bathroom this weekend but I'm not sure I'll have the energy. Tomorrow I have to deliver my newspapers and do the Christmas baking. Saturday I have the Sears catalogues to deliver. Sunday I have extra fliers to deliver and yes, I am getting paid for all these extra deliveries. Monday the carpenter is coming to install the molding I stained earlier this week. DH has promised to wrap the rest of the gifts. I did the Christmas dinner grocery shopping this afternoon; got a 7kg/15.4 lb turkey. I wanted a bigger one but I think I was becoming hypothermic rummaging through the turkey freezer in Safeway. I'm starting to ramble. A sure sign that I need to get some sleep. Night all.