Ode to Joel....
I try to come up with clever post titles....Lindsey at Betterafter.net always has the most clever titles for her blog posts. Just too much brain effort on my part. Sometimes I am funny, but it is just because I say and do stupid things...not because I am necessarily "witty." Besides, if you aren't over the age of 45, you wouldn't get the title of this post. (Ode to Billy Joe....not so great song...even worse movie)
Anywho, it was one of those days I had a million errands to run, one of which was to Hancock Fabrics to pick up some piping for the pillows I am making (another post for another day...if I ever get around to it!) Always on a hunt for a bargain, (i.e. digging around on the back shelves) I found some 90% Christmas clearance. CHRISTMAS IN MARCH!!! LOVE!!! I love Christmas...I love decorating for Christmas. And every single year I proclaim "THIS IS IT!!! Not another thing!" But then I find the bargains....
Seriously, who wouldn't love boxes of ornaments and gingerbread cookie cutters for .59 and strings of silver beads and pearls for 1.49 a strand!!! And those cute little metal trees for 1.69! Seriously, who wouldn't love finding this stuff in MARCH!!??? If I didn't love spring and fall so much I would be antsy for the Christmas holiday!!!
Anywho, taking this picture reminded me of how much I LOVE MY UNDER COUNTER LIGHTING....which brings me to my "Ode to Joel." My FAVORITE son in law in the whole wide world. Now, he will be quick to remind me that he is my ONLY son in law, but honestly, that is not the point. He is my favorite.
And not just because he is an electrician who is gracious enough to work during his visits. See, I always have some electrical issue that is just a tad over my head...or rather one that I know would take him 4 hours to complete when it would take me 2 DAYS! And who has time for that during the holidays...seriously!
So for YEARS I have wanted to put can lights in my kitchen. I just thought they were so cool looking AND my kitchen felt a bit "dark" and "smallish" because of the lack of decent lighting. But the "in" can lights right now are a little pricey and I knew I wouldn't be happy with the ones like I have in my den...because, after all, those are not the "in" lights right now. The "in" can lights are like the ones Joel installed in my bathroom last summer...that I love...but rarely turn on because you could land a jet in there now when both the vanity and can lights are on!
So last fall, I went to Lowes (again, my fav) and started looking at lighting options. I have never been a fan of the little "pot" lights that go under cabinets...kind of thought they were silly looking...but I did like the LED strip lighting they had...and while an 18" strip was around $60, I only needed three! And they last "a lifetime" and you never have to change the bulbs. Hum....that is right up my alley.
So that is what we bought. Long story short, we created a new switch next to the disposal switch (that required adding a larger box and second switch and some unanticipated tile repair....good thing I keep spare everything!) The lighting was hardwired to the switch and Joel was able to run the wires behind the microwave and refrigerator so the wiring wouldn't show.
Oh, My. Goodness! I swear my kitchen doubled in size!!!
It is just sooo difficult to appreciate what a difference this makes with pictures. Joel installed them the day before Thanksgiving last year, and I swear my kitchen prep space doubled in size! It made a huge difference in my usable space because the two corners were just always so dark and impossible to use as prep space.
Again, he only installed three...one over the coffee pot (far left), then ran the wiring behind the microwave to the left corner cabinets and installed one there, then ran the wiring behind the refrigerator to the corner in the right. AMAZING!!
I installed new granite counter tops two years ago (talk about the steal of a lifetime...for another time!) and these new lights just made them POP!!! Seriously, it has "sparklies" in it I didn't even know were there. Like little pieces of quartz all through it...I knew it was beautiful granite...but with the added lights, it is breathtaking...seriously!
But the biggest difference, again, was the amount of usable counter space, which in a small kitchen is a huge plus!!!!
So....Ode to my SIL Joel...not only is he a wonderful husband and father...but he is a pretty handy dude to have around when there is some serious electrical work to be done! Is this a "DIY" project? Yes...it very easily could be and I have no doubt I could have done it myself. But honestly, he did it in a quarter of the time it would have taken me to do it, at a time when I was a bit busy making pies and stuffing.
So in my book, that makes him the BEST SON IN LAW IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!
