Microwaves....

I can recall a time when I was growing up and we didn't own a microwave. Friends had them and would  throw in packs of food to be heated. Part of me was jealous. They were independently choosing their meal from a freezer...popping it in and waiting for the bell to tell them that a deliciously, hot meal was ready! I always had home cooked meals. Years later, we got a white microwave...and there it sat on the counter...all white and shiny. Mom constantly wiped it down whenever there was spit of food from the dish being left on reheat too long. Or the oils from the popcorn bag(although now studies show that microwave popcorn isn't the healthiest...I like to think I have a orange tinge on my insides).

Flash forward to now....

Awhile ago I read a Face book post by Leigh-Anne Allaire Perrault...she wondered if anyone had ditched their microwave.  I read the comments...and THAT was what got me thinking! Do we need ours?

I had stopped making microwave popcorn a few years ago(the main reason we had a microwave, that and the fact it came with the house)...but recently...it was just used for storage. 

Another reason to take it down...was that it was eye level with me!! It sat above the stove. Now we are tall people and the fact I kept having to lower my head to see the back elements or see the temp of the stove top or the oven, annoyed me terribly! Mixing my risotto, I would stare deeply into the black microwave and see my beautiful reflection. With the bad lighting...it would highlight my bags and thoughts of a face lift ensued. 

After serious consideration...mostly me telling the Family that we don't need the microwave, it came down! And then we went a step further and took down the cupboards! When I posted that the cupboards were coming down too, the gasps and "why would you? Are you crazy?" (Maybe...)


Having recently gone through a complete tidy and downsizing of kitchen items...I had free space in the cupboards! Why do we need 20 Ziploc containers, half of which have no lids, where did those lids go? It was time to clean up!

After taking the microwave and cupboards down...we found the space opened up! We loved it! But I wanted shelves! Unique shelves! I found corbels! Made shelves and am completely thrilled and happy with our quaint kitchen!!

Have we had any regrets? Nope!
After all...a face lift would cost more than what we did!

The cherry on top of "our" decision, was reading Laurie Colwin and her desire to never having a microwave! If she could do it, so could we!

Do I have a yearning to smash down a wall...YUP!! Total demolition would be a BLAST!

*Don't get me wrong, this was our decision and I know people who can't live without them. For example, my Grandmother and my Mother! And that's fine! To each their own....