Call me Bob (as in Vila)

The Scientist knows me pretty well. I am impetous and impulsive and have been known to have a touch of the stubborn. He has said many times that when he goes out of town, he will always come back to some sort of major change. Like, his wife chopped all her hair off change. Or, the living room is now the dining room or vice versa kind of change. Like when I moved the jillion pound armoire from one end of the house to the other and used it as a starting point to "redecorate" the playroom. By myself. Pregnant. That kind of change. So, I'm still a litte confused at why he was so taken aback when I announced spontaneously in the middle of a Lowe's trip to pick out fruit trees (more on that later) that I think I just might re-do our kitchen cabinets while he is gone this week. Shouldn't he have seen this coming? Perhaps he was hoping that for this trip I was going to feel the compulsion to "change" our garage into something organized. But, he should have known better. Organizing the garage has nothing on tearing up the kitchen when it comes to fun.

So, after a 30 minute meeting with Al in Lowe's and three calls to my mother-in-law (she was the one who "put this idea in my head" to begin with), I had a can of stain, an animal hair brush that cost about as much as our dinner this evening, a vat of paint thinner and some TSP. I had never used TSP. I'd heard about it. I think. But, it sounded sort of scary and initial-y and chemical-y. It also sounded as though it might require a respirator mask and some thick gloves. As much fun as it sounds to send The Scientist right over the edge and have him come home to me, knee deep in something called TSP, with hazmat gloves on and a respirator (while the kids played Connect Four at the table with their little baby respirators on and Red Fish sat in the exersaucer with his on), it did sound like it could be the kind of thing that could mess up my manicure. If I had one. Which I don't. So, I had every intention of never using this TSP until Al At Lowe's came into my life and changed it forever.

At this point in the post, I would encourage you to go to your nearest home improvement store and purchase some TSP. If you don't and you decide that it might change your life like it has changed mine, then you'll be all ready to go to town with it and won't have any. You'll have to go out to said home improvement store then and it will destroy any momentum you've built up. So, go get some. I'll wait...

Got it? Good. Here's what you can do with it. DESTROY cabinet smuck. The stuff that builds up on your cabinets after you've put your slightly oily hands all over them for several months. Years. Whatever. Disolve it in a bit of warm water and go to town. Test it on the back of a cabinet door first. I don't want to be responsible for you stripping the customs. Put on a pair of rubber gloves if you have sensitive skin. I do, but I survived without them. And my cabinets couldn't be cleaner. The stuff is life changing. All those hours with a scotchbrite and/or toothbrush on those nasty cabinets? Gone with the wind (or TSP). One good wipe down with a retired washcloth or scotchbrite sponge and you have a different (or at least a lot cleaner) kitchen.

As good as the cabinets looked, I did still have the big can of stain. Minwax Polyshades can be slapped on cabinets without stripping them! Another life, kitchen and bathroom changing discovery. Thanks, SD! So, I spent the weekend getting a headstart on my absent Scientist project. I did all the top cabinets. I don't have that many. More on that later, too. I would say that pictures will follow, but I haven't posted any Mardi Gras pictures yet, so I won't make further promises that I may or may not intend to keep.

Don't hate me because my cabinets are beautiful.