WEST COAST SOUTHERN

Back to the regularly scheduled remodel

Looks like the kitchen remodel is back on, which means my anxiety is back up. I have total confidence in my abilities, but it's been a while since I've done any remodeling. We totally remodeled the kitchen of our very first house, back in 1999--a whopping ten years ago! The only thing that I wanted was to have a big island (got it) and glass-front cabinets (got those too.) I pretty much left the rest of the kitchen planning up to the Golfer.

I know. Crazy!

This time, however, I care a lot more about how my kitchen is set up. After spending the last ten years in the kitchen (that's what getting married and having kids will get ya) I have a pretty good idea what works for me and my stuff and what doesn't.

But designing is all about having an "eye" and you've either got it or you don't. I would say that I've sort of got it. I mean, I know what I like, I don't necessarily think that I'd know what someone else would like. I can look at lots of pictures and say, "Ooohhh, I like that!" but actually doing it? Putting it all together so that it'll fit in the space provided? Well, that's different.

So here are some of the pictures that I've found:

{from beachbungalow8.blogspot.com}

{from pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com}

Notice the similarities between the two? White, L shaped, center island, etc. We have dark wood floors (like the top picture) and I love the open shelves (like the second picture.) I want a stainless hood, maybe one that's a little more sleek and modern. I need the island to seat at least two, unfortunately our kitchen's not big enough to hold more than that.

It's easy for me to find pictures of kitchens that I like. It's the whole "making the dream a reality" thing that has me worried.

Guess that's why designers get degrees to do this sort of thing.

Weekly Column: There are heroes living amongst us

©Stephenie Freeman

I believe that everyone’s life is a story to be told. If you’re lucky, your story will be worth sharing with others. If you are blessed, your story will be one that others will love to share.

Take John W. Finn’s story for example. He has one of the greatest stories that I have heard in a long time and is a story that, over the holiday weekend, I got to witness a small part of.

Over the Fourth of July weekend my family had the opportunity to take a trip to Coronado Island, California. Not a big island, only 32 square miles, you can’t wave an American flag in Coronado without hitting a proud member of our country’s military. Coronado is home to a naval air station, a naval amphibious base, the US Navy SEALs, and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot is just across the San Diego Bay.

To say that Coronado is a patriotic place to celebrate the Fourth of July would be an understatement.

Like all good Fourth of July parades, Coronado’s included all of the parade must-haves. There were high school bands and cheerleaders and Girl Scouts. There were ladies from the Garden Club, the Democratic Club, and the Shriners in their tiny cars. There was even a group called the Geriatric Surf Club. They marched down the street to “Catch a Wave” by the Beach Boys, dropping old surf boards to the pavement to hang ten.

Only in California.

But the best part of the whole parade, and my personal favorite, were the Pearl Harbor Survivors. These aging heroes sat perched in the backs of classic convertibles, waving to the cheering crowd and saluting their fellow members of the military.

John W. Finn was one of those survivors.

When he was only 17 years old, Finn decided to enlist in the Navy and after receiving permission from his mother and his basic naval training, was sent to Oahu in 1940.

When attacked started on the morning of December 7, 1941, Lieutenant Finn took his place behind a 50-caliber machine gun where, even though completely exposed, returned the enemy’s fire reportedly shooting down a Japanese aircraft single handily.

Although having multiple wounds and bleeding from head to toe (Finn counted 28 holes from shrapnel, had a broken foot and a left arm that didn’t seem to be working) Lieutenant Finn refused to leave his post. It wasn’t until he received specific orders did he finally seek first-aid, where shortly thereafter he returned to the squadron area to supervise the rearming of returning planes.

Lieutenant John W. Finn was the first to be awarded the Medal of Honor for World War II. Out of the fifteen Medals of Honor that were awarded for action on December 7th, Lieutenant Finn’s was the only one awarded for returning enemy fire.

As a part of the parade this year, Lieutenant Finn was participating in a reenlistment ceremony for a young, female naval officer from the USS Nimitz, extremely fitting seeing that Admiral Nimitz was the one who presented Finn with his Medal of Honor in 1942.

I watched as Finn was helped out of the back of his convertible which had stopped in front of the Admirals’ bleachers. Now 99 years old (he will turn 100 on July 23), he stood with the aid of a cane, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, a baseball cap, and of course, his Medal of Honor.

Finn smiled at the officers assembled before him and simply asked, “Where’s the victim?”

Even though he had trouble remembering the entire oath and his voice wasn’t much louder than a whisper, everyone watching knew that we were witnessing, as trite as it may sound, something special. And after one last salute and best wishes given to the reenlisted sailor, the hero returned to his car and continued his journey.

There are heroes living amongst us and they all have amazing stories that must be told. They wear Hawaiian shirts and baseball caps and maybe the next time you sit on a curb to watch a parade you’ll be lucky enough to see one.