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Ron has been working side by side with the two wonderful young men from Clean Cut Construction to remove cabinetry, install wainscoting and repair the subflooring. After two straight 10 hour days,

Clean Cut team confers with the old guy

one of the young men asked Ron, “How old are you?” Ron responded, “How old do you think I am?”

Ron is 71 but he was so flattered by the question he figured they would say 57 or 58. After all, he was working just as hard and just as long as the two much younger fellows.


“Are you 78?” asked the 26 year old.


Ron was stunned. He went from feeling 58 to being judged as 78. Twenty years gone.


The good news is that young people must have a very positive impression of old folk and our energy levels. The bad news is they have a very encouraging impression of old folk and our energy levels. This does not bode well if we want young ‘uns to take care of us as we age. Instead of hearing “Let me help you” we might be hearing “Do it yourself.”


I hope cleaning the wooden cabinets we are keeping does not negatively affect Ron’s aging process. We ordered some highly recommended cabinet cleaner. It arrived with -–I kid you not—12 pages of Safety Data recommendations. Sections include first aid measures, fire-fighting measures, accidental release measures and exposure controls and personal protection. I guess putting ingredients like butanone, acetone, xylene and asphaltum in a cleaning solvent poses some risks.


Ron applied the Restor-A-Finish to cabinet doors-- outside as recommended (even though the temperature at the time was 35 degrees) and sporting plastic gloves to avoid the potential for mild skin irritation. I told Ron to be careful so Restor-A-Finish does not become Lose-A-Spouse.



My job while Ron cleaned cabinets was to do dishes. In the tub. I have not used paper plates because I want to save the environment from too much waste (this is rather ironic since Ron was outside slathering on a cleaning product laden with toxins). It is my commitment to the environment that prevented me from helping Ron clean cabinet doors. That’s my story and I am sticking with it.


Our 35 year old cabinets that we kept do look renewed and refreshed. Ron is still alive. And after hauling dirty dishes up a flight of stairs to the nearest water source I have compromised my environmental principles. We are now eating off paper plates.

When husband Ron was demolishing his desk area for the kitchen redo, some papers fluttered to the floor. WHY I LOVE RON by Lyn Coleman includes 24 hand written reasons why I loved my husband circa 1983.



The first 6 of 24 reasons

It took me a few minutes to recall their origin. During our last renovation of the kitchen in 1983, I catalogued my love for my hubby and suggested we seal my notes in the wood framing of his desk as a kind of time capsule. Three decades later, they reappear.


I was Lyn Coleman back then. As I describe in my memoir Chasing Cows: I’m Not in the Suburbs Anymore: When I married Ron, I kept my maiden name “Coleman” rather than changing it to Widmyer. Marrying a 3rd generation resident of a rural county made that difficult. I was always introduced as “Ronnie’s wife” and invariably referred to as Lyn Widmyer. After my nomadic childhood, I realized I liked being part of a long-standing, respected farm family and happily changed my name to Widmyer.


Here are a few of the 24 reasons from WHY I LOVE RON:


5. He puts up $1000 bail bond for a n’eer do well farmhand because he trusts the guy.

6. He wears topsiders even though he’d rather be in pointy-toe loafers because I love him well dressed.

9. He sends me flowers on special occasions (UPDATE: this particular gesture stopped in the 1990’s)

10. He is generous

12. He says “wall” for “while”

17. He is loving and caring

19. He can fix anything


Reason #19 is very appreciated now during the kitchen re-do. While I am writing this, Ron is installing overhead lighting, moving electric outlets and putting in plywood to even out the floor substructure.


In reviewing the WHY I LOVE RON list, I find it interesting that most of the reasons relate less to passion and mushy feelings and more to character and personality. Ron and I married in our 30’s so maybe we approached a life time relationship with more practicality than younger couples. All I know is the 24 reasons I listed have led to 37 years of marriage.


I don’t recall if Ron made a similar list about me and he can’t remember either. Maybe further kitchen destruction will provide the answer.

Recently I visited the tenth circle of Dante’s Inferno. Those of you familiar with the Inferno are now saying, “What? There are only 9 circles of hell!!” Not for me. The tenth circle is spending two hours in Home Depot shopping for materials for our kitchen renovation.



Ron and Leanne discussing the design qualities of door knobs.

The picture shows my husband Ron and my “she’s-better-than-Martha-Stewart” designer friend Leanne Cobb deciding on door knobs. How could there be so many choices for a door knob? Ron and Leanne are discussing in earnest the merits of brushed silver vs satin vs chrome vs faux pewter vs gold brushed finishes. I try to look interested as I play Spider Solitaire on my iPhone.


Then come the screen door selections, ceiling fixtures and paint. Here is another picture of Ron and Leanne looking at a page of white paint options. My comment? They all look the same to me. I see no difference between Polar Bear and Sleek White. Back to Spider Solitaire.


When I was complaining about being stuck in Home Depot for what seemed like an eternity a friend said, “But Lyn what is two hours when you are designing the most important room in

Choosing from 24 shades of white. I was no help.

the house? You don’t want to make a bad choice given you have to live with it for decades.” I disagree. I will risk living with the wrong color door knob if it means escaping an afternoon in a home improvement store.


I have definite ideas about what I want in my kitchen. I want it to be modern but not sterile, homey but not outdated, easy to clean but not sterile, compatible with our historic farm house but not stodgy….what could be simpler? My idea of home decorating is to plug these design elements into the internet and have the appropriate choices provided for countertops, floors, windows, curtains, etc. Then order them on-line.


I am going to post my experience with kitchen remodeling over the next few weeks. Check back to check how I am doing in the tenth circle of Dante’s Inferno.

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Designer Chelsea Nicole and Joel Edelblute © 2023 by Ryan Fields.

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