I'm so sorry for your loss, beachem. May you continue to heal both emotionally and physically.

Beach, it's nice to see you back here. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. As the ancient (and modern) Greeks would say, may his memory be eternal. I lost my parents way too young and miss them every day. And I have returned to the home I was born in, so my reno is very, very slow for some of the same reasons. I get it.

As far as the weekly posts, they needn't be numbered, they needn't be weekly - we're just happy to respond to your provocative, thoughtful posts, whatever the topic, whenever you can post them. I'm interested in the following, but I'm happy to respond to just about anything.

• Angie's list? Craig's list? Where did you find your contractor?
• What would you do? Responding tactfully to requests for help with ugly kitchens.
• How did you make your modern kitchen cozy?
• cOLoR in the kitchen - is grey the new white?
• Sink grids: are they protecting your stainless or harboring bacteria? (Ok, now I sound like Inside Edition).
• Who lives near beach's stone distributor and can... ahem... "convince" him to find her a new slab? (I'd better stop here).

It would be great to revive the Design Around This threads.

Sending you warmest wishes, beachem.

eam44: regarding sink grids, BOTH! :)

I so want to say something comforting, deep and meaningful, but I'm not good with words. SO HUGS- that's what I'm good at.....been thinking about you, have worried and waited until I saw you come back HUGS! Also terrible with ideas....updates work to see where everyone is?

beachem, I'm very sorry for your loss.

Warm thoughts to you, Beachem. I am so sorry for your loss.

Oh man...hard stuff. Finishing things is a good place to start.

Thanks Eam44. Those are some great topics to get me through April and May.

beachem, I am sorry about your dad and your struggles. I think it would have been even more difficult if you had finished your kitchen and he passed right after that. Unless there is a pressing need right now, can you wait until you have healed some more physically and emotionally before you have to plan again? Returning to the weekly column may be good 'therapy' allowing you to focus and keep somewhat busy without having to make decisions and feel overwhelmed. We'll be praying and rooting for you!

Ah, beachem. :( I suspected as much. My condolences. I do hope you are taking time to grieve properly. I agree with Christine, I think your Dad was proud of your accomplishments and efforts to create a great kitchen. Take the time you need. We need to enlist a GW Army to go to the stoneyard and convince them to do what's right.

Beachem, I'm so sorry for your loss! I am also recovering from surgery six weeks ago, and it really takes a long time. Take care of yourself!

Donna

So, so sorry for your loss, Beachem. May your father's memory be blessed.

Was worried when didn't see you here for a long time..

I lost my Dad when pretty young..I miss him tremendously.

Hugs..and though I'm pretty useless by myself, if "GW army" is organized to deal with these jerks from the slab yard-consider me in. I think we might be in the same area.

I agree with everybody..it's just good to see you here. The topics, they'll come. I like Eam's ones..I'll think of some more. Already have some on my mind, they just sound silly. Please take a good care, first and foremost.

Beachem, so very sorry for your loss and health difficulties.

Eam44, this one made me laugh:

• What would you do? Responding tactfully to requests for help with ugly kitchens.

A few more to add:

• Calling all remodels from 2012/2013 - It's your 5 year anniversary, what is holding up/what isn't, what trend died?
• Most useful kitchen 'hack'?
• Kitchen spring/deep cleaning, favorite tricks and products

Beachem, I am glad to hear from you. I knew you were going through a lot. Sorry about your trials. It is so hard to lose a parent. - so hard to be ill. The completion of your kitchen will be bittersweet. It was a labor of love for your father. After awhile it will represent the loving relationship you and your father had. Please do not feel pressured into leading a weekly thread.

Out if curiosity, because I've been absent from the kitchen forum for a few years, didn't Texasgem manage the weekly posts? What happened to her, she ok? (And thank you Beachem for stepping up!) It was nice to see a familiar thread still going after several years.

Texas_gem stepped down after a year and passed to someone else who did it for a year? then passed to me.

I took over around mid last year.

Thanks, Beachem! Looking forward to your posts, once your ready. Glad to see the tradition continues.

I'm sorry for your loss and your troubles. It may be some time before you can enjoy your kitchen, but I hope you get there eventually.

i look forward to your posts, weekly or not. I would love to see more checking-in type progress posts. It's been wonderful seeing ongoing progress Cheryl and Smm525 and lilysmom's kitchens and watching them take shape.

@Beach - yea, when my dad passed, things were just so.. crazy.. I mean, he lived with me.. and it was amazing how stupid stuff like going through the dresser drawers and throwing out the day to day stuff just felt like a ton.

Very sorry for your loss, but if it makes it any better, even years later, there will be times you will smile and your life will be so good that memories do not bring as much pain as they do smiles from realizing you HAD the memories in the first place.

Many, do not.

Take some comfort in that...in time.

R