17 May 2009

Smashed to smithereens


Charleston, SC

Welcome to my kitchen. This is just a small section of what my entire kitchen floor looked like this morning.

Late last year I decided to clean out my kitchen and get rid of things I hadn't been using. I put boxes of glasses, mugs and rarely used gadgets out for colleges students to help themselves. I may have gone a little far since I had trouble setting a complete table for seven when my folks were here but as a rule I am just cooking for myself and don't need as much as I used to.

That's why I was stunned this morning as I stood at the sink to suddenly watch almost all of my glassware fall out of the cabinets, bounce on the counter top and smash on to the floor. Not one thing survived the fall. It was an incredible racket. Naturally I was in bare feet and could just reach a couple aprons on a wall hook to throw down to walk on.

What a mess! All of my ice cream dishes, salad plates, drinking glasses and coffee cups smashed to smithereens. A little detective work later and I found that one of the little plastic pieces that hold the end of the shelf in place broke and the entire shelf went down hitting the things on the lower shelf and taking them with it. If I hadn't been home when it happened I would have assumed there had been crazy vandals in my home. I've swept and mopped and am still crunching glass.

Paper plates for me I reckon. :)

11 comments:

Marcheline said...

Oh, Joan - I am SO sorry! Honestly, I am also glad you were there to see it, if for no other reason than you didn't just walk into the kitchen with bare feet and find out the hard way.

If I were you, I'd make a mosaic out of the pieces. Cover a patio table top with the chips!

Joan said...

That is true. Can you imagine walking in on that in the dark, or waking up to that noise?

Halcyon said...

That is so sad. :( I hope you will be able to replace everything - although I know in my kitchen there are some pieces that couldn't be b/c of the memories attached to them. Hope this is not the case for you!

Doug said...

Well, once my heart stopped pounding and I caught my breath, I'd be thinking, "I wonder if Homesense or Pier 1 is open yet..."

Judy said...

A similar thing happened to me with a 100+ year old coffee pot and creamer so I know how that feels but it must have woke you right up since you were standing right there. I might have thought "earthquake"!

Anonymous said...

Joan, that is something else.....I think Elizabeth would be happy for that to happen to my stuff, she thinks it is high time I did a total make over of my table ware. I have had the same stuff for her WHOLE LIFE, so it's way too out dated. I'm glad you didn't find that mess on your return from Kenya. Sally

becomingkate said...

Oh no!! I'm glad you weren't hurt, and I hope you enjoy replacing those pieces.

Marcheline said...

Thought of you again when I heard the news that there was an earthquake in California today... because that's the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the picture you posted.

Anonymous said...

Well, we both know where you can get some coffee mugs! Shall I speak to the "Mug Lady?" Pam D.

Anonymous said...

What happened Joan, a minor quake or what?
Bob

Joan said...

It does look like a quake! Either that or I was drinking vodka and smashing my glass. :)

Pam D. Even my Pirate mug got chipped. I'll have to go back to Margaritaville. They have the large black pirate mugs that I use for my tea.

Halcyon - I did kinda like some of the pieces. The ice cream sundae dishes I got at an antique store. They didn't cost much but I was fond of them.

Jarart - a 100 year old coffeepot? Ouch! That must have hurt.