What to do?

I like to watch HGTV (Home & Garden TV) and one of the programs I enjoy, or used to enjoy, is House Hunters. Lately though....

Last night for instance: These two 20-something people were looking for a house and they walked into a kitchen and the male of the duo commented that the kitchen looked like it was something from the 70s. I don't think the kid was even born until the 80s. But what really bugged me is that he was dissing my kitchen, which is definitely a 2002 kitchen. Granted it's getting close to the decade mark and therefore, I suppose is out of date. Perhaps it was out of date when I moved in, I don't know. Yes, I do know. Because when we were getting ready to move, I watched HGTV every spare minute so I'd be sure to get everything that was "fashionable" in bath and kitchen appliances and hardware.

I do know that back in the early 2000s, stainless steel appliances were not the norm. And those who had them didn't like them because of fingerprints showing too easily. I wanted a clean, white, bright kitchen, so I opted for all white appliances. Now it's getting close to when those appliances are going to break down -- I know this because they are GE appliances and the shelf life of any GE appliance is 5-10 years. We're pushing it now. So my question is: Do I want to go stainless steel, hoping that stainless will be in vogue for another 20 years, or do I stick with white, which as far as I'm concerned is always an option. I do not want black. I do not want avocado, I don't want gold, I don't want copper. Oh, I'm sorry, the last three are from the 70s, which apparently my kitchen is in right now.

Oh yeah, did I mentioned that I really, really like my kitchen the way it is. I don't want granite, but I wouldn't mind getting some other kind of surface other than Formica, although Formica isn't what it used to be, and frankly my Formica is still looking brand new. I've taken care of it, and haven't put anything hot on it, nor have I cut anything on it. I have also found that Pledge blue shines Formica very nicely.

Back to House Hunters: the kids walk out of the kitchen and start meandering around and come into this huge master bathroom, JUST LIKE MINE. I bought this condo because I LOVE the bathroom. The bathroom next to the master bedroom is as large as a bedroom, measuring 12x12. And these 20-something kids, once again said, that they would have to rip out this 70s bathroom and put in all new stuff. Excuse me! I think they've been watching too much HGTV. Once again, my bathroom is not from the 70s. I know this because my last house was built in the late 60s and we put a new bathroom in next to our bedroom in the early 90s. My new (2002) bathroom is entirely different from the 1968 bathroom and the 1992 bathroom; and here's the clincher: my garden tub, my double shower, and my faucets, are still available at Lowe's. That, I realize, doesn't make them fashion forward, and I wouldn't mind replacing the faucets, since they keep breaking, but I can't convince Alan that new ones would work any better than replacing the gaskets every 6 months. Don't they build faucets that last longer than 6 months? The one in my kitchen hasn't given me not a bit of trouble. And, by the way, that faucet is still available at Lowe's and is one of their best sellers.

This not having up-to-date stuff has been bothering me for a while because the younger the house hunters get the older my kitchen and bathroom get, and I'm thinking when they carry me out of here, my children are going to have to sell this place with all those 70s appliances and fixtures.

ttfn