By Janet Hommel Mangas
I’m sitting at my “new to me” kitchen table — a place I usually don’t write. The 1950’s vibrant-yellow, oval formica table trimmed in chrome with its rounded chrome-legs and matching chrome and vinyl padded chairs are like sunshine on a cloudy day.
We moved our well-used 27-year-old wooden kitchen table and chairs to the basement as an additional work space. After serving us well at family dinners and holidays, supporting 4-H projects and scads of homework and school projects, OWT (old wood table) has retired for less strenuous tasks.
The same day we dragged home “sunshine” from the Madison Street Salvage in Franklin, a 1929-ish rich-enamel turquoise and creme Magic Chef oven/range with 13.5 inch legs followed us home. The stove top has a sleek turquoise enamel cover that pulls down over the four-burner range. The pulls on the ovens and stove drawers are tear-dropped shaped.
In case you were wondering “1929 Magic” is just for looks and storage — the original brushed metal Tappan stove-top works fine and we replaced the built-in wall oven for a brushed metal double oven years ago.
I know — I can actually hear a few of you quietly tsk-tsking me for blending a 1929 stove with a 1959 house and kitchen — but the 1959 turquoise kitchen tile and matching laminate counter and bar do work with the stove color. I like to associate and contrast my stove and kitchen to my father and I. Dad was born in 1931 and I was born in 1959.
In 1931 the average cost of a new house was $6,790
In 1959, the average cost of a new house was $12,400
In 1931, a gallon of gas was 10 cents.
In 1959, a gallon of gas was 25 cents.
1931 had top musical artists like Bing Crosby, Cab Calloway, The Mills Brothers and Louis Armstrong
1959 had top artists Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers and Bobby Darin.
While my kitchen table and stove are nearly thirty years a part in age — they were built in different eras, but with quality and have their own unique and distinctive details.
Just like my Pa and me — just like you.
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
