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It takes two to mount it.. not! I have a pretty big kitchen. It's about 16 by 20 feet, and is what most people call `an old farmhouse kitchen.' I guess that makes sense, as it is a kitchen, and it is in a farmhouse. Oh yeah, and it's old. But in spite of its size, that kitchen doesn't have a lot of counter space. I know all about that, ya know. I watch the decorating shows where the woman always say "And it has sooooo much counter space." I guess bigger is better in that sense. So in the interest of acquiring more counter space, I tried a couple things. First, I cleaned off some junk. Let's face it, there's always junk that can be disposed of from the counter. Whether it's letters, empty wine bottles or a margarine tub, there's space hiding under that junk. Tried that approach-- gained about six square inches. Standing back a bit to take in the whole picture, I stood, chin resting in my hand (everyone on TV does that, so it must work) and I contemplated where to glean more space. The obvious answer was staring me in the face-- my counter-top microwave oven was devouring all kinds of space. I went shopping for an OTR. Lee at Bulldog Appliances is a nice lady-- smart too. She told me that an Over The Range (OTR) microwave could free up the space I was looking for. (It also occurred to me that mounted at eye level, I didn't have to lean over to use my bifocals when trying to wipe down the inside.) So, I bought one from Lee. Her son even loaded it in the SUV for me. The last thing she said as I headed out the door, "Don't install it alone Ted, you need some help to lift it in place." I assured her I'd do just that and drove home, all excited about my new OTR microwave in the back of the truck. I pulled out the stove and removed the old hood (amazing the grease that collects under there). I measured the wall and went looking Ted Brown for studs. Perhaps I should explain that one. After `locating' a couple of the `wooden' studs in the wall, I drilled and screwed the OTR hanger on the wall. As the screws squealed when I tightened them in with my cordless drill, I felt as virile as Mike Holmes. Hell, I wasn't even wearing my tool belt. Once in place, I taped the template under the cupboards to drill for the hanger screws. Okay, the drilling, screwing and wiring was done. I think this is the part where Lee's words echoed, "You need some help to lift it in place." I called my son-in-law. He could come Friday-- this was Wednesday. I called my nephew. No answer, he has call display. I set the OTR on the stove-top to take the packing tape off it, trying to decide how to tackle the job. I noticed that the stove-top wasn't that far from the hanging bracket, so I put a couple layers of the packing styrofoam under it, bringing it up to within an inch of the hanger. I slid the stove back against the wall, tipping the OTR up, and PRESTO! it was in place. I was so pleased with myself. So I now have an OTR microwave, at eye level where I can see my food cooking, and can clean it with ease. I also have an open space the size of my old microwave on the counter top. And not a damn thing to put on it. Except perhaps letters, junk mail, empty wine bottles and a used margarine tub.... (Ted Brown can be reached at tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Young's, Shepherd's Crook recognized for efforts in improving accessibility Three Halton Hills businesses have been recognized for their efforts in improving accessibility and reducing barriers for people with disabilities. The Ontario Business Improvement Areas Association (OBIAA) and the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA), with the support of the Ministry of Community and Social Services, initiated the Ontario Mainstreet Accessibility Awards for 2006. Young's Pharmacy and The Shepherd's Crook, both located on Main St. in downtown Georgetown, were recognized for outstanding achievement in accommodating the needs of people with disabilities through customer service. Giant Tiger, Tora Acton Ltd., located on Main St. N. in Acton, was honoured for outstanding achievement in accommodating the needs of people with disabilities through the built environment. Young's was also given an additional award for outstanding achievement in modifying and adapting the working environment to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities as employees. The Ontario Mainstreet Accessibility Awards are given to small businesses and communities across Ontario that have made a substantial effort to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. The Shepherd's Crook was honoured in the 1,500-3,000 sq. ft. category while Young's and Giant Tiger were recognized for their efforts in the 5,000-10,000 sq. ft. category.