Home Sweet Home

This used to be my kitchen:

When we started the renovation, we had planned to keep the old kitchen intact until the new one was built. But, of course, nothing ever goes the way you want it to . . .

I had hoped to make our 24-year-old microwave last until the renovation was over, but it died in November. I bought a cheap one to replace it and that died within two weeks. So we don't have a microwave. We've ordered a new one, but it won't be coming until the construction is just about finished. I figured I'd use the toaster oven a lot, but that broke last week. So the first night without my beautiful Viking range, I cooked dinner on the wood stove in the studio. I won't be doing that again soon.


This is not a good option because we don't have outside lights in the back yard right now and by the time I carry the dinner into the house it's cold -- that's if I don't fall on the ice because I can't see where I'm going . . .

I used a newly purchased hot plate the second night. Worked much better, but having to carry the dishes upstairs to the one working bathroom is a real pain in the neck.

Last night, Paula rescued us! She invited us over for an eat-and-run dinner. It was so delicious -- shrimp cocktail and brie & crackers for starters, followed by a green salad with toasted pecans, currents, and blue cheese, baked salmon, brussel sprouts and roasted potatoes, and poached pears with chocolate for dessert. Pete and I felt revived -- by the delicious food, by Paula's clean and cozy home, and her wonderful companionship. We were able to face the rest of the night's work: painting trim, moving furniture, and cleaning the basement for the plumber. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Paula!


Tonight we're doing take out. I've packed up all the dishes and bought paper plates. The plumber is setting up our old kitchen sink in the basement as I type this, so we won't be washing our coffee cups in the bathroom after today . . . Things are definitely looking up!