It’s been 85 days or 13 weeks since the smell of dying kitchen led to it’s full blown demise.  Let me tell you, when you are eating almost every meal out, it feels more like  a year.

We are still in final stages of the remodel.  The back-splash still needs to be installed, and there are a few cabinet/drawer details that need to be addressed.  Other than that we are back to full function.  I have never been so happy to wash dishes.

Our kitchen went back to fully functional at 8 p.m. the night before Thanksgiving.  If we had been crazy enough to host the holiday at our home it would have been a nail biting finish.

Making pancakes for my family on Thanksgiving morning truly encompassed the meaning of the day.  Obviously I have more than a kitchen to be thankful for, but I appreciate the first world convenience more than ever before.

The old adage, “you don’t appreciate what you have till it’s gone”, held true during the last three months.  Each day that we had to go out and purchase pre-made, non-organic food from restaurants or grocery stores made us realize how spoiled we are.

During the remodel I was unknowingly conducting an experiment.  I normally get sick maybe once a year.  During the three months I was sick multiple times.  I am sure stress played a part, but I can truly say that I believe it was due to the quality of food I was eating.  Although I ate as healthy I could at most places, I know not everything is scratch made.  A majority, if not all, was not organic.

There is something to be said for that.  It was a good experiment, but not one I would like to repeat any time soon, or ever.  On the flip side I am happy for the experience, because it confirmed what I already knew.  You are what you eat.

I am ecstatic to start developing recipes and blogging about them again.  I have so many ideas planned for the very near future and plan to start offering cooking classes out of my beautiful new classroom.  Stay tuned!

Now for the unveiling of my beautiful new work place.

Here is the before again for shock value:

Here is the beautiful after:

And a side by side:

This experience has also taught me that there is beauty in every situation, even the stressful, inconvenient, stinky ones.