Things are getting real over here. Yesterday at exactly 9:16 am, a crew of three guys arrived at our front door, ready to start work on the kitchen remodel we’ve been dreaming about for so many months. And I will admit that on Sunday night, when my husband, Les, and I emptied out the final few things, there was a moment (OK, maybe half a moment), when I felt a little sad.

Not sad to have our project underway, mind you. We are ready after so much planning, and I have been getting a little antsy about the timeline following several delays on delivery of the new cabinets. We were firm about not tearing things out until we knew for sure the new cabinets were delivered and correct. It has been a classic case of “hurry up and wait,” but well worth it because we are investing in American-made products, from the cabinets to the countertops, sink and faucet, and even the new dishes we will be getting to replace the ones you’ve seen so many times in my blog photos.

What made me sad was my reminiscing over some of the things that have happened in this room we are overhauling. All the Thanksgiving meals, Super Bowl parties, family gatherings and romantic meals for just the two of us. Of course, there will be more of all those things when the new kitchen is installed, but not exactly in this same space where our memories as a couple began. It’s bittersweet. I fought hard to hang onto it this week, even baking one last loaf of sourdough bread on Sunday night, mere hours before the crew showed up to tear it down.

And then, just like that, the feeling passed. Because, yay! A new kitchen!

It’s going to be a little wild over here, and for the next week or so, please bear with me as I’ll be focused on the well-being of our pets, who are plenty confused with the state of things. We will be doing a lot of take-out this week, and then I will dive into the new challenge of cooking “kitchen-less.” In between, I have some catching up to do, with recent welcome-to-fall recipes that I’ve made, and more food stories and recipes to bring to the table from our vacation, including an authentic Puerto Rican comfort food dish, a couple of fab pizzas inspired by our visits to the amazing pizzerias in New Haven, Connecticut and (of course) a few fun cocktails that I’m sure you’ll enjoy! Here’s a little taste of what’s to come.

It will be weird to continue seeing and posting pictures showing the kitchen as it was, while at the same time I will be watching the transformation into what it will become—a bright and beautiful, made-in-America kitchen! There will be some frustrations, I’m sure, but we are looking forward to the finished project, and even the extreme kitchenless cooking we will do.   

If you have done a full kitchen remodel, please tell me in the comments, what got you through the rough parts? Because here they come!