house renovation, day 39: it's starting to resemble a kitchen!

I'm going to admit something: I've been hesitant to share any further updates on this kitchen/family room debacle, not because there hasn't be any progress -- because there has -- but because there hasn't been a lot of visible progress. However, things are moving along:

• The plumbing under our house has been fixed! Darlings, you should have seen it: they dug so much dirt out from under our house, the place looked like a mass grave. But miraculously, they fixed the leak, and put the dirt back, so that our garden looks more like it had a rough day of exuberant children slip-and-sliding over the grass (which means it will come back) than the crime scene of earlier in the week. I'm just happy that's over.

• The cabinets are being hung as I type. To be clear, there's still a ton more work to be done -- we have an exposed slab, none of the lighting is in, appliances need to be fitted, a sink needs to be installed, etc. etc. -- but the cabinets are being hung as I type. This makes me happy, happy, happy.

• We officially have a fireplace mantel!