And this is why.

No, I have not quit blogging. I just moved. Into a construction site. Long story, but we bought a new (old) house this summer, started renovating it, and then sold our house in three days (much quicker than we had expected).

Purging a house of 12 years’ worth of stuff (my biggest lesson in all this: having storage is a curse) and saying good-bye to the familiar — the dog’s favorite spot on the stairs, the kids’ old toys and furniture (“You’re throwing away my childhood!” said one), the neighbors who have become good friends, and…oh yeah, a functioning kitchen — has been an excruciating and emotionally exhausting process. But sitting here in my lovely new living room — even if the lights are hanging from wires in the wall and the sound of power drills and the smell of varnish are challenging my ability to concentrate — I can say it has been worth it. We looked for a house for over five years, and this one — once the kitchen has cabinet doors and drawers so I can unpack, which my contractor swears, SWEARS, will be by Friday — is already starting to feel like home.

In the meantime, well, I’m not cooking very much. Okay, at all. In fact, maybe I should convert this blog to a review of Denver’s casual-dining scene. I could cover the finer menu options at Tokyo Joe’s, Wahoo’s, Noodle & Co, and the deli counter at Whole Foods…

So, although I’m not cooking, I can tell you that I am really excited about all the cooking and eating that will happen here in the future. My new kitchen, while not huge (we kept the footprint of the original 1956 version), is so sunny and pretty, and I truly can’t wait to put it to use cooking for my family (who by then should finally be sick of Wisconsin Mac-n-Cheese) and friends, testing new recipes to share on this blog, taking light-filled pictures of food, and of course hosting many many more Real Life Delicious classes and dinner parties.

In my next post, I’ll take you on a tour of my new kitchen. Since you’re reading this, I assume you are at least a little bit interested in stoves, ovens, counter tops, and kitchen organization. It’s still a little too dusty (er, and there’s that lack of cabinet doors) for photographing, but… soon!

Oh, in case you’re wondering, the best thing I’ve eaten from a fast-casual restaurant so far is the spicy General Joe’s chicken soup from Tokyo Joe’s. Noodle and Co’s Thai Hot Pot is pretty tasty, too.