Hibernation, according to Wikipedia, is “a state of inactivity and metabolic depression” and “refers to a season […] that is characterized by low body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate, and low metabolic rate.”

If I haven’t documented any kitchen renovation progress in a while, then it’s because, well, there hasn’t been a lot of it. Presidents’ weekend (which turned into a 4-day affair with the government and all schools closing on Tuesday because of snow) and the following record low temperatures in DC have had a powerful effect. They caused the metabolic rate of change in our future kitchen to drop down as well. One guy couldn’t get his truck started, the other couldn’t drive down here, and the cabinets can’t get delivered because carrying them in through the snow endangers them. (Aren’t they wrapped up somehow?!)

So here we are. Unfortunately, we can’t lower our body temperature and stop eating for a few months like those lucky heterothermic animals (which would conveniently eliminate the need for a kitchen and solve a lot of problems).

While the original schedule got thwarted, at least we can still make coffee in the powder room. We’ve enjoyed some lovely meals out with friends, bruised our tailbones sledding (okay, only mine) and got some great exercise pushing my husband’s car up an icy hill. It’s the winter, and what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger!

(For pictures of the progress, click here.)