Brioche French Toast Thanksgiving morning, with the Macy's Parade on the TV . . .

Turkey Bacon on the griddle insert!

Walk in pantry with automatic light. The screen door sounds like summer. Don't forget to click on the picture for a larger version.

Three loaves of bread in the oven . . . Don't forget to click on the picture for a larger version.

Etagere on tile. Our Jade Plant is blooming!

No more carpet. Nice.

Baking Central. Toe kick heater at bottom.

That's what I'm talking about.

Lots more counter space! And the blue is outstanding.

The new look is pushed back about five feet.

Wow.

We're imagining one of us sitting here, the other preparing a nice meal. Maybe we're checking email or looking up an ingredient in a culinary history web site, with a Red Sox game in the background. Or sipping a Perfect Manhattan while lamb sausage grills fragrantly on the cooktop.

All kinds of counter space!

The faucet is a brass kind of finish which really ties the room together. Man.

Getting these in right required more agita than we cared to handle yesterday, but Kevin perservered and got them in today. They look great.

The Cooktop. I can't wait to make a Sabrett really sweat on the grill!

Faucet is in but not hooked up.

Island bar and butcher block.

Counters are in. Wow.

Lazy Susans in the corner!

A pair of captain's lights replicas from around 1820. Bracket on chimney is for flat panel TV.

Baking Station. This is called Blue Pearl Granite. The light blue flecks glow like pearls! The edging around it is sublime. Note the drawer and door pulls. Perfect!

The Cooktop is HUGE! Three bays - one grill and two heating elements.

The hutch.

The view to the summer kitchen. Some appliances are "in situ" but not working. The back is on the island. Rich color.

The fridge goes here. We've forgotten what appliances are.

From the hallway . . . The island will have a 15" overghang and we just ordered counter-height bar stools.

Beautiful . . . Plenty of room to be creative.

Lots of room between the sink and the island.

The Island is in! It's almost eight feet long, and even with the cooktop installed it will have about the same amount of counter space as our former kitchen. Wow.

Monday - From the chimney. Nice. The dishwasher isn't installed, but we see what an appliance actually looks like. We had forgotten . . .

Monday - Nice color, especially with the blue.

Monday - and the sink and dishwasher! Now we know what an appliance is again!

The couch just made the room too cluttered, so we gave it away and replaced it with a nice sitting area.

The first cabinets are in!!! What a nice, rich color. They should all be installed by Wednesday. Wow.

The "well" in the ceiling to accomodate the raising of the bottom of the door to the height of the kitchen floor. David did a great job!

I put 22 logs in it and it's not even full . . .

Kevin built us an amazing woodbox that matches the floor. It's huge.

Wood stove is installed and ready . . .

Floor is done! What a beauty. Kevin has oiled and buffed five or six times.