I'm going to go get some chocolate too, but only for your good. I'm sorry this is happening. I know with a family and kids it's hard to have the house disrupted. I planned the reno to be done prior to the s chool end, to avoid stress during final exams. Then we got the AP e xam schedule. Yup, exactly while the kitchen is being done.

Hope things work out, and keep us informed.

You forgot Valium too. Oh dear. I'm sorry! It is a tough process.....we all feel your pain...and my renovation wasn't even half as painful as some around here.

The night I wanted to climb into a jug of wine and drown in it was the evening where I got a call (while at my daughter's never ending tennis match miles away) that one of the carpenters had accidently severed the gas line to the grill (but didn't realize it until hours later)....just before using spray laccquer paint on the cabinets just inside the open window (not flammable, at all!).....then I had to call the gas company and have them come out to get their clearance before I felt even remotely safe to enter the house with my three kids....DH was none too happy. I still feel like it's lucky that the whole neighborhood block didn't go up in a BOOM. That's when I almost threw in the towel....

So, I hear ya!!!

I don't think wine is sufficient. I'm stocking up on tequila.

LOL - I'm having my glass of red right now! Well, it's a plastic cup actually - because if I have to run up the stairs to wash one more thing in the tiny bathroom sink. . .argh ;-) I feel your pain, cupcake! Wine is good.

HAHA, jmc, I agree!! I am SOOOO SICK of washing dishes in our bathroom sink!!

And yes, I've probably gone through many a bottle since this whole thing started 5 weeks ago. Hopefully, we will be done next week! If not--Im going for the vodka!

Geez, if your stories are any indication, I'll be hittin' the hard stuff by week's end! Better stock up...

At least I was smart enough to insist that they install my new bathroom sink (right off kitchen) before they removed my kitchen sink so I wouldn't be without both sinks @ the same time. Luckily, my kitchen sink is still in business. It's just frustrating to have done all of the necessary work on MY end (making sure appliances, sinks, lighting, tile, etc. are here when needed) only to have things fall apart on account of the actions of the "professionals". Maybe I should consider starting a new career in kitchen reno coordinating... hey, I *have* been told I'm pretty organized... !

Thanks for commiserating, the sympathy is greatly appreciated! You may now resume your previously-scheduled imbibing already in progress. ;)

I am having wine and a huge mushroom swiss burger to wash the wine down with!!

If you're doing chocolate, I suggest a good port.

Wine glasses were the only "real" dishes we bothered to keep out. They were in the garage with the wine and then had to be washed in the bathroom sink. Worth it. :)

It will eventually be completed. Hang in there. And, Cheers!

The staff at the liquor store know me by name, merlot and ETA now.
My stockpile of Lindt 90% cacao is dwindling fast out of the unfinished doorless pantry.
I've been washing dishes in the mudroom sink for 11 months and 18 days.
When I can't face that task anymore somedays, I hide'em in my nice new full extension, soft close drawers.
My name is Dawn and I don't think I'm TKO anymore :(

Hugs to Cupcake and all - I hope your renovations all go better next week!

I will second weidmeister.... a glass of port, a nice champagne (only if you're celebrating the END of your remodel), or actually a strong cabernet to go with that chocolate.

but i don't drink!!!!

I'll have to order a truck load of chocolate... guess I could dr*nk it too.

cupcake - no, we weren't kidding. I hope you budgeted your wine into the reno cost. It has definitely helped with minimizing the melt downs.

No kitchen since November, one bathroom--only water source, full time work from home--temporary kitchen in the office (fridge, microwave, food, coffee pot), oldest daughter got engaged Christmas Eve--planned wedding for Mar 6 (yes, this year), lots of life going on with 5 in the household. I quit keeping track of wine consumption.

It will end. It will end. It will end.

Vodka tonics are really nice too. And easily adjustable depending on the day's disaster or setback. ;)

Hang in there!

I can't have wine, or anything else alcoholic for that matter (due to meds I am on), so I am sitting here drinking my pretend "adult drink" (as we call them in my house- so the little guys know they can't have a sip)- It looks like a brown beer bottle, but is actually Reed's Raspberry ginger brew. Ah, so have a nice glass of crisp Chardonnay on a beautiful day before spring evening.....that would be so nice.

I have been hitting the bakery down the street for fresh made daily cookies instead....my jeans don't like it too much.

I too was supposed to have a "functional" kitchen on Monday. That moved to the following Tuesday. For now. So in the meantime I will putty, sand, paint, and paint some more.

You may soon find, that martinis will be in order as well.

Wonderful that you're keeping your sense of humor. You'll do well! Good luck with the rest.

Ok, the day is starting bad!!! How early is too early for that wine?

Isn't the saying; "it's always 5:00 somewhere..." countrygal_905?

What about those who smoke instead of drink?!!? Lol. We can't leave them out!

Although my remodel went smoothly, there were days while I was doing the research that I pondered a vodka float.....I haven't had a drink of alcohol for many, many years and I was afraid I'd get a HUGE headache if I tried it so I ate chocolate instead. Oh, and doughnuts. And cake. Almost forgot Mrs. Smith frozen pies are quick and easy if you have anything that bakes. I contemplated my countertop electric oven but it never came to that. Did you know they make cookie dough all measured into the proper size balls and frozen in a bag!! They do!! In 6 flavors! Good, too. I guess truth to tell, if it had sugar in it, I ate it. I have to stop now since I'm not working any of it off. As soon as the 6 new bags of cookie dough are gone, that's it.

Maybe you guys will appreciate the 5 minute microwave chocolate cake. The Cooking Forum folks found it disgusting, but maybe none of them have ever lived through a remodel. It's big enough for two to share, unless you have had a really bad day, when you need it all for yourself.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

5 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
small splash of vanilla extract

Add dry ingredients to mug (LARGE coffee mug or beer mug), and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (my MW is only 800WT so I cooked it for 3min 25 sec). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Thanks for the commiseration, everyone. Cooksnsews, I will be testing out that chocolate mug cake in the near future. Now THAT will help! (Along with cadbury mini-eggs. Never could resist the little suckers). ;)

Eeeek! I'm about to cross-over from a bathroom reno from hell, into the first stages of my kitchen reno. And your stories are freaking me out.

You mean to say that on top of sourcing all the stuff I need for that kitchen, I will also need to stock up on wine, chocolate, hootch, ciggies, more chocolate, more wine, aspirin, more wine, who said ice cream, more wine with a chocolate chaser, huge hambergher buns....AND find a coffee mug to make cake in?

Wow. Never thought of that! Maybe the kitchen reno can wait....

Gin is better.

lol toolbabe...no...

i think you could just "make do" with hootch, ciggies, and chocolate (sugar incorporated in all that).

I'm living on Advil, Band-aids, and wine. I've started addeing sweets. But not in that order.

Ha Ha! I can totally relate. Our "temporary" kitchen work triange is 100 feet - frig is in the foyer, microwave is in the laundry room, and kitchen table is the cedar chest at the foot of the master bed. (Only place without too much dust and where a TV actually works in our house right now). The food is lukewarm by the time we heat it up, walk through garage, outside, around to master bedroom through the sliding glass door. I actually enjoy washing the dishes by hand in our mini-bar sink! Oh the joys of renovation. Thank goodness for cheap red wine, patience and a good sense of humor. Cheers!

Dianelouise, LOVE your "work triangle"! :O I'm at the stage where I feel like I am camping out in my own house, sure feels like "roughing it!" We are now without a kitchen sink and have resorted to paper/plastic/doing dishes in my new pedestal bathroom sink. Cabinet install/trim/beadboard/painting is almost done. First floor ceilings have all been painted, what a difference! Cherry butcher block island top was installed yesterday; the granite perimeter was templated today (we are getting honed Absolute Black) and should be ready for install during school vacation week! (At least it will be cool for the kids to see!) Stove is in living room, dishwasher in garage, small kitchen appliances and other kitchen stuff is in boxes anywhere it will fit. Kitchen lighting (from Rejuvenation, yay!) due in next week, hope to get our electrician here next weekend, since we are still using a floor lamp in the newly-reno'd bathroom. Flooring for the entire main floor has been ordered and should be arriving @ the end of the month; we're putting in variable-width wide plank pine flooring. Shooting for this weekend to start painting walls, already started on the trim. Cararra marble subway tiles have been ordered for backsplash, due in 2 weeks or so.

WHEW! Now will SOMEBODY please pass the chardonnay (which I fully intend to drink straight from the bottle, since I can't find a wine glass...) !!!

The very first things I packed into my "survival supplies" plastic box were the plastic wine glasses. Second were the plastic Tervis coffee mugs. I am living with a three-story work triangle- Refrigerator in garage, sink on second floor, coffe maker and microwave in bedroom on third floor.

Thank goodness for Trader Joe's prepared meals. (and wine :) )

Spent the day listening to the jackhammer take up the remainder of the kitchen tile. Splurged and bought a rice cooker. Then I wokked in the basement garage as that is the only 3 prong plug I could find. I can't use more than one appliance at a time in the basement as it blows the circuit breaker. I am living throught this kitchen remodel and it sure is crazy right now! Wine is definitely on the list!

Dear Kitchen Friends... I have alway thought of Wine as "Juice"...Juice is good for you..Yes???????

oh oh.. ramping up for a remodel myself, better be careful i do not end up in rehab after the remodel! :)

Ok, I want a valium or librium tree, shady or sunny, any zone, and in trade, I will give you any seeds, from any zone, any color, just name it, to be delivered by any hunk, except for James Franco-he's mine, all mine=---and I will be reasonably happy during the next six miserable months. The good thing about wine is you can just buy it. There is a bit of difficulty in obtaining and planting a tree of my choice.

I do recognize that you have limited interest in whether I will be reasonably happy. But think of all of you who could just sit under the tree and wait for the good seeds to drop.