We woke up on Monday to snow. It was only a light dusting when we awoke, but the snow came down steadily for another hour or so, leaving us with about two inches of snow. The children had a snowball fight, and I had a lovely walk around the garden, holding my camera as insurance against being a target.

 By ten 'o' clock, patches of blue were visible in the sky, and I knew the snow would be gone shortly. It was nice while it lasted, but I was actually glad to see the sun come out. I am ready for spring!

By mid-afternoon, the sun was shining brightly. We also had rain and hail, giving us a complete range of weather experience. In kitchen-without-stove-or-oven news, my son unearthed a plug in burner in one of the sheds, so I can use a (small) sauce pan. On Tuesday I made pan seared shrimp and fried rice for dinner, and last night we had pasta with salmon and a lemon/parmesan/vermouth sauce. For lunch yesterday, I roasted sweet potatoes with a soy glaze in my roasting oven. I made a 9x13 pan full of them, and I polished off almost half the pan-they were that good! One thing I have realized about this new kitchen routine is that I am no longer moving easily in my kitchen. I am used to having things a certain way, to having a smooth, fluid dance between counter, stove, and refrigerator. Now I am mis-stepping, bumbling, unsure of where to go next. Am I putting this in the roaster oven on this counter, or the electric skillet on that counter? Cooking the shrimp first or frying the rice first? In short, I have lost my kitchen groove! By the time we get a new stove, I will be so accustomed to this crazy juggling of small appliances to produce the good food I love, that I will have to learn a whole new set of steps. Maybe. Either way, I don't think I will mind!