O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! My most brilliant hubby passed his written comprehensive exams with flying colors. I couldn't be more proud (prouder?) of all of his hard work. He has been so determined and driven in his studying efforts. I tried my hardest to corrupt him, to take him to movies, to throw-in the towel and play, but he had none of it. He PASSED!!!

His folks will be here tomorrow for a nice visit and I am so excited to see them and their reactions. Ahhh. Well played, B.

Now, if I can find an iota of his determination and academic drive, I will get through my program too. What an inspiration.

It is the second day in the work week and I am already running out of steam. I am tickled pink that my in-laws will be here on Friday, but I am really trying to not panic over getting the house into tip-top shape. I always freak-out a little when we have guests over. In fact, a messy house is the number one reason we don't have people over more often for dinner. I LOVE cooking for people and doing something a little unexpected, but our home is always in various stages of disarray, I really have a hard time keeping it tidy enough that we could do something improptu.

Working full-time has been a bit of an adjustment over the past few years. I am sure that many young college grads have the same feeling I do. I guess part of it is also the fact that after work, I have my school work to do. Trying to have it all, do it all is WAY over rated.

I should ask B. to help me more often. Actually, I shouldn't have to ask him, he should just do it, but lets not get started on that.

Ok- enough for now.

It is Friday morning, the whole weekend seems to be spread out ahead of me. There are a few obligations and blips on the schedule, but there will hopefully be plenty of time to relax, sip some tea, do some vacuuming and general tidying.

I am helping to make fresh green corn tamales tomorrow for a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association. We have an order to fill... over 1600 individual tamales. I keep saying I will be upto my elbows in masa, and undoubtedly I will be.

We will be going to a nice celebration dinner tonight for our 4th wedding anniversary. I keep hearing about this restaurant to try, Wildflower Grill. http://www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com/wildflower.html My mouth is watering right now looking at the menu.

Here goes it, jumping head first into what many in my field have been obsessing over for a while now. Let's see if I have completely lost it here, or is this really going to post?

Does this place not look like heaven? http://www.bigsurriverinn.com/main.html

Someday, when I don't live in Arizona any longer, I would love to open an inn where the guests languidly laze around with the cuffs of their jeans turned up, tootsies in the water. Mmmm. I can smell the blackberries and pine needles now. Its a summer smell.

I think I fell in love with places like that when I was in high school. I bought my mom a cookbook called "Thyme and the River Too." It was filled with country tables and river walkers and wild dill weeds. The book had recipes from an inn in Oregon called The Steamboat Inn. I've included a link for your interest and mine too. http://www.thesteamboatinn.com/ It just makes me want to give up on town living all-together. I'll tell you now, its way over-rated.

Here goes it!