I should have written yesterday when all this was fresh in my head, but I have to share a this big, dazzling, sparkling, glittering joy that I have in my heart! First of all, I am completely overjoyed to see that the Christian Science Monitor, free-lance reporter, Jill Caroll is alive and free! I woke up this morning and turned on the news and honestly, tears of joy filled my eyes. What a strong, amazing woman to have survived this whole ordeal. I am so curious and interested to see how she will handle her release, and I wish her nothing but an easy transition back to her pedestrian life. I am quite sure that we will learn much from her throughout her life.

Another thing to share, on a much smaller scale... I had an Amelie moment yesterday. A blind woman was walking through the Student Union and needed to find the elevator. She stopped and asked a group of people walking by where they were. I overheard her question and approached her to see if she wanted help. She asked me to walk her to the elevator and that she would just follow me. I tried to stay out of the way of her cane, and I described everything we passed along the way- I don't think I spun her around too much, but it was a simple and very easy way to help her. Made my heart hummm.

I am just back from a wonderful weekend with my husband and friends to Hermosiilo, Mexico in the northern state of Sonora. I have never eaten so much meat in my life! Carne asada with beans and tortillas for breakfast. Carne asada with beans and tortillas for lunch. Carne asada with beans and tortillas for dinner. Aye, aye, aye. And I mean that in the most wonderful and fabulous way. B blew everyone away because he was eating all these chilis and spicy things that most of our Mexican friends would not touch. He's such a stud.

We had a really great tour of the Sonoron govenor's buliding and stood at the window where "Viva Mexico!" was proclaimed. Authentic. We didn't do what most gringos do. I loved that we were in a place that felt so comfortable, yet so foreign. Tucson seems to be a true crashing place between Mexican and American cultures. I guess I am getting used to a different way of life. We also stopped at this little tiny hole-in-the-wall, blink and you miss-it place called "Dona Marias" for choyotas. Choyotas are these handmade pastries that B called "Mexican Pop-tarts". It is a flaky pastry crust patted out round to the size of a taco tortilla. Sandwhiched in the middle is this warm sweet molasses filling. They are like eating the warmest Christmas memories you can imagine...

Sunday we took a short drive to San Carlos and to Guyamas, and the ocean was beautiful. I honestly felt my skin just soaking up the moisture of the sea air. It was pretty touristy, but we did get a chance to sample Guyamas's renouned shrimp. Can you tell that our mini-vacation revolved around food? Sheesh!

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!