I believe this would be appropriately termed an embarrassment of riches.  I've had a simply lovely week of being a pampered houseguest in not one,  but two extraordinarily beautiful historic homes in Virginia.  As though that wasn't incredible enough, both visits were with people I dearly love and involved most of my favorite things--talking, walking, laughing, swimming, cooking and eating.  Sheer bliss in every way that I can possibly imagine. To guild the proverbial lily, I returned home to find everything going berserk in my garden (as you can see from these lilies) and then, this morning, at the farmer's market. 

Let me just say that the New Year is off to a raucous and challenging start.  Felix is back to school as a “second semester senior” which, for some reason seems to mean to him that he’s completely autonomous and in charge.  Don’t think so.  Also Jeff is back at the General Assembly which means long days for him and meal uncertainty for me.  Will anybody be home for dinner? If so, when will they be here?  And if they show up, will they even be hungry? And to top all of that off, Felix has just informed me that I’m no longer an Aries!  Where will it all end?

It has been completely wild around here this week.  Upon returning from our lovely, turkey-studded Thanksgiving, I was dumped into a frenzy of activity in preparation for not one but two videos, not one but two cocktail parties to prepare for and give (one of which was videotaped!) and multiple things to cook, recipes to write, and college apps to be sent. 

As it absolutely should, everything came to a resounding halt when I successfully inveigled a most beloved, most heartsick pal to come over for a visit and a quick lunch.  It had to be her ultimate comfort food, it had to be super quick (she’d be here in less than an hour) and I was totally unprepared.