A Couple of Good Things About Today

1) My dehydrated apricots turned out pretty well. They are a little on the crunchy side,

but I'm thrilled to have the rotting frozen fruit out of the freezer.

I used my mom's old dehydrator from the 80's. She used to make apricot fruit roll-ups that I

would take to school and then throw away or give to my friend Nikki. Sorry Mom.

2) After having ruled a summer vacation in France (too expensive--sorry Rafa), New York (I wanted a beach), Puerto Rico (that was a one day only suggestion) Chris and I have tentatively decided on a "Mason-Dixon" trip. We are thinking of starting in Dallas (to see his Aunt and other family), traveling on to New Orleans, along the Gulf of Mexico, down and then up the coast of Florida, and on to the Carolina's (my cousin's wedding in SC and good friends in NC). We are super excited!

3) The tulip garden in the park across from our house is in bloom and it is gorgeous.

It makes for wonderful sunset walks.

We got engaged by the haystack looking thing (Pampas grass?).

4) Chris tried Adderall today for the first time ever. This is a total miracle--he has

refused to take anything for his ADHD for 40 years. After struggling through grading

stacks of student papers and finals this weekend, he finally caved and

knocked back a pill with a glass of Kool-Aid (no joke).

A few quotes from him this afternoon:

"This is amazing"

"I'm actually enjoying grading!"

"My brain feels like it is cured"

"Is this what it is like for everyone else? If so, that's so unfair!"

"If I had been like this my whole life I'd be a full professor by now."

"I can actually focus!"

"I am proud of what I accomplished today"

(to his sister) "It's sad that my breakthrough had to take the form of a pill,

but the real breakthrough involved much more than that little pill."