Fruit and houseguests?...

We're now 2/3rds through with our string of trips and house guests. I'm exhausted. It was great having Juliet and Camilo here, and we really can't wait to go visit them in Boston. One of the many great things about having out of town guests is you take the time to see all the local stuff you tend to take for granted. I haven't been to Belle Isle in Richmond for a long time, and it truly is one of my favorite places to spend a day. We were there on one of the windiest days I've ever experienced and a storm was rolling in, so we had to abbreviate our visit more than I would have liked. It was still beautiful. We also took an abbreviated tour of D.C.. It doesn't matter if you are there for a week or for a day, you will walk until your feet are filled with contempt for their masters. The American History Museum is closed for a complete renovation, so there is a very small American History exhibit in the Air & Space Museum. It worked out perfectly for our little trip. Last night we grilled chicken and hung out on our new deck. I lit a fire in the fire pit, and we drank some drinks. It was sweet.

We got up this morning at 5:30 to drop our guests off at the airport. We get about a day and a half to recover and then Sonya's mom arrives. She has been here several times, so we most likely won't be doing too much sightseeing. Honestly, I can't afford any more time away from school. I need to study, study, study. Sonya's mom will likely cook some of my favorite food, and I will be able to do school work. I can't wait to get home, do my physics homework, and eat garbanzo beans. You never knew anyone could make garbanzo an event. I'm not a huge fan of hummus, but she turns those little chicks into something grand. We saw a dish when we were in Spain that looked like something similar, but we couldn't really understand the description on the menu. It turned out to be garbanzo and beef tongue. I had never had beef tongue, so I was intrigued. My curiosity, having now been met, affords me the right to refuse beef tongue if it is ever again offered. Gross. The weather is supposed to be sunny with highs in the 60s when Sonya's mom is here, so we should be able to enjoy the new deck some more! Sonya's mom leaves on Monday, so we can finally get back into our little routines. I need that.

House guests, like fruit, are beautiful, but they tend to get a little too ripe after a week or so.