Going to Chicago.

Geez, it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to add to my own blog. Finally got it. We're all packed and ready to leave for the Guaymas airport to Phoenix and then Chicago. Tomorrow at this time I will be in my rental car heading up to Madison, Wisconsin for my nephew Nick's graduation from high school. I have never met him or his older brother, Erik. I can't wait. However, looking out over my beautiful bay right now, makes it hard to visualize that I will be driving from downtown Chicago to Madison in 24 hours. Both sisters, Kelly and Lisa (graduate's mom) will be there along with my other niece, Haley, so it will be a fun reunion. It's funny how it goes when you're with people you love. It just feels so easy and wonderful. No worries about being politically correct or wondering where you stand with them because they love you no matter what.

It's always hard for me to leave Mexico because it's my home now. That's kind of funny coming from someone who refused to take Spanish in high school because she (I) hated Gilroy so much (at the time). Now I can't wait to get back here and work on my Spanish some more because my biggest goal this year is to become nearly fluent. I am missing so much by not being fluent. I understand most everything but when speaking I fumble over the words. Of course, part of it is due to my advanced age. No matter where I fly I always have a fleeting moment where I'm a little scared, but I'm always ok.

Yesterday was, unfortunately, a wash for me because I truly made myself sick from eating those cookies that I made the night before...you know....the best cookies in the world. Bruce loves them and doesn't seem affected by them at all, but for me it was a physical disaster. At one point I actually felt like I might be having sort of a gaseous heart attack. I gathered my wits about me though and realized it was just an overdose of butter, sugar, more sugar, oats, cornflake crumbs and more butter, oh and some flour. One or all of those ingredients set off the gasometer in my body. I guess I had better end this topic now. I'm absolutely fine now but scared to eat before I get on a plane. I think I'm sounding like a middle aged woman now for sure.

I'm excited about Chicago. Though I will be in Wisconsin for a few days, I will have three or four days to explore Chicago. I'm going on the architectural boat tour on Monday which I hear is fabulous and we have all kinds of recommendations for restaurants. I'm the kind of person who wanted to go see Oprah but they quit taping in May so now I'm mad at her. We are going to a big design conference so we'll see lots of design friends, some that I haven't seen in a while and it will be great. No matter what, these people are always fun and delightful. Bruce will be busy most of the time but I get to join him at night. Can I just put in a plug for him and say he is the National President of ASID this year and I am so proud of him. It's a huge job and it keeps him really busy. It's also a big honor. This, of course, makes me the first lady, though I have no privileges whatsoever. Oh yes, that only happens in real life when you're the real first lady. Just so everyone knows I greatly admire our president and the first lady. I don't really want to get political but last night I was watching Lynn Cheney vs. James Carvelle and she kept referring to President Obama as "your president" not her president. I think that was just wrong and it really made me wonder where she was coming from.

Ok time to go. Great thanks to my beautiful son, Tommy, who likes my blog. What an honor truly. I'm thrilled that he read it and liked it. Both of my boys are so smart and such good writers that I was a bit nervous that they might not like my writing. They are just the best. I'm grateful for all of the feedback I am getting. This is really fun for me and everyone who blogs is just so interesting. It's truly a great mix of interesting and fun people who have a lot of good stuff to say.