When Things Turn Out As Hoped

Yesterday I had a luncheon for a neighbor who lives here in the desert only six months of the year. Then she returns to her primary residence in another state to escape the 100+ degree temperatures of our desert summers. This gathering was special because my neighbor is 92 years old, and we are not certain she will be able to return to us in the Fall. I made sure the table setting was pretty because she appreciates those touches and was a wonderful hostess in her day. Cooking for guests makes me nervous because I cannot be confident that everything will turn out as it should. When it does it is cause for great relief on my part. I made her favorite Hawaiian Chicken Salad served with cantaloupe slices, watermelon wedges, huge strawberries and piping hot croissants. I made creme brulee for dessert which is also one of her favorites. The weather was beautiful so my doors and windows were open; conversation and laughter flowed freely; spring flowers from other neighbors' gardens provided spectacular colors and fragrances; and she was reminded of how much she is loved and will be missed by all of us. Our prayer is that she will remain healthy enough to come back to us in October for another six months, but life is fragile and can change in an instant so we will hold our collective breaths as we wait for October and her return.

HOUZZ and PINTEREST Are Great Resources

Today I was reading one of my favorite blogs Brunch At Saks by Annemarie, and she said she was over at HOUZZ so I decided to go to www.houzz.com and check it out. Previously I viewed her pinboards at PINTEREST at www.pinterest.com and found them inspiring. If you have not visited either of these sites, I urge you to do so. You will find great ideas, wonderful photos of everything from A to Z, and ways to collect the ideas you like and keep them in one location for future use. Whether your interest is in fashion, home decor, kitchens, nurseries, colors, art, etc. you will find these two sites incredibly helpful and fun to use. My problem is I already stay up way too late spending too much time online; now with two more tempting and useful sites I may never get any sleep. If you visit the sites I would love to know what your thoughts about them are...........so comments are welcome!