Our pals the Fabers invited us over for dinner tonight. They're the folks who went with us to Mexico ... was it only a week ago? It has seemed like two weeks, which I attribute to the crazy schedule we've had since we got back.

Eleanor whipped up an elaborate salad ... containing mixed spring greens, radiccio, endive, bartlett pear, maple-ginger glazed pecans, red bell pepper, mushrooms, balsamic marinated onions, apricots, shredded carrot, and proscuitto. She topped it with a homemade dressing: a balsamic reduction with ginger, apricots, and apple juice.

It was a meal in itself, but of course it was only a complement to Petey's delicious dinner of marinated pork loin, steamed asparagus, and sweet potato with butter & brown sugar. And then homemade lemon bars for dessert. So, we didn't suffer.

After dinner

We discussed some future trips that we might take ... and the Fabers' plan to be on the 2009 Capetown to Cairo trip. They are already signed up. That's going to be an amazing trip if it comes off. I'm tempted to go myself but who would run the magazine while we were out of touch for four months? It's hard enough to get a week off. My boss is strict about vacation time ...