I’ve scrolled through all 1,577 of the comments left on this site and found that well over 30 of them are from my darling daughter, Marissa, saying something like this – “Send me some!”  “Save some for me.”  “Make that for me when I come home!”  and most recently, “I’ve decided I’m going to comment on every post of something I want, asking you to send it to me, until you actually do send me something.”  

What’s a mother to do? My girl used to live in Tucson, so it was easy to plan a quick trip and just drive down to stay overnight and cook for her and her darling roommates. But now she lives about 750 miles away in San Francisco.  And although I would love nothing more than to hop on a plane every few weeks and spend time in that gorgeous city with my gorgeous girl, that isn’t very practical or even possible.

So I’ve made muffins.  Muffins to freeze and ship to her.  Marissa, please share them with your new darling roommates and rest assured, they are made with enormous amounts of love. xoxo

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There was a fish taco recipe planned for this very spot today, and unless at least 5 of you beg me to put it up, I’m going to scratch it all together. I was originally going to say that at least 15 of you needed to beg, but since I don’t think there will even be 5 beggars, that should suffice. Instead, I have a recipe that is SO MUCH better than any old stinky fish taco. A recipe for laughter. That may be corny and awfully cliche, but true!

OK, you know how I like to be helpful and share with you all the things I love. Well, today I am sharing with you something I more than love. It is something I completely adore. Reading the hysterical posts from this creative, (as you can see for yourself – from that awesome self-portrait above) bright, and “knee-slapping” funny woman, absolutely makes my day. I’ve shared a few of the posts via email with Marissa and with Peggy, and they both agree, Amazing!

I will warn you though, if you have delicate ears, don’t like the use of “bad-language” and excessive sarcasm – well, you may want to pass. Pass it on to a friend who does enjoy those things, that is.  For instance, here is how she describes herself on her Twitter profile:

“Snarky liberal b!%$h and mom of 2 boys, one of whom has autism. Profane & often drunk. Excessively chatty, but it’s all just inane c%*p. Yeah, sorry about that.”

Yes, I have used the *&^% symbols in place of certain profanities for those of you who may be sensitive. Here are a couple little snippets taken directly from Jillsmo’s blog – “Yeah. Good Times.” (with permission) that had me running to the bathroom before I ….. well you get the idea.

As you will note, the Trader Joe’s reference had me hooked from the get-go!  One more quick side-note, Jill does not refer to her two boys by their names, but instead by Child 1 (C1) and Child 2 (C2). By the way, if you do visit her blog, and I highly recommend that you do – the Tag named Child 2 has some of my favorite posts.

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Last night’s birthday party dinner for Terrie was a blast. Anytime the Murriettas gets together, nothing less is expected. Please indulge me and I shall share my history with this fantastic family.

Terrie and I have known each other since our grade school days at Navajo Elementary, right here in Scottsdale. We are both native Arizonans. We lived on the border between two high schools, Scottsdale High and Saguaro High. Terrie and her younger sister, Peggy, went to Scottsdale High. Terrie’s three older brothers, Vince, Mark, and John, went to Saguaro, as did I. After Navajo, Terrie and I lost touch and I only knew of her brothers as the “big men – the jocks” on campus.

Fast forward 12 years to 1991. Dave and I are in our second house and have just had our second child, Connor. We live in a cul-de-sac and our backyard fence curves around and backs up to 5 different neighbors. One day, I meet one of those neighbors, Peggy DeBolske. She also has two little ones of her own at the time, Joey and Samantha (Natalie and Steven come along 2 and 4 years later). We become fast friends and soon learn that we are both Arizona natives. Then we discover that we both went to Navajo. I ask her maiden name… Murrietta. “Oh my gosh, is Terrie your sister? And are Mark and John your brothers?” (Her oldest brother, Vince, was long gone from Saguaro by the time I arrived.) Yes!  Small World! We, of course, have been best friends ever since and it gave me the opportunity to re-connect with Terrie.

Peggy and Terrie attended my Blog 2nd Anniversary Party earlier this month and Terrie told me that all of the recipes for her birthday party were coming from this site and that Peggy was hosting the dinner party. I glared poor Peggy down and gave her hell for not asking me to help her. She relented and that is how I wiggled “my way in.”

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Sometimes getting dinner on the table is the hardest part of the day; yes, for me too. Late yesterday afternoon a friend on Facebook posted this:

“ugghh! that dreaded time, dinner! I never know what to make and on top of it so tired from all those 1st graders.”

Not only is this friend obviously a first grade teacher, she is a wife and the mother of two young daughters. Before she started those wonderful phases of her life, she was my assistant at Les Petites Gourmettes one summer. I sent her two links to a couple of my “easy-breezy” recipes as a “comment” – while at the same time, I was actually having the same issue yesterday evening – “What am I going to do for dinner?” I had been deep-cleaning my house from the time I got up in the morning, right up until I realized that I really needed to stop and make dinner. I was exhausted, tired, and HOT. While the east coast has been gearing up for Hurricane Irene; in Phoenix, we’ve been under an “excessive heat advisory” all week. It was suppose to end tonight at 8:00 PM, but I just learned that it has been extended through Sunday  Monday- oh joy. (late entry – it was 117 degrees today – it is official – hottest August EVER, on record for Phoenix).
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I am up in Flagstaff today visiting Connor and watching my friend, Larry Fitzgerald, and the team at Cardinal’s camp. It is a joy to not only see them both, but to get out of the record-breaking heat in the Valley of the Sun; 114 degrees yesterday!

It literally tried to chase me up the mountain yesterday on the drive here. I left the house at about 10:30 AM and it was 106 degrees. By 11:00, I was at 2000 feet and the temperature was climbing faster than I was; 109. When I reached the Sedona turn-off, it was 11:25 and it was 111 degrees! What was going on here -what’s a girl to do? Drive faster, that’s what I did!

I could see the building clouds and the lightening ahead, so I knew there was hope. I actually stopped focusing on the thermostat, and just like a watched pot that won’t boil if you watch it, the temps finally went down and the next time I looked it was 94. When I reached Flag at 12:20 it was a lovely 84 degrees, relief at last!

In addition, I was able to have coffee this morning with my high-school girlfriend, Darcy. She sang at our wedding, 26 years ago. Don’t you just love it when you haven’t seen a friend for a few years and you just pick up where you left off, as if you had lunch together last week? It’s the best, love you, Darcy.  OK, all that has nothing to do with our recipe today, these are just good, so make ‘em!

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I honestly don’t know how some people do it. How they are able to eat out more than once or twice a week. When I come home from vacation, the first thing I crave is a home-cooked meal and the absolute last thing I want for a week or two is to go out to eat. I know of people who dine in restaurants, carry-out, or have delivery more than 7 or 8 times a week. That, to me, is the definition of insanity for multiple reasons: it is expensive, what is in the food and how it is prepared is out of your control, and it is expensive… oh I already mentioned that… but it is!

That said, the three restaurants we dined at in San Francisco were amazing! But I did say “San Francisco”, so what else would you expect… but amazing? I am no restaurant critic. I don’t critique the decor, the location, or even the wait-staff.  I just know if I am “comfortable” in a space, I’m with people I want to be with, and if I have delicious food – well, then I‘m happy and I’ve had a good dining experience. So this won’t be a critique of the three restaurants, just glowing praise and my personal recommendation to go to one, or all three, if you have the chance, and the money; they’re all on the pricey side.

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As I mentioned yesterday, the final couple hours of the road trip were the most challenging. The endless lines of traffic getting onto the Bay Bridge was brutal, especially when you don’t have the “lane changing” abilities you’re used to, while you are in a U-Haul and pulling a trailer. I’m just thankful that I was the passenger and not the driver. Dave has abounding patience and I have… none!

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Our journey to deliver Marissa’s belongings to San Francisco began around noon on Friday, July 29th and ended when we finally arrived at her new home on Saturday July 30th around 4:30 PM.

Most of our 14 hours of drive-time were spent on either I-10 between Phoenix and Los Angeles or on the I-5 between LA and San Francisco.  The remaining couple hours were spent on the slow crawl to get onto and then across the Bay Bridge; at least it felt like 2 hours!

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Last day of July! Hard to believe, summer is almost over, at least in most of America. In Arizona it will last another 2 1/2 months, but here in San Francisco, it feels like autumn. Heaven!  Here is Marissa on the beach, which is less than a mile from her new home. Yes, she is in her new HOME! So exciting, and it is so cute, and big!

Oh, and if you want to watch the Train video “Save Me, San Francisco” CLICK HERE

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Moving is a pain. No two ways about it. And moving in July, in Arizona, in 107 degrees is… I won’t say it out loud.

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