Every time a local asks us where we live, the answer Rich and I give inevitably gets a chuckle. Not because we say anything particularly funny (we just say the name of the apartment complex and its location), but because apparently, this place has been under construction for approximately seventeen years. And they think it's funny that someone actually lives there. And I guess that they've now actually MET someone who lives there.

Along with our perpetually-under-construction apartment complex, there is a perpetually-under-construction shopping center right next door. When we moved in, the shopping center was completely empty. Rich and I waited with bated breath, guessing what would go in. "A restaurant," we hoped. "A Starbucks. This place was MADE for a Starbucks." "A Williams-Sonoma," I offered, ridiculously- though the shopping center does have hunter green awnings.

Tonight, we were coming home from a party (Rich's first PhD! Party!), and we saw that there are TWO businesses in the process of being installed in the shopping center. One is a second location of a local burger joint, which we've been assured is excellent. The second was a mystery- we couldn't quite read the sign. As we got closer, we saw it and both gasped in unison. No kidding, guys, it's FRO-YO!!!!!!

I started waxing rhapsodically. "This is going to be THE. BEST. THING. EVER. We can eat dinner at home, then walk with Charlie up to the frozen yogurt shop and get yogurt. We can take it to the park and let Charlie run around while we eat it, and then sit and watch the sunset."

Richard was silent. Turns out, he is wise enough to know 1) this will NEVER actually happen, and 2) if I think Richard will ever have a free evening during the course of this PhD program, I'm totally kidding myself. Ah, the joys of having a husband in grad school.