Here is my list (and I do so love lists) entitled: "Why I Like 2010, So Far".
I know I'm tempting fate by posting this, but here it is:


1. I finally found my fave pair of gloves. It's COLD and I need them! They were lurking at the bottom of a drawer that they had no business being in. Naughty!


2. The holiday rush is over and I'm getting the house back in order. I HATE it when my regular cleaning schedule is interrupted. (And yes, as a matter of fact I am a Virgo. Why do you ask?)


3. The departure of my MIL and the kids going back to school mean that I am no longer surrounded by people 24/7. I need at least some solitude on a daily basis or I get very cranky. It's not pretty.


4. My parents bought the kids "Rock Band 2" for the Wii and it....well...ROCKS! I don't actually have much time to play it lately , but I enjoy watching the kids go at it when I have a spare moment. They're so cute and some of the older songs really puzzle them, ex: 'Spirit in the Sky' (provokes hysterical laughter every time) and 'American Woman' (Mallory: "Why does he hate that poor lady so much? Geez!)


5. I suddenly remembered that I used to make risotto quite often (about 10 years ago!) I dug out an old recipe and it was an instant, huge hit with everyone. And a new menu item is no small thing, as all of us who cook for families well know.


6. This is the month that work begins on the addition to our house! I'd given up all hope that it would happen in my lifetime, but our buildrr actually came by last night to go over last minute details of the plan. He's preparing the wood right now (perhaps as I write this! Squeeee!) and will definitely start by the end of this month. By the end of February, we should have 20 more square meters of living space. Hooray!


7. I just got done watching season 2 of 'Heroes' and am looking forward to borrowing season 3 from a good friend that just got it for Christmas. as soon as she's seen it, the kids and I are going to enjoy catching up with Hiro, Claire and even the oh-so-annoying Peter.
You don't watch 'Heroes"?
Well, you really should. Really.


8. I'm going to see "Avatar" soon, somehow. I tried to go on Sunday, but both showings were full. But I'll try again next weekend. I've been looking forward to it for quite a while. (PS- If you've seen it and it disappointed you, PLEASE do not rain on my cinematic parade and tell me so. I plan to enjoy it and will not be dissuaded)


9. I've got several good book to read all lined up and waiting for me (Thanks, mom!). I'm just now (today!) going to start on a new fantasy series by Mercedes Lackey.



10. Mallory finally got glasses and wore them to school for the first time on January 4, 2010. She'd been complaining that she couldn't see well and, after some procrastination on my part, we took her to the local optician to get her eyes checked in early December. It turned out that she's sudden become very nearsighted- as blind as a tiny, blonde, adorable bat.
But I couldn't just get a prescription for her, as children under age 16 in France have to be examined by an opthamologist. So, I wrangled an emergency appointment for her with a doctor at the hospital clinic. We got in just before Christmas and got the glasses ordered asap.
When they arrived, Mallory was thrilled to see the world through them. "The grass has blades! It's not just green, fuzzy clumps!" was one of her first remarks.
So, Mallory has started out 2010 able to see correctly. Plus she looks cute. Win!
(side note: As JP works in Switzerland, we don't have the French public health insurance. We pay for private coverage. Usually, we have to pay the bills and then are reimbursed afterwards-
but it's not as bad as you might think. To pay for an opthamological exam at the hospital, for example, I gave a mere 20 Euros. Total. No lie.)



So, that's it- my first post of 2010 and my first list of the year. Sorry I've been offline so long. I've been having computer issues and a severe lack of time to deal with them. But I hope things will be better now....