Home Fun Round-Up

I've had a lot of fun, being home over the past two weeks, and I'm sad to be leaving already. These two weeks have certainly flown by quickly. Great things about being back (in no particular order):

Seeing friends and family. (My apologies to those of you whom I was unable to see and/or chat with, but I've been busier than I expected!)

Cats! (There's only Gosha at the AH, and he isn't exactly the cuddliest of kitties. It's nice having kitties cuddled up in bed with me, or on my lap while I'm typing. Of course, as my mom is now back up to 12 cats - two strays have decided they live here - my allergies have been driving me mad, and I've taken enough sudafed to knock out a horse or blow up a meth lab, but yet I still sneeze. Sigh.)

House Stalking. Most people would probably call this "looking for a new house" but I prefer "house stalking." You know that commercial where one family is eating breakfast, and another comes in and says they've decided to buy the house, but the family that lives there says that it isn't for sale? I feel like that commercial. I've spent a lot of time driving around looking for houses that I would like to live in. That totally qualifies as house-stalking. Of course, I did look at two that are legitimately for sale (posts below if you don't know what I'm talking about), but neither qualified to be Jane's First Home. Mom is going to keep looking for a house for me. I trust her judgment in this, as we have the same taste in homes.

Driving. I love driving, and I always miss it when I'm overseas. It's so fun and relaxing. (Do any of you have driving calluses? I’m not sure what I do to get them, but it has to do with the way I hold the steering wheel. Anyway, they'd gone away while in Russia, and they're just now starting to come back...)

A shower with water pressure. Let me tell you, a shower with water pressure is infinitely better than a shower where hot water trickles down on your head with all the force gravity has to offer at a height of five and a half feet. This has been a real pleasure.

Sunshine and warmth. I was feeling the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder during my last month in Russia. The sun was only poking its head out for a few hours every day, and for the most part, those few hours were pretty overcast. It's been great being outside, in the sun, wearing just jeans and a t-shirt. Today I took a nap in the grass in the sunshine. Soak up that vitamin D, baby.

Triscuits. You can't get 'em in Russia and I love 'em. Mmm. Maybe I'll have some now.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all for now. I wish I could've stayed longer.