Welcome 2010!

So it's 2010. Wow. How did we get here? My-my-my --- time flies when you're growing up! But it's been real and it's been fun, so I'm not complaining.

Last night was our trip down to the Lyric Opera House for The Great Russian Nutcracker, put on by the Moscow Ballet. It was . . . interesting. I can honestly say that I'm glad we went, but Buppy and I both noticed that the performers weren't as in sync as we'd anticipated. There were often several duos on the floor at a time, and when they were all supposed to make a movement in unison, they weren't exactly in unison. Not that it made it a bad performance by any means, only that we were both shocked to notice this. There were definitely some impressive things to be seen, and we both had a good time. While we had planned on dinner at a restaurant in B-more near the Opera House, they've recently undergone a change in ownership, resulting in a drastic menu change. We stopped in for a drink, then headed back into our hometown to enjoy dinner at one of the best local restaurants. Their cream of crab soup is to die for. I'm not kidding. Their calamari last night was delish as well, and Buppy really enjoyed his chicken dish. Their Marsala sauce is sweeter than normal, which would make me think I wouldn't enjoy it. The dish was simple, yet had complex flavors. Very, very good. And our server was fantastic to boot!

Earlier in the day yesterday, Buppy's parents and his brother's family all came up for "Christmas." Brunch turned out to be wonderful, with mimosas as our beverage of choice. Such a great way to start the day! I modified the bagel & cheese bake a little from last time and it only got better. The fruit salad that I was a little unsure about was awesome; Buppy's dad had 3rds! I modified that recipe a little as well using what I had on hand but man, what an easy way to throw a fruit salad together. The kids got plenty of gifts to keep them busy forever, and Buppy and I got some good stuff as well. My stand-out gift is an electric fondue pot. Hello Melting Pot at home! I plan to experiment. A lot.

Today I received my package from my family in Wisco. Made me lonesome that I didn't get back there to see them, but they sent me some perishables that can only be found in that state. Oh they know me so well, and they knew exactly what would make my day. Thank you guys --- I love you!Today was my first day back after my 2nd 4-day weekend in a row. Since I actually really enjoy my job, it wasn't bad at all. We're going through some changes at work, so things are a little chaotic right now, but most don't involve me too much, so I'm doing alright. I got a lot accomplished today, came home to find my package of goodies from my family and now get to relax for the rest of the evening (with some more champagne from the mimosas!) Wow, I feel very lucky.