It's Me, Sara Louise

{Representing The LPV in The TX}

Back in August, I wrote a post about some of the things I missed in the U.S. Truth be told, it was written about two weeks after we had made the decision to leave France. At the time my mind was swirling with thoughts and feelings, mostly nervous ones, and making a list of all the things that I would get to do once I set foot back on American soil felt like a pretty good way to chill out.

Well I’ve been ‘home’ for a little over two weeks now, and out of the eleven things on the list, I’ve already gotten to experience ten of them (as soon as I get back up New York, I’m checking ‘deli’ off my list right quick). Life hasn’t been too shabby so far (except of course that I miss Gregory and Fifty something fierce) and to celebrate that lack of shabbiness, I thought I’d share a list of all the things that are making me happy. It seems like a nice thing to do on a Friday.

// T E L E V I S I O N !  Oh me oh my! So many channels, so many options, I will never run out of things to watch. There’s one channel that shows like five back to back episodes of the Big Bang Theory every night. That’s a lot of Sheldon Cooper! Luckily for me, I happen to like Sheldon Cooper. (It’s actually more like a bizarre crush than a ‘like’… shhh!)

// I have a closet! When I first moved to France I didn’t have a closet. The second house we lived in had a small one, and my last house, none at all, not one in the whole house! It was a challenge to say the least. Now, not only do I have a big ol’ closet but a bathroom with loads of cabinets and drawers. It’s magnificent! Listen to me Americans… do not take anything for granted, not even closets.

// I’ve been clipping coupons like a woman possessed! I missed those things so much, they’re like free money! I’m nowhere near ‘couponer’ status, but I’m still enjoying clipping and filing away my little money saving wonders. Attn: France… they’re called coupons, look into it!

// I love French food, and I loved going out to eat in France, but I didn’t love the strict dining hours. Of course I got used to it, but I’m really enjoying that I can go out for breakfast/ lunch/ dinner pretty much anytime that I want.

// Since I mentioned food… B R E A K F A S T !  And when I say, breakfast, I’m talking eggs and bacon people. Whether on a tortilla or just on the plate, I’m delighted to be able to have breakfast options beyond croissants and pains au chocolate. (But I do have to say that I saw some “croissants” yesterday in the grocery store and they made me want to cry because they were [insert air quotes] croissants, as in, they were barely recognizable to me #boohoo.)

// Shopping at Marshalls and TJ Maxx… ooh child! Gregory needs to hurry up and get here because because I need to be stopped! I can’t help myself… the bargains, oh the fabulous bargains!

// I would be remiss if I didn’t mention customer service. Maybe it’s just because I’m in small town but it’s freaking fantastic here. Last week my mother and I brought her in car to one of those express places for an oil change and inspection. There were a couple of other things that needed tweeking and it was going to take a few hours. One of the mechanics drove us home, and then came and picked us up when the car was ready but not before he washed it first. I told this story to Gregory and he almost passed out.

// Getting to spend time with old friends is a marvelous thing. Of course I haven’t gotten to see everyone yet, but my first Friday here, I hung out with my bestie from high school and we hadn’t seen each other for twelve years (while I was in Europe, she was in Vancouver… my crew likes to get around). But as it is with old friends, we might as well have been eighteen again the way we were chatting up a storm. Man I missed that.

// And one last thing that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with being back in the U.S. (well sorta because it’s the catalyst behind it), but my new blog is under construction and is coming soon #holdontoyourhatskids