40 by 40

Kelly and I are off to Barcelona this weekend for Valentines Day and our 12th Wedding Anniversary. This will be my first trip to Spain, which means that I get a checkmark on the ol' visited countries list...and its number 40! The goal was to visit 40 countries before I turned 40...and it appears I will make that goal with 3 months to spare...whew!

The List:

I use the FIFA list for countries, because I count Wales, Scotland and the British overseas territories as separate countries. If Bermuda gets its own national Soccer team, then by George, I'm counting it as well.

Other rules for the country list:

1. If I have been to a country that no longer exists, I don't double count it.

Example1: I had been to East Germany and West Germany. They are both now Germany. I can only count Germany, and East Germany, not all 3.

Example 2: I had been to Czechoslovakia, but have also been to the new Czech Republic and Slovakia. So I can count the latter two, but can't count Czechoslovakia.

2. Plane stops don't count as countries. My rule is boots on the ground....not wheels on the ground.
Example 1: Iceland 1990, I switched planes and had a 6 hr layover in Iceland...it counts.
Example 2: The Azores 1988, Flying from West Germany to New Jersey, the plane landed, picked up some cargo and took off again. I don't count it.

Here is my list.
Feel free to submit your list via comments.

USA
Canada
Mexico
Bermuda
Germany
E. Germany
France
Italy
Austria
Switzerland
Ireland
England
N. Ireland
Wales
Scotland
Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg
Denmark
Iceland
Sweden
Finland
Estonia
Poland
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Hungary
Croatia
Slovenia
Vatican City
Romania
Greece
Turkey
Israel
Palestine
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Iraq
China
Spain

I Cricl'd Yes

Got a very important piece of mail today. I knew it was important because it said KELLY! on the front.

Clearly this was no ordinary piece of mail.

And it came in PEACE, which is always nice.

The double exclamation marks !KELLY! on the back told me I should waste no time tearing it open to check the contents.

And I was neither mistaken, nor disappointed. It was indeed both important and exciting. From my best friend Eva! no less.

And the answer is yes, Eva, I will be your Pen Pale.

-k.

Swissyland!!

This past Friday found us on the overnight train to Zurich. Chris and his Cherokees were playing in the Swiss Open box lacrosse tournament so I tagged along to catch up with everyone's favorite cousin, Michael. I finally got to meet Gabi and their two kids Silas & Moira. I was utterly charmed by all of the above. The only disappointment was not getting to meet oldest sibling Juri, as he was with his Dad for the weekend, but I am holding out hope for the spring!

It's been about 10 years since I last visited Zurich, so I didn't remember much. My first impression this time around?

Holy mackerel it's snowy here!!

Second impression? My cousin has a ginourmous head o' hair on him!

I was calling him Jock Ewing the whole weekend. Which I guess would make Silas J.R. But pirate Silas prefers a saltier setting than Southfork...

Old Silas Red Greaves said "Your hook is pitiful, ye grog-snarfing landlubber. Blast ye, ya scurvy dog! " Or at least I think he did, since he said it in German and I'm a little, ummm, rusty. (Read: have been lazy about doing my language studies.)

My German was more on a level with two-year old Moira. Mainly because only 3 out of every fifteen words she says are actual words. We got along swimmingly. Plus she likes to climb up on your lap and just hang out. 'Nuff said.

What with all the snow and the hair and the cute kids lying around, we decided to get out of the house and...

...go sledding!!

After a few well-aimed snowballs of course.

Mommy & Daddy do all the grunt work. Isn't that nice?
See that extra sled Gabi is pulling? That's the one us grownups took turns using. Woooooo!

It was a wee little hill in the park just beside their house, tres convenient for an hour's worth of snowy fun. But wee little hill or not, I wasn't brave enough to accompany Moira down the slope. That cargo is way too precious for me to take responsibility for.

After all the sledding and snowball throwing we came home to meet Chris, back from the lacrosse tournament (ahem, first place!) just in time to start the Moira throwing....

...and to challenge Ol' Silas Red Greaves to a duel. A duel fought in, quite literally, every room of the house (basement too!) Chris is a great one for revving up any available children to a fever pitch until that they are bouncing off the walls and screaming their heads off with laughter just before bedtime. That comes with the territory of "Professional Uncle." But to his credit he also took a quiet moment with the little ones to check out a book...

Look what happens when you occupy both children's attention for a few minutes. No wonder Michael & Gabi are happy to welcome guests!!

For reals though, people, these guys were great hosts, I felt welcome, comfy and at home. It was so nice to spend time with one of my favorite people and get to know his favorite people. The kids are big, giant mushes who were easily entertained and delightfully pleased to have a visitor. I tell you, those little monsters are good for my ego. So vielen dank, Michael & Gabi. Hope to be able to return the favor soon.

-k.

Orville Redenbocker - Say it ain't so!!

Microwave popcorn has always been my go-to snack. It may not be as sexy as some other salty/crunchy choices, but it's cheap, easy to keep around and, I thought, healthier than scarfing down a whole bag of doritos. Then I read the following article. It seems as though I have been ingesting loads of chemicals while watching Quincy reruns. Wha?!?!? I thought I was being GOOD!

What the toxicologist won't eat: microwave popcorn

Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., is a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group.

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

Sigh, I wonder if I can find jiffy-pop in Vienna.

-k.

And you thought Christmas was over!

Nino asks "Isn't Christmas over? Can't I take this thing off?"

Christmas ain't over till I SAY it's over. And I say it ain't over till I blog about it. So Merry Christmas y'all!

Christmas Eve found me back at sister Maryanne's preparing for the big traditional Haltigan family celebration.

Mrynn's Cookie Sweatshop had been converted to Mrynn's Twice Baked Potato Factory so I rolled up my sleeves and set to work and before long the festivities were ready to begin.

My best Christmas present? Chris arrives fresh from his trip to Jerusalem!! L'chaim!!

Bobby carves. Maryanne assists. Chris lurks.

The tables were festive and beautifully set. I even got to sit at the grown-ups table!! Sharp knives and everything. You are probaly wondering what that thing of beauty is in the center...

...so here's a close up of the lovely antipasto platter from the pork store. Yummm. Maryanne spent most of her energy the night before keeping Bobby away from that platter.

Guests arriving, the room starts buzzing, ladies looking festive, the fellas are dapper, everyone talking at the same time - getting louder and louder, Christmas tunes jingling, tantalizing smells wafting from the kitchen, laughter erupting around the room, passing hors d'oeuvres around, tree-lights blinking, cold air gusting in with each arrival....
Sigh. I wished the night would last forever.

Ever the entertainer, Chris held sway with tales of the holy land.

And gave out Middle Eastern loot to everyone. Michael with his keffiyah.

Eileen rubbing her new magic lamp (no genies reported as yet.)

And Jake wearing his new Turkish cap, which he didn't want to take off all night, much to my Turkish delight.

Helen and Charlie looking blue-eyed and beautiful.

Visions in black & white, enjoying a post-meal chat.

Uncle Tom turns Luke into a human wheelbarrow.

Maggie did the dishes but apparently harbored some resentment and so left a dish-drain-death- trap for the rest of us. Then it was time for desert and the gift grab bag. Let the silliness begin!

Julia gets a snuggie of her very own and models it with cozy enthusiasm.

Mike showed all the ladies his bop it technique. (Not nearly as dirty as it sounds.)

There were coffee beans, board games, sweet treats, and a whole host of items both silly and useful. And of course the best parts were when someone stole a gift. It's not about what you take home, it's about the drama of the moment.

And so Feliz Navidad my friends. It was a good one. I hope everyone's Christmas was as loud, chaotic and wonderful as mine.

-k.