1. Roommates.  As hinted at earlier, our friend has moved in to share the house with us, thus capitalizing on excess space we were not using and providing us with a reason to get cable.  It has also meant that we are cooking (and, subsequently, eating) more wholesomely.

2. Beef stew.  My mom sent me the recipe for it and, if I do say so myself, I made a fine pot of the stuff in our slow cooker.

3. My cousin.  She visited us this past weekend, and brought with her an appreciation for our cooking and also a desire to watch Kung Fu Panda and Iron Man.  I kid you not, she actually wanted to see those movies, much to my delight and my wife’s despair.

She also, to my giddy soul-busting glee, wanted to watch Transformers, but my wife drew the line there.  My wife does not like that movie.  At all.

photo credit: RoninKengo