2010 has started with a bang that's for sure. Let me start with the fact that it was so great to go back to the States for about a week to celebrate Christmas. It was the perfect time for a break from France and chance to see my family. It was Jessica's and my first Christmas together which was wonderful. We spent 2 days with my parents who came up to visit us in Woodinville which was great. Then for Christmas I spent 3 days with my new family (Jessica's extended family) with dinner Christmas Eve at her Uncle Ron's house. Let me tell you that Uncle Ron knows how to put together a Christmas feast. Man I really enjoyed it! Jessica and I then woke up Christmas day in our own apartment and had our own little Christmas morning and opened a few present just the two of us. We then drove over to Jessica's parents house and had the big traditional Christmas morning with tons of presents and a great breakfast. Momma H then put together a great spread, we dined on lobster and filet mignon for Christmas dinner, that's what I am talking about! Man I love going to the Helbock's there is always tons of food. We unfortunately had to return to France the day after Christmas to get back to reality. We had a wonderful time with all our family but we are fired up to finish out the year in France and then get back to Woodinville for summertime.
The bang also continued with basketball as one of our first trips after Christmas was to the Siberian town of Krasnoyarsk. Now to find this town take out a map of the world. Ok got the map? Now start in Roanne which is a little north of Lyon in the Southeast part of France. Go north to Paris which is where we grab our first flight. We then traveled to Moscow which is of course in Russia, go east and north of Paris about 6-7 inches depending on the scale of your map. Once you find Moscow continue on the map another 6-7 inches until you are almost to China and then go north a few inches and you will find Krasnoyarsk. My point being that it is basically at the edge of the world in the middle of frozen Siberia. The average high for this time of year there is -30 Celsius. So I left the flip flops at home. It took us about 11 hours flight time to reach Krasnoyarsk. It for sure was a once in a life time experience and we played a pretty good game however losing in the end but it is hard to play a game on the road when in the first 3 minutes of the game we had 2 starters get hurt and couldn't finish the game. But we only lost by 5 which is nothing because when they come to play us we will beat them by more than that. In the European Challenge the point differential is all that matters. If they beat us by 5 and we beat them by 6 here in Roanne we win the series. So I think we will be fine.
In the French league we have been on a bit of a slide and now find ourselves in 5th place. But we are still in the top 8 and therefore qualified for our Mid season tourney that the league puts on for the top 8 teams after we have played half our league games. So we are doing just fine. I have continued to play well and I am the 2nd most efficient player in the league based on points scored/minutes played. So I am doing just fine and love the overall experience of playing bball over here in France.
Hope this update finds everyone doing well. Jessica and I miss you all and can't wait to be home for summer.
