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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2009 0:19:37 GMT
How was this year for you? Good, bad, indifferent? How will you remember it, either personally or just generally?
This year has had it's ups and downs for me. It's been busy. There was the trip to Montreal, all that painting and maintenence work on the house. I can see next year being crazy busy too. So much planned, I wonder how much of it will get done?
There's more work to do around and outside of the house, didn't get around to building that front deck, so want to do that this summer. I've had invitations to go to India and Spain, and I'm well overdue to see my mom and friends in the UK. The trip around Europe in May with my son, unless he decides to start on his summer job instead... not to mention the USA road trip during the summer holidays. Going to British Columbia in a few weeks to see my brother, and then looking to purchase that land...plus much more....
Anyway, how was this year for you and what are you up to in 2010?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2009 6:55:30 GMT
I don't plan more than a month ahead anymore. I'm still planning a brief hop to the U.S. next month but no idea exactly when or where.
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Post by tillystar on Dec 7, 2009 10:38:32 GMT
2009 was a good year here. Lots of great memories made. 2010 will be hard work, laying the foundations a bit for the future. I am going back to work more days and Mr Star has a new job which will be more demanding and we will be saving hard. But its all in preparation, saving up so (fingers crossed) I can go on Maternity Leave the following year.... Yep, 2010 will be hard but hopefully worth it ;D We are also hoping to do a big 3 week trip out of Europe in 2010 as if all goes to plan it will be a while til we are ready to do that again. I will hopefully be learning to drive as well, but have been saying that since I was 17 so don't hold out too much hope on that one
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Post by bazfaz on Dec 7, 2009 11:03:02 GMT
I would say that 2009 has been an interesting year (remember that Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times). We were so badly treated by the authorities over the rockfall at our previous house that we no longer wanted to live there or anywhere where we might have to deal with them again. So we bought a village house in the Lot. The locals have been very welcoming. But the bureaucracy involved in moving is unbelievable. Every organisation we have dealt with - telephone, internet, bank, health insurance, house insurance, car documents, identity documents - has been inefficient to an extent you would not believe. And not just once but serially so.
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Post by traveler63 on Dec 7, 2009 14:35:39 GMT
2009 has been a good year for us. We discovered our new family which has been interesting. Then we took our trip and everything has been pretty good since we returned. I have reconnected with parts of my family and that has been great. I discovered Any Port which has really been a great eye opener for me. It is a connection to a world that I knew was out there but didn't know how to get to it. You all have expanded my knowledge of other people and places. I look forward to sharing more with all of you in 2010. Thank you.
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Post by bjd on Dec 7, 2009 16:07:45 GMT
It has been a good year for us too. Some nice holidays, a wedding, all the kids doing interesting stuff, no health problems.
I don't make plans in advance either, except for the next vacation on Wednesday.
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Post by lola on Dec 7, 2009 16:35:23 GMT
I like the Spanish/Catalan blessing:
"May no new thing arise." Que no hayan novedades.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2009 14:29:16 GMT
This year has been an interesting one for me. A year of self-discovery in many ways. I'm really looking forward to 2010, things are going as planned and as they should in my life, and I'm feeling more happy and content then I have been for a long time. Bring it on!
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Post by bazfaz on Dec 8, 2009 16:47:49 GMT
2009 is continuing its unlucky trend. I was out picking up Mrs Baz from the airport for two and a half hours during the afternoon. Someone broke in the back door overlooking the garden. Curiously nothing was stolen, not even the laptop in full view on the table. It would have taken a strong person with a crowbar to break the wood. Does this mean that in the future if we go out during the day - shopping or a walk - we must close the shutters?
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Post by happytraveller on Dec 9, 2009 13:26:05 GMT
I will remember 2009 as the year one of my best friends lost her husband. 2010 will hopefully be a better year for her than 2009.
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Post by auntieannie on Dec 9, 2009 21:20:43 GMT
oh, Baz! that's not good. Did you report it? Sometimes thieves do a check of a house to see if there is anything interesting to steal in there. They did that to the villa my parents owned with friends in Spain. Thieves quickly realised there was nothing of interest when the house was empty of guests. Once, my parents had closed the house for a day of exploring, but drove back as they had forgotten something. They saw the thieves "at work" in the house and my dad chased them, even jumping out of one of the windows. Thankfully he only twisted his ankle. After that, we had to close all the shutters as soon as we left the house, for however short a time.
For me, 2009 has been a rollercoaster of emotions; with very good and very bad stuff showing up. more or less like the past 10 years. When will it stop?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2009 14:57:43 GMT
Baz, did you find out the motive behind it? So strange.
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Post by bazfaz on Dec 11, 2009 15:47:00 GMT
The break in is a puzzle to everyone. At the same time I was at the airport there was the funeral of a grand old lady who lived two doors down from us. Thieves in Britain sometimes target a house when they know a funeral is taking place so maybe they made a mistake. Maybe it was to ee if there is anything worth taking and they'll come back with a van. The front of the house is on the village main street but the garden at the back runs as far as a gravel track so they could come back that way in future.
Nothing at all was taken, not even the laptop in full view on the dining table. Maybe there was nothing they thought worth it.
The insurance will pay for the damage but it is not nice to think that even if we go out shopping during the day we must close the shutters.
The gendarme who came round was called Adjutant Bobbee.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2009 16:41:55 GMT
hmm...that could have been it. Or they might have gone off to get a van, for your place. Not nice for you, either way.
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Post by fumobici on Dec 11, 2009 19:48:25 GMT
The break in is a puzzle to everyone. At the same time I was at the airport there was the funeral of a grand old lady who lived two doors down from us. Thieves in Britain sometimes target a house when they know a funeral is taking place so maybe they made a mistake. Maybe it was to ee if there is anything worth taking and they'll come back with a van. The front of the house is on the village main street but the garden at the back runs as far as a gravel track so they could come back that way in future. Nothing at all was taken, not even the laptop in full view on the dining table. Maybe there was nothing they thought worth it. The insurance will pay for the damage but it is not nice to think that even if we go out shopping during the day we must close the shutters. The gendarme who came round was called Adjutant Bobbee. <tinfoil hat> With larceny removed as a likely motive, I can't help think back to your strange unexpected visitor. </tinfoil hat>
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2009 20:08:07 GMT
In terms of village life, I was astonished when speaking to some somewhat distant family members in Lorraine a few year ago. It was mentioned that somebody had gone to Saint Ail, a village about 5km away (population 328 according to Wikipedia) and they said that they had parked in front of the church. "Oh no!" someone exclaimed. "You should never park there! That's the drug neighborhood!" Population 328? Drug neighborhood?
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Post by fumobici on Dec 11, 2009 21:14:37 GMT
Among the most depraved teenagers locally as far as drug and sex misbehavior are known to be the students of a private Christian school located in an ultra conservative little Dutch farmtown where dancing is illegal, and few people in my experience are more into partying than kids from rural nowheres in the Midwest. At least in the larger towns there are things for kids to do for actual fun besides sex and drugs.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2009 21:55:24 GMT
You've got that spot on fumobici. Rural places can be very 'anything goes' kind of areas. The parties around here have to be seen to be believed. The police are kept busy, but they are local men, and very laid back, just as well.
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Post by lola on Dec 11, 2009 22:00:55 GMT
My experience, too, Mustard Snob.
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Post by bazfaz on Dec 11, 2009 22:23:55 GMT
Interesting, fumo.
In 1984 I went to El Salvador during their bloody civil war. After I got out (and seriously, I was warned by a US journalist I should leave NOW) I sent a 10 page letter to my cousin who was spending a year at Moscow university as part of his Russian degree at Keele. The letter was sent via the UK embassy in Moscow. It had been opened, of course. I always assumed it was the KGB watching him but maybe it was the British taking an interest in me.
And now they are here in Marminiac. Maybe the old lady who died unexpectedly last week 2 doors down from our house was hit instead of me. Maybe the reason nothing was taken from ous house is because something was added. I have looked round but video and audio surveillance now is so unobtrusive I could never tell.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2009 22:26:28 GMT
You know they always stick that stuff somewhere on the lamps.
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Post by traveler63 on Dec 12, 2009 10:50:17 GMT
We have had a rash of house invasions here in Tucson. Some have been violent, people tied up and hurt. There have been weapons displayed and there have been some gun fights and deaths. Just a couple of weeks ago there were either 3 or 4 invasions. It's mostly drug related. Our door is recessed behind an iron gate and a walkway so we really don't even have to open the door to see who is at the gate, we just use the peep hole. This year has been good for us.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2009 12:41:45 GMT
Wow, just makes me appreciate where I live more. We never lock the door when home, sometimes even leave it open when going out for a short time. I think it helps that we know our neighbors and people around here quite well.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2009 14:39:29 GMT
Am grateful we too, know our neighbors and live in a good place.People here do look after one another and is comforting. 2009,interesting year...many ups and downs,nothing horrible by any means. Certainly,being part of this forum from beginning has been very special.Have learned so much about people,places,things,and myself. Grateful to have met y'all and look forward to many more days on board with you and others. As for upcoming year,nothing specific. As mentioned by others,difficult to plan in advance. Would like to take some small trips to see some friends around the region.Trip to Miami coming up right after New Year which will incorporate Key West and the Everglades. Best wishes everyone to you and yours!
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Post by bazfaz on Dec 12, 2009 15:36:38 GMT
Ours is a peaceful village. We were surprised to find people often left their front door key outside in the lock when they came in. We ourselves have always left a front door key behind a pot of geraniums so the various builders can get in if we are out. We don't think it was a villager who did this (most were at the funeral that afternoon of the old woman who had died). But the plumber and the plasterer both have young apprentices; and they may have gossiped about us to their mates.
Our mayor was shocked when we told him. This kind of thing simply doesn't happen in Marminiac.
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Post by lola on Dec 12, 2009 15:37:01 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2009 6:14:04 GMT
I suppose that for me the remarkable event of the year was spending some time with my nephew, since we didn't really know each other.
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Post by hwinpp on Dec 23, 2009 9:52:43 GMT
I think I'll wait with an opinion until it's well and truly over.
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Post by spindrift on Dec 23, 2009 16:37:50 GMT
I will remember 2009 as the year that my oldest and one of my longest-lasting friends threw me out of his life by sending me a solicitor's letter forbidding me to approach his house and following this up by cancelling my POA and role as Executor of his will. All this was done at the behest of his carer - a woman who has been in front of 2 courts (that I know of) for debt (and her husband once that I know of). So I'll never forget the sting of betrayal and what is possible for humans to do to one another when the chips are down.
2010? I don't know and I won't plan ahead.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2009 17:10:10 GMT
That must hurt big time, spindrift. People who 'kick you when you're down' are the worst kind of human beings. I hope 2010 is a much better year for you. 2009, has been really busy for me. Well, with 3 kids/pets/house/job etc. it's always busy, but on top of this all the maintenance work on the house that had to done. And it's not over yet. I've made some new friends, lost some old ones, but so is life. I'm looking forward to 2010 (I'm forever the optimist) I think it will be a good year, I can just feel it in my bones....
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