2006 Highlights and lowlights


And at the end of another interesting year,it is always good for me to reflect on all that happened. If I was a better writer, I could write a "Sitcom" about my life and this house!!Being retired is a good thing and gives me time to enjoy many things I didn't have time to do when working. My "open house" continues to be interesting and sometimes challenging. Creating a "little house with BIG IDEAS" in a "caring sharing environment" is a "Good Thing". And very socially useful.As well as financing my interests and funding the house being warm in winter.Like NOW! With snow outside. I grew up in such a cold house.There have been 104 overnight people bed stays this year. These are relations, friends, bed and breakfast guests, and some from www.hospitalityclub.com and www.couchsurfing.org and www.womenwelcomewomen.org.uk (5Ws) All of whom bring something into my life.
Good things were lots of cinema which I love, having grown up watching Saturday morning pictures with my brothers from the age of four. Local theatre has provided some interesting evenings. I have enjoyed playing badminton again. Days in fascinating London with friends have been fun.Exhibitions and South Bank, and Docklands light railway etc.
My friend Elise's mum stayed here for a week in June and we shared the excitement of Drama Festival together. Two plays every evening and a very articulate adjudicator.
My 60th birthday celebrations were many and fun and involved lots of people.Two Sundays with lots of family and friends and my little brother Kevin came over as a surprise to join us. I did a tea dance for the Tsunami victims because we have a 5W member working in Sri Lanka who is spending our money wisely there. And a 5W who visited me, died in it.I abseiled down Twickenham Rugby Stadium to be part of the world record to raise money for Cancer research. Niki and Martin filled the house with purple balloons which was fun. And 14 of us went to the Barn Theatre to see "Humble Boy". A delightful play I first saw at The National Theatre.
And my divine right to travel with my purple backpack has been fun. A month in America in summer (another entry on my blog) to see my beautiful granddaughter Jaz who is now 17 months, and Rachel Rob and Jaz are happily settled into a house in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.I was there for her first birthday. She is very cute, fun and fascinating. Rachel takes her to work with her and looks after two small boys too.I met beautiful people all over America in a trip which was planned by email to see 5Ws members which is a very good idea and one of the 18 organisations I belong to. And other friends there.I went to Minnesota, San Francisco, Los Angeles,Texas, Tennessee, New Jersey, Philadelpia and Vermont. It was a magic trip.I even met my Autralian nephew Nick and his partner Maggie in LA where they had ridden Route 66 (Chicago to LA) on a Harley Davidson motor bike. I have a powerful sense of "belonging" to my big family and am a useful member. I love it when we have gatherings here. We live in England, Ireland, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America. And this house is a good one to meet up in.
Kevin and Anne came over in October to see their new beautiful granddaughter Olivia, and we had a big table lunch here, which was the day before my niece Sharon and family emigrated to Australia. And I went to Olivia's christening in Dorset, meeting up with an old friend Wendy down there.
In November I had a great time in Dublin seeing my niece Karen and Hughie and the girls, taking my friend Jill with me. We went to the races at Punchestown and one of my horses won.We enjoyed he public transport system there and went to the seaside twice. I used to go to Bray as a child when we spent our summers in Dublin.We dropped in to see Jo, my friend Barry's cousin. He is 80 and was so pleased to see us, although we were unexpected, and shared his lunch and opened another bottle of red wine. Just as I would do here. I went to the Abbey Theatre there and enjoyed "Drama at Innish" although I was disappointed to find no loop or infra red system to help people with hearing deficiencies. I am quite pleased with my NHS digital hearing aids. Then fuelled by enthusiasm and cheap flights to Europe I went to see my niece Beverly and her lovely family in Switzerland. I taught them how to play Rummicup which I bought them 2 years ago. And I went sledging with Mike and the children in the fresh snow.We went to Geneva to see the Red Cross museum which was a salutary experience. I bought a new digital camera there as my other one broke. Some of my photos are on www.photoboxgallery.com/photosbyVal I did a lovely movie of great nephew James doing a back flip at his swimming class. I like belonging to the local photograhy club and our annual exhibition is at Campus West and had four of my photos in. We had the Camera Club party this year in my garden on a really hot day. Losing our apple trees gives us no shade.Our pond is interesting and we loved seeing the frogs disporting themselves this spring.And my summer house has seen happy gatherings too. It is good to sleep in in summer too. This spring we will see lots of tulips Martin planted.
In December I went to Budapest and Bucharest. I love Eastern Europe. My first time was to Bulgaria in 1967. More Christmas festivals there, and it is lovely city. I was there in 1999 and also did the overnight train trip then and now to Bucharest to see Gabriel Anda and their lovely family. Oanne, Matthew and new baby Mihai. I love trains. I went to Romania after the revolution at 3 hours notice and flew in Caesecue's plane, flown by the Romanian air force.I am a railway child. It was a great legacy, travelling as children.We all can travel.
Next trip is Valencia in January and try TEFL, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and stay with my friends Rafael and Julia who are staying with me between Christmas and New Year, and came earlier this year too.Then in February to Poland to meet a penfriend from Hospitalityclub there. And if I get it together, I want to go to India in March. I have been meaning to go for years but I keep turning up in America because Rachel and now Jaz are there.
So lots and lots of good things happened. Lots of beautiful people cared about me. You all know who you are.Thank you all.
Sad and bad things that happened..not a word from my daughter Elizabeth, now for 3 years,living only 40 miles away. And she doesn't keep in touch with the family, except one cousin living near her. My sister Deirdre has dementia and doesn't know anybody. She is 70. The man who built my new Pc wiped all my photos and writing from my old one. (boys with their toys!!)despite me emphasing how important these were to me, and all put on one hard drive. Denied it of course. A schitzophrenic bed and breakfast guest turned peculiar.Kevin and Jackie threw him out into the night. Tulin never did pay a penny of the huge debt she acrued while living here with her mother and sister. I was wrong about her. My friends were right. Some outbreaks of violence between Niki and Martin so the police were called. I was in America at the time. Niki moved out and Martin spent two week in jail. Jenna, a Social Services referral bed and breakfast guest took an overdose of speed and I found her unconscious on the bathroom floor. Called an ambulance. Good thing she had gone to the bathroom to be sick. I did a house dinner the evening I returned from Eastern Europe and Niki got drunk and called Ibe a "fucking bastard" which caused really bad ripples over Christmas. I knocked myself out falling backwards playing badminton, but recovered witn an ice pack to play again.
I didn't work with the homeless this year. I had a quiet and normal Christmas lunch with Barry and his son Leofric. I have seen a lot of them this year which has been fun. We all did a bike ride along the river and canal from Hertford meaning to get to London but were untrained!! Had a great day though.We are all good friends.
Our new next door neighbours are a lovely family. They use our shared drive and my front garden can now park four cars.The children Anna, 5 and Sophie, 3 are really great. We don't want them to fall into our pond. We both need new garages built further back. Mine is only a bike and freezer shed.
And next year I am meeting up with my Hammersmith Hospital friends in Malvern, and my midwifery friends at Avril's house in Yorkshire.
It has been lovely hearing from everybody and the house is filled with cards.
Wishing you all a very healthy and exciting 2006.