It’s the last day of the year, and since it’s pouring with rain outside, not fit to put a dog out, I have decided it’s time to take stock of the year gone by. Really, I want to remember some of the good things because there have been quite a few not so good things.
I clocked up about a trillion novel rejections BUT I self-published two small collections of poems.
The boiler gave up the ghost BUT, miracle of miracles, we got a plumber to put in a new one within four days (they had one out the back).
We found that the prehistoric stone sink in the kitchen situated at roughly mid-thigh height on a normal person can’t be removed. It’s set in a sort of sarcophagus of solid stone and cement and ripping it out would probably bring the wall down. BUT husband has built a proper sink on top of it which looks pretty smart.
We couldn’t have everybody here for Christmas BUT we did get a new oven so I’ll be able to cook properly when we do have a family gathering.
The Covid made contact of any kind well nigh impossible BUT it meant that husband didn’t have any more one-hour train journeys into Bordeaux to teach but could zoom his lessons from home.
The house is freezing cold in winter BUT while everybody else is dying during the inevitable summer heat waves, we don’t feel it more than pleasantly warm.
Trixie destroyed a kilim by vomiting bird seed all over it BUT it seems to have cured her of stealing the birds’ food.
Finbar has gone stone deaf and can’t hear when we yell at him to stop doing something BUT nor does he hear the things that go bump in the night so he doesn’t come into our room at three in the morning needing a cuddle.
Best news of all, although we’ve seen hardly anything of family this year, next year there will be even more of them to see. Our eldest is expecting her first baby in the spring!
All in all, as we say over here, le bilan est globalement positive!
A proper sink, a new oven, 2 books, a grandchild You have every reason to be happy. I wish you and yours all the best, Jane, and hopefully new year will be more hopeful. Now champagne’s calling.
Looking good, isn’t it?
Oh yes, despite the rain.
I left off the leaking roof on my list because I couldn’t think of anything positive that might possibly come out of it.
Lol. I undestand that. Now enjoy your evening.
With my proper sink and my proper oven 🙂
I’ll toast to those.
Toast. Another negative we won’t mention—the toaster broke…
Shhhh….
Très bien, Jane! You found a positive for every negative. Wonderful new about the new addition to your family. Wishing you all the best for 2021!
Thanks Ingrid 🙂 2021 might well end up being as much a pain as 2020 in some ways, but it’s going to have its high points too.
Welcome 2021
I’m ready for it 🙂
Any plans for tonight?
There’s only the two of us. I don’t count the four-legged residents who don’t care. We have oysters followed by boudin blanc and sprouts then panettone. I have five different bottles of white in the fridge to choose from. Should see out the evening 🙂
Welcome 2021
Happy new year once again…Stay blessed
Thank you, you too 🙂
Thanks much
🙂
I’m glad you were able to find so many positive things! Yay for the oven (and you can toast your bread in it.) 😀 And congratulations again on your books and your grandchild on the way. ❤️
It’s been a strange year but next year I think is going to be stranger!
Yes, most likely. I hope there’s more good in the strange than bad though.
Needless to say, so do I 🙂
😀
Happy New Year Jane
Thank you, Di 🙂 Have a great one yourself!
Thank you. Take care and keep safe
We will 🙂
Congratulations on your chaplets and the expected grandchild! And happy new year. 🙂
Thank you Dora, and have a great end to 2020!
Thank you for the good news,Jane! As a pessimistic one i love to hear about positivity. Congratulations on the exspected grandchild. New live is going on, why should we regret about these little lockdowns, at least forcing us to rethink ourselves. 😉 Michael
I agree with you, Michael. I know a lot of people see the confinements as being horrific infringements of civil liberties, but some of us enjoy the extra peace and quiet!
So true. We can have trouble and loudness all over the year, and i fear we will have in 2021 much more of them.
Yes, but just for today we can pretend we don’t.
Congratulations! A grandchild is indeed something to celebrate. We should all make such a list, I’m sure we all still have plenty to be thankful for. (K)
Thank you! I realised when I tried to think of the highs and lows, that 2020, although there were a lot of quite important things happened to us, most of them weren’t of any interest to anyone else at all. Small things turned out to be the most memorable.
You inspired me to write a list too. Everything has more than one angle.
Have you posted it yet? I’ve missed it if you have.
I just wrote it for myself. The first item was “l moved twice, but the second apartment is much nicer than the first.” It’s all in how you frame it.
It’s a good lesson in keeping spirits up. Yes, moving to a better place is progress. Nowhere and nothing is perfect but we still have to strive for it.
Glad Trixie didn’t destroy herself! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Liz 🙂 Trixie used not to be like this but she’s developed all kinds of food fads, tomato sauce, potatoes, dog biscuits, bread and now bird seed. I hope she felt really poorly…
😀
A Great summary of the year “grandma” as you say more pros than cons may it stay that way. Be safe, healthy and happy in 2021.💜💜💜
Thanks Willow. Last year had lots of moments. Not all of them were bad ones!
Yes indeed that’s so true 💜
🙂