Your Top 5 of 2009

I'm not sure I've got five...

1) My job.  Unquestionably this year's best development. 

2) My family visiting in June.

3) Our first anniversary, which DH planned and executed all by himself, and which was wonderful. 

For next year all I want is to keep my job and to get our own place.  Oh, and to be able to save enough so that we don't have to put my ILR on the credit card...

May everyone have the 2010 that they are hoping for!

Here are my looking-forward-to-in-2010 things:

1.  Having a hot and sunny summer (fingers crossed!) and spending a lot of time on the beach now that I once again live within walking distance.

2.  Hopefully persuading DH (fingers crossed) to take his first holiday since 1986 (not counting our honeymoon).

3.  Getting more settled in our house and hopefully making some progress toward making the garden lovely acceptable.

4.  Making new friends? I hope.

5.  Perhaps hearing the pitter-patter of little paws?

2009

1. got to go home for the first time in 10 years!
2. had a fab weekend away with the husband in Tenby for chary's wedding.
3. middle child got into art school.
4. oldest child went to work at our old camp and I got to visit her there.
5.  youngest child got to go home with me, meet her cousins, go to camp and generally had a great time.

2009

1. Going to the UK to attend chary's wedding, and having the chance to finally meet so many lovely people in person!

2. After losing two kitties to renal failure in less than a year, our third was diagnosed with the same last December.  But, thanks to the world's best vet and a lot of TLC, she's still with us and doing better than we could have ever hoped for!

3. For the first time in eleven years, my entire family is in the same city as me.

4. Took my son to his first concert, to see my favoritest band in the entire world.  He had a fabulous time, and it's one of the best Mom memories ever.

5. After several years of struggling with some personal stuff, I've come out the other side wiser, happier and more at peace with myself than I've been in a very long time.

2010

1. We're in the process of adopting a greyhound, and should (hopefully) have a new set of paws in the house in a month or two!

2. I'm turning 40 in 2010, and am toying with the idea of having a huge, blowout party.

3. I'm hoping to take the family to the Northcoast late summer/early fall.  I haven't been in the redwoods in over fifteen years, and I miss them.

4. I am determined to get us into a better place financially.  With the help of some magical elves, it might actually become a reality.

5. I am hell-bent on learning to sew next year.

I won't say 'Top 5' because not all of it was great, but most was...

1) I began the year grieving my mom's death (Dec 23 2008) & was off work for about 6-7 weeks and didn't lose my job.

2) We had a nice holiday in the US in May for my niece's university graduation, plus DH and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway & Skyline Drive (and got to meet vnicepeeps & her family).

3) We had a nice holiday in July with DH's family - self-catering in Amble, Northumberland in honour of my MIL's 70th birthday (and got to meet Jewlz & her hubby).

4) I finally got my UK driver's licence in August - yay!  After being here 5+ years.

5) We had an amazing (sunny & warm) holiday in October to celebrate DH's 40th birthday, in Spain - flew to Malaga, 3 nights in Cadiz, 2 nights in Jerez, 6 nights in Seville, and 2 nights in Ronda, then home.

More:

We had a great Thanksgiving on Nov 28th - 19 friends came to eat & party with us!

I had a Cookie Exchange on Dec 13th & it was fab too!

I <3 all my friends - near & far! 

Ok 2010 is a happier subject! Things I'm looking forward to:

1. My wedding! Finally, after 2.5 years of being engaged and an unanticipated one year delay!
2. Travelling. Anywhere! It's been two years since our last citybreak (Dublin in Feb 07) and I'm gagging for a holiday. We even have free flight vouchers to use!
3. Running. I want to feel like I'm flying again. My big goal is to run a 10k righht around the one year anniversay of my BMT in July.
4. Going back to work. My office party was last night and it reminded me how much I miss everyone and the atmosphere in there!
5. My dad finally visiting the boat in September. He's going to absolutely fall in love with it.

1. Getting one of my foot operations out of the way
2. A great 3 night camping trip with my husband, dog and some friends.. after my foot was healed up enough that I could fully walk on it again. This trip was soooo needed at the time!
3. Went on a Caribbean cruise with my husband to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary!
4. Caribbean cruise (it was so good that it has to count for 2 good things to have happened this year)
4. Christmas (although it's not here yet, it's set to be a good one!)

Oh and I didn't realize we were doing "Top 5 things I'm looking forward to in 2010" but here we go...

1. Getting my 2nd foot operation out of the way
2. Hopefully *fingers crossed* getting to go visit my family in Arizona since I didn't get to go see them this year
3. Seeing Jeff Dunham live in Sheffield
4. Staying in a log cabin with my husband in Keldy (hopefully still happening)
5. Getting a new job as I am so sick to death of the one I'm at at the moment

2009

1. I got married and got to see loads of people I haven't seen in years!
2. I was able to spend quite a bit of time in the US before the wedding, then again this summer.
3. My beloved kitty died in Dublin the Wednesday before the wedding (I was in the US) and it was the worst day ever.
4. Moved to Dublin
5. Finally made some good girlfriends here and they've been a lifesaver.
6. My parents and my aunt and uncle came to visit in August and had a blast.

2010
1. Lots of travel plans including, London to see David Sedaris and two trips to Barcelona, one of those is for my friend's wedding.
2. DH is running the Boston Marathon, so we're heading there in April. My parents are coming for the week as well and I hope to meet up with some UKYers!
3. We're both looking forward to job prospects.
4. I'm looking forward to the possibility of feeling more settled and hopefully knowing what's going on after June 1st.
5. At some point next year (I'm pulling for Jan 1), we're going to start trying to conceive!  

Edited to add: Hopefully I'll meet some UKYers at David Sedaris too! We're all sitting in the same rows, so shouldn't be too hard! 

Top 5 things of 2009:

1.  Our trip to Northumberland.  It was so beautiful and so remote.  I've always wanted to see Hadrian's Wall, and we walked the most I've ever walked in one day exploring it and two Roman forts.
2.  Our usual trip to Ireland, it was just as wonderful this year as ever. 
3.  Starting to feel I've got some real friends here this past year.
4.  Hubby's gotten a couple raises, which we desperately need.
5.  This past year I've shaped up my harp repetoire a lot, which was sorely needed.

Top 5 things for 2010:

1.  Will receive my ILR and most likely citizenship, too.
2.  Would love to make a trip back to the US.....can we afford it?
3.  Shhhhh....have a couple ideas for a new job I'm going to pursue.
4.  Would like hubby and I to get more gigs this year.
5.  Want to spend more quality time with hubby.

London to see David Sedaris

I should have included this in my Top 5 for 2010 too!  

[Hijack: Did you hear him on Jonathan Ross on Radio 2 on Saturday? So funny!! I can't wait!]

I should have included this in my Top 5 for 2010 too!  

[Hijack: Did you hear him on Jonathan Ross on Radio 2 on Saturday? So funny!! I can't wait!]

No, but he's on my 'This American Life' podcast all the time and he's hilarious! Here's my hijack...are you going to read his new book before the show? Is that a good idea? You can PM me if you'd like!

No, but he's on my 'This American Life' podcast all the time and he's hilarious! Here's my hijack...are you going to read his new book before the show? Is that a good idea? You can PM me if you'd like!

I'll PM you!

2009 Highlights:
1. Decided to move to England (after procrastinating for years)
2. Got British citizenship
3. Had some awesome times with my horse (before I sold him to move to England)
4. Paid off a ton (almost $20k) of debt and got in much better financial shape
5. Had a mostly-enjoyable year at my job, but am super happy to leave now

2010 Improvements/Goals:
1. Move to England (includes: find a new job, new place to live, save money required to move)
2. Work on being more social/outgoing so I'm not hermit-like in a new country
3. Work on paying off more debt
4. Travel!
5. ???? (We'll see what else comes my way)