End of the year

End of the year letters are drifting in and I love to hear about my friends who live so far away. So, I'll inflict ours on you.

Our year was marked with good health and being flooded out of our Geneva apartment. We were in better shape than some of the 2,500 others that suffered in that spring violent rain storm. It was November before we could get back in. Love the new rug, curtains and frigo. A tarnished silver lining.

We started the year with a trip to St. Gallen to order custom Hickory golf clubs for Rick, which has given him a greater enthusiasm for the sport if possible.

Our base remained Geneva (before and after the flood) and Argelès-sur-mer, both of which we adore.

Although we said we'd travel less this year (do I hear laughter?) we wandered hither and yon combining Rick's business conferences, golf, and just wanting to look around.

Some places:

In Stockholm Sweden we visited the VASA museum containing a ship raised from the deep, and we sang with a hologram of ABBA.

Onto Davos for a golf tournament. Sherlock went too and had his own bowls, bed, and treats provided by the hotel. He was warmly greeted and oohed and ahhed over every time we went to the lobby.

Edinburgh again but mainly for golf where Rick had first discovered hickory golf. Before and after we played tourist including Hadrian's Wall and seeing a lock of Mary Queen of Scot's hair. My daughter and her lovely Swedish friend joined us. We all adore that city.

Rick added Orlando, New York, Berlin and Paris and the UK on business and family.

Rick's daughter, grandkids and son-in-law let us introduce them to France. When asked what was different from Dallas, 10-year old Georgia replied, "EVERYTHING!"  Rick and his daughter also got away to a theatre weekend in London, just the two of them. Nice that they could. Time together is precious.

My daughter came over as well and joined us in Edinburgh, a city she's loved since getting her masters there. Or she was back in the land of Irn Bru as we all say. (I love scones, Bobbie Burns and hundreds of other writers, etc.)

One of the most exciting nights of the year was the Fête des Vignerons, a 5000-person, every 20-year spectacle put on in Vevey, Switzerland. When I asked Rick to get tickets (he had the credit card) he asked why. I said "Just do it." He did and was as thrilled as I was. It was even better, if possible, since the one a couple of decades ago.

The entire three hours can be watched here.

Among the museums we visited, one of the most fun was Charlie Chaplin's home and study along the lake. I never appreciated him as a child, but as an adult, the man was a genius.

We've both been writing. Rick produced a yearbook for the UN and magazines for other clients/friends. We've deliberately reduced workload; considering he's retired, it seems reasonable. He loves what he does.

My daughter continued to send out Coat Hangers and Knitting Needles.

Triple Decker, a novel about an Irish Catholic Boston family almost torn apart by the Iraqi War, was published.

Murder in Edinburgh is ready for publication early next year.

I finished Daycare about four single mothers and it is in the proofing, reproofing, reproofing and reproofing stage. A talented artist Lori deBoer will do some illustrations and my favorite book cover designer Deirdre Wait will do the cover as she has done all my covers. www.donnalanenelson.com

I'm casting around for a new project.

Sherlock continues to be "our baby" and has friends all over ASM and many in Geneva. We've found a play group for him, Furry Friends, outside of Geneva. When we are in ASM, his walking group knocks on the door and takes him, sometimes for hours. He loves the beach in ASM and the reserve with the ruin of the château in Geneva, and laps, especially laps. Don't sit down near him if you don't want a lapdog.

Rick's passion for hickory golf continues to grow and he's played in three international tournaments. He was elected to the Society of Hickory Golfers board of directors. He's begun work on a book about some of the most interesting Swiss golf courses.

He continues to work on his French having done an intensive course in French  and planning on a several month intensive course when we get back from visiting Llara for Christmas in Boston. I tried to convince our bilingual friends not to speak English with him, but so far it hasn't worked. He reads it well, writes it slowly but well. The hearing still presents a bit of a problem.

Throughout the year we have been blessed with wonderful friends from all over the world. Some visited, including a high school friend. Some come regularly. Some live here all the year round.

In Geneva, we had two Thanksgivings with friends and family of choice.  We are blessed.