Starting the year........

How do you start a new year in the right way? I am not talking about resolutions - I could make plenty of those and break them.... you know the sort I mean ... stop swearing at the Nairobi drivers and traffic ... yes ! how long will that last? ... diet, exercise etc.etc. I mean more about being organised and feeling like I am in control for a change rather than being on a journey where the driver seems to be missing and then neglecting the little tasks which if given some attention actually make life run more smoothly. I have already, since we entered 2010, cleaned up my external hard drive ( you know deleted loads of stuff - and backed-up digital photos,

e mail address book, important documents and the ever expanding i tunes.

Then I turned my attention to the Christmas Decs .... always exciting to get them out but such a drag to take them down ! As we are off to the coast tomorrow until 10/01 I decided to avoid the '? years of bad luck' ( or whatever it is meant to be) and I dismantled the Christmas Tree and carefully packed away the decorations ready for next time. There is no way I could face those when I get back from the beach and after the expiry of 12th night I figured it was not a good idea to avoid it.

Later, I went round the house and removed the 2009 calendars ... they had become old friends over the year ... the one we were given when we left Zim - defunct now - a sad, reflective feeling came over me. The kitchen calendar bought in Italy when I holidayed with Dad in 2008 - all those memories of the Amalfi coast .. I thought, it is like mourning the passing of an old friend. Then in with the new.... The Lake District .. a whole new set of thoughts stretching in front of me for 2010 as I look back on our holiday there in July 2009 each time I turn the month over to a new photo ... LAST YEAR.

That last year feeling takes on a whole new concept when it is January.... such a freshness.

There was a drawback to 2010 .... we decided to 'bite the bullet' and buy a new laptop - we will eventually get insurance money hopefully after the oldest laptop in the house got flooded in the cold water pipe burst in November. We have tried to get it fixed but it has not been the same since - neither have I come to think about it - funny that ! There was a good offer on, and after consultation with my brother who agreed we should go for it - today 2nd Jan 2010 was THE day .... just in case there is a rush and they sell out before we came back from the beach!

We got hit by the curse of using the credit card overseas... Natwest...decline, Sainsburys .. decline and finally Barclaycard - yes .. decline. The shop of course think we are maxed out on our cards or have not paid the bill - or both ? Neither is true.

Let's pop home and call all the credit card companies to fix the problem says I. Steve really has had enough and is ready to throw in the towel .. but I want the laptop ... PLEASE keep the computer for us and we will be back later to pay. The guy gives us a look of 'yeh yeh yeh - they cannot afford it.....

We get home - thankfully just 5 mins down the road - and make the calls. It seems we have been hit by the year change - all the cards have been 'zeroed' (not the balance sadly!!) Suddenly our spending pattern for 2009 (ie being in Kenya) is totally irrelevant and in an instant all 3 credit card companies thought we were being taken for a ride ! It is a bit irritating but I just try to tell myself that they are protecting out interests. Steve pops off and of course the card goes through first time - I wonder if the man in the shop was surprised when he returned ?!

So next blog from the coast ... hot and sunny there apparently.. Anna is already there - she flew on 31/12 to join a mate for a few days then will meet up with us tomorrow.

PAcking ... aaargh ! another story altogether.....