The Best Of 2007

Well, I had intended to post this for New Year's Eve, but obviously I didn't. So here is now

It seems that time goes by so fast and it is easy to forget everything that made up my 2007. But when I think about it, it was a pretty full year with lots of great adventures and of course, some great challenges. So, here are Ange and Dave's 2007 Top 10 Excellent Adventures of all Kinds Great and Small (in no specific order - I'm just not thinking that clearly!):

1. A month in Portugal. I survived my first transatlantic flight with seeminly no problems (although a closer look may reveal some slight hypomania upon arrival). For three weeks I felt fabulous and Dave and I couldn't get enough of this amazing vacation...from lazing poolside, to incredible beaches, to quaint towns and villages, to miles of cork trees, old ruin and after old ruin, and especially to just getting in the car and going. It did not take us long to lose the feeling of being a tourist and start feeling like we lived there. Of course, all great high moods must come to an end and our last week left Dave mainly exploring on his own while I stayed in bed, becoming more miserable and intolerable by the minute. Poor Dave was left to try to manage me on our long journey home, apologizing and trying to explain as I was beligerent, aggressive and well, just plain really ugly manic. I'm not sure what would have happended had he not been there, but I sort of think it may have involved the police. Thank you Dave for keeping me drugged and for having the patience to make sure I made it back home. Needless to say, Dave is not planning on going on any transatlantic flights with me anytime soon! Ah, but we survived and since I really don't remember the trip home, all my memories of Portugal are fabulous and we now laugh at the disasterous trip home.

2. Viva Las Vegas. What can I say? Dave and I had the best time in sin city. We always marval at how compatible we are and how we are always on the same page. I don't think I could have that much fun with anyone else. And this time, he didn't have to drug me on the flight and hold me up at Customs!

3. One Year. June came around and we realized that a year had passed since we first found each other. I'm not sure what Dave was thinking but I marveled that he had survived me for a year and still wanted to stick around. I figure it takes someone really special to love me the way Dave does, completely unconditionally, crazy or not. And for that, I love him incredibly. We celebrated by spending the night in Victoria and taking in the Titanic Exhibit. Very romantic.

4. The Move. Upon our return from Portugal, with me still out of control, it became pretty clear we needed more space. We found our perfect 2 bedroom apartment and made our move in August. Here we learned that we have way more stuff that we thought and that we are completely inept at judging how long it would take movers to move our things, thus our cost estimate was nowhere near the actual cost and I almost had a heart attack when I was asked to sign the invoice at the end of the day! But those amazing sunsets I see from my window make it all worth it. We purged everything we had two of, thus officially letting go of the idea that things may not work out and we would need said stuff. We signed a two year lease, thus ensuring our rent stays put for two years and that, well, we figure we're still going to like each other for that long! And finally, we made ourselves a home. No more Dave Mustane paintings and Hedley Platinum records in the living room!

5. I ski again. After a 14 year hiatus, and not wanting to be left out as Dave hit the mountains, I buckled in and learned that it is sort of like riding a bike. On my first run I successfully made it down the mountain with a huge rush and a massive feeling of wanting more. Thanks to Dave for equipping me with all my gear last Christmas, we enjoyed some time on the local mountains as well as some time at Whistler. I walked away without a scape and no yard sales were to be hosted by me! I now await my 2008 debute!

6. Dave continues to travel the world. I was left home (insert whining here) while Dave packed up and travelled to Mexico (twice), Jamaica and Hong Kong. He claims he is lonely without me, while I go online and view the resorts he is staying at and have no pity. If he talks about one more lobster dinner I may not speak to him again! Ah, but someone has to do this job and really, while I miss him dearly when he is away, I love having that time to myself. It all seems to work out. Other than the fancy hotel and lobster dinner parts!

7. I become a working girl. In the spring I attempt to work again. I am hired by a small family law firm, part time. (Thank you Michelle!!) With the support of my doctors and their willingness to pretend to ignore this fact and keep no record of it, I go to work. It's flexible. I enjoy the two lawyers I work for. I feel a sense of purpose. And of course that extra money aleviates an enormous amount of stress. It all works out quite fantastically until I begin to slide in the fall, becoming more and more depressed and anxious. By December I have learned that I am not able to work and make the very hard decision to quit. Oh the joys of the unpredictability of my illness! I shall become a house girlfriend in 2008.

8. My own vacation. While Dave is off travelling to hotter climates, I take off for a few days to visit my Dad in Edmonton. Actually, it's summer, so it's hot there too. Since I don't see my dad often, it's nice for me to have a little vacation that includes some quality time with my dad.

9. Dave officially becomes an uncle. I recieve an email from my sister-in-law Helga telling me that Markus has started calling Dave "Uncle Dave" and she wonders if this is okay, and let's keep it consistent for Katie. As I'm sure you have no doubt, Dave is thrilled. I'm thrilled too...thrilled that the kids love him, thrilled that he has already thought of them as his niece and nephew for a long time and thrilled that he loves his new title. So while I'm still being called Aunty "Mange", Dave is completely clearly being called "Uncle Dave". But a post note here...on Christmas day Markus called my Aunty Ange for the first time (I mean instead of "Mange").

10. A visit from Mom Priban. We got to have Dave's mom Jarmila here for about a week, which was wonderful. Unfortunately I had to work, so I didn't get to spend as much time with her as I would have liked. She has now moved to Ontario and I don't know how often I will see her. She is a wonderful woman, and it was great fun to have her here, giving Dave a hard time and always being on my side! I'm lucky to have a "mother-in-law" who I love and who loves me too, just like Dave, just the way I am.

So, there it is. A top 10 of 2007. There were many more adventures had and challeneges survived. When we both sit and look back at the year, we can't believe all we've done in such a short time. But of coure, you know all about it because you've been reading this blog faithfully all year, right?