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| Thanks for a great year! |
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| Erin and Philip in La Condessa |
As the year 2019 comes to an end, we would like to write a bit about our gratitude for another year well lived among our many worldwide connections. Every year I write intentions for the coming year and one that has been on my list for a long time is keeping connections with friends and family all over the world. I realize that I do not need to make this one of my intentions as it has become part of who I am. Richard often says "I make the friends and Susan keeps them." This is so true as he is much more gregarious than I am but I am committed to seeing, or at least communicating with ALL of you out there reading this or knowing us. THANK YOU for being in our lives.
The last 10 days of 2019 proved to be a special time for this intention. Months ago we made the decision to coordinate schedules with Erin and Philip (we knew from Mexico and then Pau. France where we spent a month together in 2017.) What fun to wander all over La Condessa (CDMX) for sipping, eating, talking and walking. It might have only been 2 days but a chance to reunite and come up with plans for the future together.
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| Robin and Ru. |
Then we were off to Spain - to Barcelona where we will be until Jan 1. Here we reunited with a friend from Chapel Hill, Robin Renteria and her husband Ru who are living here for the last 5 years. Catching up and talking about Spain and common friends connected us on many levels. It was Robin who interviewed and hired me for my job at the Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian Universalist back in the year 2000 - a formative position for me in my life which taught me much and connected me to so many people, building our large community in Carrboro/Chapel Hill, NC.
Now I am sitting in an AirBnb with more special people - those with which we have spent many New Years. Dan and Fi and sons Aidan (age 17) and Will (age 11) from England as well as Amy and Sophie from North Carolina are playing cards as I write. This was another plan made months ago when we came up with the grand idea to meet and share special time together. We have walked miles in the city, learned the Metro system with Will leading the way (he learned the system faster than some of the rest of us), cooked together, ate in the house and out at various veg restaurants, talked, laughed and generally had a good 'ol time every minute. It was fun exploring a new city for most of us and we all fell in love with Barcelona. We even went to the beach to connect ourselves to our many past beach trips. Aidan is a techie and photographer with various cameras and he captured many moments on these. I have added them here at the end to give you an idea of the city.
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One of many beautiful veggie
stands in the market |
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| La Sagrada Familia |
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| La Sagrada Familia |
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| On the Metro |
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| Giant art sculpture in the park |
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| Our anniversary at the beach. |
Many of you know that we are on a 4 month adventure heading east around the world. On the first we are off to Valencia, Spain for the month....followed by New Zealand, Australia and finally Japan until April. You can be sure that I will be writing details along with photos to keep my memory alive and keep you all in our loop.
Once again we thank you for being in our lives and we look forward to a very peaceful 2020.
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| Fundacion Miro |
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| Fundacion Miro |
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| Gaudi house along Passieg de Gracia |
