we started off december by celebrating jeremy's birthday at bocadilla bar with beaucoup des bieres and beaucoup des amis.
the following weekend it was sadly time for the first farewell fete, olga was heading back to the states. we all gathered at chez nous, par usual, and as the bar closed out we headed off to atmosphere to finish off the night.
with antoine also leaving us to head back to australia and it being the last weekend before christmas break, we clearly had to have another big celebration. so we spent it partyin it up chez camilla style one last time in 2009.
before we all left for christmas break camilla, danielle and i wandered around dijon taking in all the lovely lights and decorations that the city puts up for the holidays, and of course, enjoyed some authentic vin chaud at the christmas market.
after leaving everyone after a night at chez nous, danielle and i decided that it was the night we would fulfil her dream of clambering ontop of a rooftop. and where better to do it than ontop of my seven storey building! with anges gone away we figured we'd have the top floor to ourselves at 1am and decided to venture up into the attic and out onto the roof (yes, it really was as simple as that). luckily when my neighbours decided to come home at 1:30am we had decided to leave a note stating that if anyone were to show up, they should leave the pull-down stairs down, as "maintenace" was doing some late night work. but after hearing them arguing in hushed whispers we came to the drunken conclusion that they were obviously going to call the cops on us and we were officially screwed. the second they were in their apartment we jumped down and took off outside for about 3 hours until we were sure that if the cops had infact showed up, they should certainly be gone by then. in the morning, when we weren't arrested we managed to have one hell of a laugh about it all.
on the 16th danielle and i took off to spend a night in paris before heading our seperate ways for the break . we didn't have much time there, but as always we made the most of the time we did have. we tried to make it to le louvre intime to see the lists (because without lists, we will die) but didn't quite make it in time, so instead we promenaded down the champs elysees to check out all the fuss, and then headed to the eiffel tower to see it do its hourly christmas shimmer. since it was the last one of the night we got treated to an extra special light show, which after my christmas cadeaux to myself, really was extra special!
danielle and i parted ways at the metro station and i was off to the beauvais bus stop in order to catch the shuttle to the airport. on the metro i met an italian guy named savio who was heading to beauvais also, and who was super cool. thanks to all the snow france decided to get that morning we got to spend about four hours getting to know each other while we waited for our delayed flights. luckily my flight wasn't too late, and when i landed in girona, spain i only had to kill about an hour before catching my connection on to malaga.
seeing grandpa and nana jeanette was great, but the weather was absolutely miserable the whole time i was there. it was nice to be spoiled a little bit while though, especially after having no money to my name for almost 4 months. we tried to do as much as we could in the shitty weather, but mostly we just spent time together. going out for meals and checking out some sights i hadn't seen before. we did manage to walk along the waterfront once, but as grandpa put it, it was "bloody freezing". on my last day we managed to see the sun for about 3 hours, so grandpa and i spent it wandering around the park together.
five days with grandpa and nana jeanette was not nearly long enough, but we decided that i would be back in april, and hopefully the weather will be slightly nicer then as well.
on the 22nd it was back to the malaga airport for some teary goodbyes and then off to england for christmas. i was lucky to make it to england at all considering all the troubles they were having with eurostar breaking down in the chunnel and every airport in england cancelleing practically all of their flights coming in. thankfully, east midlands, where i was flying into, was the only one accepting flights. j'ai eu la chance! uncle simon picked me up and before i knew it i was back in misterton like the last 3 months hadn't even happened.
it was great to be with the extended family for the holidays, although i missed my family and friends back home something wicked! but it was nice to be in england for once. i spent christmas eve/day and boxing day at aunt jane and simon's with nana and the girls. and we all went bowling with some of jane and simons friends on christmas eve, followed by a massive chinese dinner. thankfully they know how to celebrate the holidays as i like to, lots of beer and even more food! between christmas and new years i was back down at misterton with grandad and marlene. but i was constantly on the go visiting everyone, catching up and of course making sure that the tavern stayed in business. for new years i was back at jane and simon's to ring it in with a delicious chilli supper, beaucoup des bieres, lots of wii dancing and god knows what else, and lots of friends. after walking lisa and her kids home i met a bunch of people on the streets outside and hung out with them for a bit... eventually the night gets blurry as it always does. and although it was nothing like new years at home, i still had a grand old time.
by the time the hangover was finally wearing off it was already the 3rd of january and i was jumping back on a plane at east midlands to head back to frogland. the begin of the decade in dijon commenced with obligatory chez nous catch ups and the best fete of all when danielle, camilla and i got beyond drunk off vodka together on thursday, and thanks to jeremy waking me up i still managed to make it to my 9am class the next morning. still slightly intoxicated, but i'm pretty sure my french was even better than normal. life is good.
here's hoping this next year proves to be as good as the one just past!
bonsoir mes amis, je vous aime x
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