Let's count down

It's the end of the year and the time for all kinds of count downs. I saw this count down a year ago at the blog of tussendeplooien and stole the idea...which draft has been patiently waiting here for many months.  A count down in the middle of the year felt weird so it waited until now. 

The 10 most listened songs on Apple Music in 2023?
I must say this statistic is screwed up because my car connection by default connects to the first alphabetic song in my song library on Apple Music.  So by far it lists A Forest from The Cure as my absolute favourite song. It is an awesome song, so I do let it play sometimes before hitting a specific playlist or choice.  But 80% of the times it starts to play I would not have conciously chosen it.   And I notice almost my entire top 10 is starting with a song with A ...so not quite right.  I'll add the artists and the artists whose album I streamed most as well...think this is a better mix to give you an idea of what I listen to. 

1. The Cure - A Forest
2. Simon  & Garfunkel - A heart in New York
3. Madredeus - A margèm
4. Vampire Weekend - A Weekend
5. Sennek - A matter of time
6. Axelle Red - A tâtons
7. Didier Barbelivuebs - A toutes les filles
8. Twarres - Wer bist u
9. Urban Trad - A terra
10. Juanes - La camisa nera

(albums: Simon & Garfunkel, U2, Portland, Depeche Mode, Christine & the queens, dEUS, Daan, Het Zesde Metaal, Ed Sheeran, The Fugees)
(artists: Simon & Garfunkel, Zesde Metaal, dEUS, Hozier, Simple Minds, Patrick Bruel, Daan, U2, Christine & The queen, Axelle Red)

The 9 most popular pictures on Instagram

While I am very strict on the amount of pictures that I want to post with my children or myself on it, those are by far the most popular pictures.  While I often enjoy my nature views best, they get highly undervalued.  Oh well, I'm not going to use my children to get more likes...they will remain less than 10% of my pictures. Glad to see Sanda in the top 9 though...that mural always gets me when I need to walk by. 

8 books I read with a lot of pleasure
To be honest, I've lost a bit my reading mojo in the 2nd half of this year. There hasn't been a "books I've read" in quite a while.  Being on a roadtrip in Canada for one month didn't help (compared to hanging out on a French beach or pool where I read 6-7 books in one month!).  And I've struggled through a couple of books that really waren't a good fit.  So euh...well these are probably simply the 8 books that I didn't curse at.  Just smooth readers by some authors that I digest well. 

1. Het Strandhuis - Nora Roberts
2. Winterwonder - Nora Roberts
3. Tussen 2 zussen  - Jane Fallon
4. Slechtste plan ooit - Jane Fallon
5. Onder de hemel van Cornwall - Liz Fenwick
6. De Blinde vlek - Jo Claes
7. Vermoorde onschuld - Jo Claes
8. Dodelijke conclusies - Donna Leon

The 7 most read blogposts
Ha similarly as my blogposts, it's my children that steal all attention.  Much more than my posts on my Canadian vacation.  (or  it's because Dutch posts are more popular).

1. Kabouter conversations - Febr 2023
2. Kabouter conversations - Aug 2023
3. Kabouter conversations - April 2023
4. Kabouter conversations - March 2023
5. Beertje's conversations - August 2023
6. Count your blessings - March 2023
7. Beertje's conversations - March 2023

6 small blessings

1. Reunion with my host families in Canada
2. Meeting Canadian relatives for the first time, both in Belgium as in Canada
3. Homeworking in my sweatpants with awesome playlists on in my headset
4. Fresh homemade soup
5. Walking in the woods
6. Swimming in Kootenay Lake in a heat wave

5 most watched series on Netflix

The only 5 series I've watched as a matter of fact, but unlike my books, I enjoyed them all

1. The Young Sheldon
2. The Crown
3. Rough Diamonds
4. When calls the heart
5. Virgin River

4 good decisions I took

1. You don't need to iron your clothes and your household doesn't need to be cleaned up entirely
2. If others don't want to join for a walk, go walking alone
3. Go out for lunch with friends much more regularly
4. Working hard on my fears, building up trust that I don't need to be in control, that things work out

3 concerts

• Triggerfinger @Blues Peer
• Luka Bloom @ Blues Peer
• carillon Christmas concert @ Park abbey

2 goodbyes

• My aunt and Jan's uncle passed away in the same week this year

1 wish

• A good health for my entire family