2010 was certainly not my favorite of years... and I'm wishing and praying for a better 2011. As you can tell I fell off the blogging wagon way back in October. Dad has been ill, life has been busy, and all those other excuses. Truth is when I get stressed I pretty much don't want do do anything and I guess that's where I have been for a few months... grabbing sleep where I can and not much else when it comes to free time.
I did manage to get a few items from the 101 things to do list done (I don't really know how...) so here goes:
5. I read another biography: Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim
55, 77, 100 - I bought several Christmas gifts for charity, got new luggage and transferred my addresses to an old fashioned address book. The luggage one was extra easy as my inlaws got us the luggage for Christmas :-) I love it when other people take care of items on my to-do lists!! I did have to remember to let them know we needed it when they asked for gift ideas - so I will take a teensy tiny bit of credit for putting the ball in motion!
That's about it for the last 2 1/2 months... pretty sad set of accomplishments I know but I'll get back to it... promise! Look for a new years resolutions post in the next few days to pair up with my 101 things to do list.
Happy New Year everyone... hope 2011 treats everyone splendidly!
daffodils
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The journey continues....
I've been sort of off track lately with everything... house cleaning, cooking, reading, etc. There just aren't enough hours in the day it seems.
I have completed a few more items though (not many!). Here they are:
Tried one new recipe: Salsa Chicken . The recipe calls for it to be baked but I took the advice of a few of the recipe reviewers and did it in the slow cooker. I sprinkled my chicken breasts with the taco seasoning and then placed it on top of some salsa (and some extra onions and peppers I had on hand) in the slow cooker and then added a little more salsa on top of that. I let it cook on low all day and had perfect filling for burritos :-) yum! The chicken practically fell apart and mixed with the other ingredients it was a great filling. I'm sure it's good baked as well and served more traditionally but I had errands to run and wanted it to be ready when I got home.
I also read another Children's book: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia . It's getting some Newbery buzz out on the internet which is the reason I picked it up. I'll let you judge for yourself if you decide to pick it up :-)
Those are sadly the only two things from my list that I've gotten to lately :(
I have been going to the gym and doing some walking/jogging and trying to stay physically active... I feel a lot better physically and emotionally when I manage to stay on top of this. I've also been visiting dad a few times a week and trying to squeeze in chores, reading etc when possible... maybe as fall and winter set in I will be able to tackle some of the "inside activities" from my list.
I have completed a few more items though (not many!). Here they are:
Tried one new recipe: Salsa Chicken . The recipe calls for it to be baked but I took the advice of a few of the recipe reviewers and did it in the slow cooker. I sprinkled my chicken breasts with the taco seasoning and then placed it on top of some salsa (and some extra onions and peppers I had on hand) in the slow cooker and then added a little more salsa on top of that. I let it cook on low all day and had perfect filling for burritos :-) yum! The chicken practically fell apart and mixed with the other ingredients it was a great filling. I'm sure it's good baked as well and served more traditionally but I had errands to run and wanted it to be ready when I got home.
I also read another Children's book: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia . It's getting some Newbery buzz out on the internet which is the reason I picked it up. I'll let you judge for yourself if you decide to pick it up :-)
Those are sadly the only two things from my list that I've gotten to lately :(
I have been going to the gym and doing some walking/jogging and trying to stay physically active... I feel a lot better physically and emotionally when I manage to stay on top of this. I've also been visiting dad a few times a week and trying to squeeze in chores, reading etc when possible... maybe as fall and winter set in I will be able to tackle some of the "inside activities" from my list.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Short and Sweet
Things I have accomplished:
Read 1 biography: My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster - It was an enjoyable read while I have been home sick this weekend... fun but also had moments where it was thought provoking.
Read 1 Children's book: Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin. This is the first in the Main Street Series... I really enjoyed it - I included a few thoughts on the book in my goodreads review (follow the link).
I read a third book: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick -It's a young adult book (though I would put it on the younger end of this age range -- middle school probably) so I can't count it towards my list because I already finished that category but I thought I would include it here anyway. It was well written and deals with a weighty subject without making the reader feel depressed the whole time they are reading it (though there were tears at the end). This book is a sequel to Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie which I have not read yet so they are definitely able to stand on their own.
I also made two new recipes - both of which I would recommend. As with many of my recipes I found them on allrecipes.com
Here they are:
Pasta Salad: I didn't actually include the chicken in this ( I was going to a party where I knew there would be vegetarians) and I left out the corn as I didn't have any but threw in some carrots because I had some shredded carrots on hand. The dressing was good and I think overall it was well received.
Turkey Burgers: Like a few reviewers said I added a small amount of bread crumbs ( I use panko) and I also had "fiesta ranch" dressing mix on hand so I used that in place of the plain ranch and it was really good... a little bit of a kick. It was a big hit in my house.
The only other task I accomplished was to attend one "Groove" class at my gym (out of the 3 that is my goal). I'm not very good at it yet but I think I will need to attend the 3 that I set out to do to see if I will get better and give the class a chance. It was a good workout and the hour went by pretty quickly. "Kick" is still my favorite though. Something about pretending to kick and punch things is nice after a long day of work :-)
Read 1 biography: My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster - It was an enjoyable read while I have been home sick this weekend... fun but also had moments where it was thought provoking.
Read 1 Children's book: Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin. This is the first in the Main Street Series... I really enjoyed it - I included a few thoughts on the book in my goodreads review (follow the link).
I read a third book: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick -It's a young adult book (though I would put it on the younger end of this age range -- middle school probably) so I can't count it towards my list because I already finished that category but I thought I would include it here anyway. It was well written and deals with a weighty subject without making the reader feel depressed the whole time they are reading it (though there were tears at the end). This book is a sequel to Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie which I have not read yet so they are definitely able to stand on their own.
I also made two new recipes - both of which I would recommend. As with many of my recipes I found them on allrecipes.com
Here they are:
Pasta Salad: I didn't actually include the chicken in this ( I was going to a party where I knew there would be vegetarians) and I left out the corn as I didn't have any but threw in some carrots because I had some shredded carrots on hand. The dressing was good and I think overall it was well received.
Turkey Burgers: Like a few reviewers said I added a small amount of bread crumbs ( I use panko) and I also had "fiesta ranch" dressing mix on hand so I used that in place of the plain ranch and it was really good... a little bit of a kick. It was a big hit in my house.
The only other task I accomplished was to attend one "Groove" class at my gym (out of the 3 that is my goal). I'm not very good at it yet but I think I will need to attend the 3 that I set out to do to see if I will get better and give the class a chance. It was a good workout and the hour went by pretty quickly. "Kick" is still my favorite though. Something about pretending to kick and punch things is nice after a long day of work :-)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Vacation....
This is actually my second week back at work now but I was away from work for so long it still feels like a novelty. I was out two weeks in July (one when my mother passed away and a second for a training) and then away the first two weeks of August for vacation. It's good to be back and back to some sort of normal schedule- though I could probably get used to being on perpetual vacation too.
Vacation was fantastic. I definitely had a lot of moments where I really missed my mom because I always called her a lot during previous road trips, checking in from all of our various locations. Traveling was also a good distraction for me though and I got to spend some actual quality time with the hubby which hadn't happened for quite a while. It was good to have the first week just the two of us exploring the country together. The second week was a ton of fun in a different way when some good friends met us for a week in Vegas. I didn't win big but I also didn't come home broke so I will call it a success!
So now the whole point of this blog: What did I accomplish from my list in the last few weeks/ while I was away... quite a few things actually!
Items completed:
69. Make a photo album/book for Hawaii trip
70. Make a photo album/book for Keys trip
*shutterfly - the service I usually use to print photos was having a 20% off sale on photobooks which is how I ordered the first one and then I got an email for a free photobook which I earned with my first order (I also ordered a few other prints) so I was able to get the second one taken care of as well. YAY! I actually really like the photo books instead of albums (I'm a librarian - I like books - what can I say?) because I can easily add captions etc and they look so nice on the bookshelf.
79. Spend the night in a National Park
80. See the Grand Canyon
*Seems I had some luck because the items on my list are getting checked off in pairs! I have always wanted to stay in one of the large national parks over night to really see and experience the park without having to rush. We were able to stay at a lodge in the Grand Canyon National Park which was fantastic because it let us see the sunset and sunrise over the canyon. It was a beautiful park... though VERY crowded in the summer which for me unfortunately took away from the experience a little bit. Hopefully next time we are there we will have the time and be prepared to hike (or take a mule) to the bottom and back up. We did hike a short distance down into the canyon but they really recommend that it takes two complete days to go all the way down (camp overnight) and then back up. They take their warning signs seriously!
83. Visit Bill and Beth (and new babies Violet and Henry!) -- we had a great time stopping to see old friends in Colorado. Henry and Violet are adorable and Bill and Beth were fun to watch as new parents. I am excited to say that the four of us took the wee ones on their first restaurant outing (which was delicious - I highly recommend Coopersmith's in Ft. Collins http://www.coopersmithspub.com/
95. Play a table game at a casino - It would have just been wrong if I hadn't been able to check this off my list while in Vegas. I played $1 blackjack at the Sahara. I lost about 10 bucks. The novelty of it was fun but I don't feel the need to do anymore table gambling ... I enjoyed the Deal or No Deal and Sex and the City slots just as much (maybe more) and I could play those a penny at a time.
This week I hope to:
a. get back to the gym at least twice
b. get back on the treadmill at least three times
c. read a biography
d. maybe make another attempt at a peaches and cream pie - I made one over the weekend but messed it up so I'm not gonna cross it off my list til I get it right :-)
Vacation was fantastic. I definitely had a lot of moments where I really missed my mom because I always called her a lot during previous road trips, checking in from all of our various locations. Traveling was also a good distraction for me though and I got to spend some actual quality time with the hubby which hadn't happened for quite a while. It was good to have the first week just the two of us exploring the country together. The second week was a ton of fun in a different way when some good friends met us for a week in Vegas. I didn't win big but I also didn't come home broke so I will call it a success!
So now the whole point of this blog: What did I accomplish from my list in the last few weeks/ while I was away... quite a few things actually!
Items completed:
69. Make a photo album/book for Hawaii trip
70. Make a photo album/book for Keys trip
*shutterfly - the service I usually use to print photos was having a 20% off sale on photobooks which is how I ordered the first one and then I got an email for a free photobook which I earned with my first order (I also ordered a few other prints) so I was able to get the second one taken care of as well. YAY! I actually really like the photo books instead of albums (I'm a librarian - I like books - what can I say?) because I can easily add captions etc and they look so nice on the bookshelf.
79. Spend the night in a National Park
80. See the Grand Canyon
*Seems I had some luck because the items on my list are getting checked off in pairs! I have always wanted to stay in one of the large national parks over night to really see and experience the park without having to rush. We were able to stay at a lodge in the Grand Canyon National Park which was fantastic because it let us see the sunset and sunrise over the canyon. It was a beautiful park... though VERY crowded in the summer which for me unfortunately took away from the experience a little bit. Hopefully next time we are there we will have the time and be prepared to hike (or take a mule) to the bottom and back up. We did hike a short distance down into the canyon but they really recommend that it takes two complete days to go all the way down (camp overnight) and then back up. They take their warning signs seriously!
83. Visit Bill and Beth (and new babies Violet and Henry!) -- we had a great time stopping to see old friends in Colorado. Henry and Violet are adorable and Bill and Beth were fun to watch as new parents. I am excited to say that the four of us took the wee ones on their first restaurant outing (which was delicious - I highly recommend Coopersmith's in Ft. Collins http://www.coopersmithspub.com/
95. Play a table game at a casino - It would have just been wrong if I hadn't been able to check this off my list while in Vegas. I played $1 blackjack at the Sahara. I lost about 10 bucks. The novelty of it was fun but I don't feel the need to do anymore table gambling ... I enjoyed the Deal or No Deal and Sex and the City slots just as much (maybe more) and I could play those a penny at a time.
This week I hope to:
a. get back to the gym at least twice
b. get back on the treadmill at least three times
c. read a biography
d. maybe make another attempt at a peaches and cream pie - I made one over the weekend but messed it up so I'm not gonna cross it off my list til I get it right :-)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
One Day At A Time
It's been a few weeks since I've posted an update...actually it's been a full month now that I look back at the date... and life has been hard. On July 10th I lost my mom and one of the best friends anyone could ask for and I'm still not sure I've come to terms with it. I often reach for my cell to call her like I would several times a day to say good morning, or tell her something silly her grand-dog had done and I miss those little moments like crazy. Knowing she doesn't have to struggle anymore and that she's with my nephew in Heaven is comforting and I feel so blessed that I was given the gift of saying goodbye and being with her and my family in those final moments. I have never ever witnessed the kind of bravery as I did in her that day.
The weeks following have been a blur. As hard as the week of mom's funeral was - I was lucky enough to be surrounded by family and friends and the love and support was overwhelming. Someone mentioned to me during that time that it was amazing to see how close my highschool girlfriends and I still were after 15 years and I am so grateful for that, they were there for me and my family each and every day making sure I ate, holding me when I cried or just sitting quietly with me. It was also wonderful to be surrounded by family everyday and perhaps the hardest moment for me was when everyone started going home and "real" life had to resume.
"Real life" however didn't really resume for me right away as the following week was spent at a work training, the "Maryland Library Leadership Institute" in Port Deposit, Maryland. Truly this was for me just what the doctor ordered... It was intensive and engaging and kept my mind occupied almost every waking second. I was lucky enough to have a fabulous group of peers to work with through the week (Thanks 46% Fairly Content!) and I must say it lived up to the praise of all of my coworkers who have gone before me through this program. I learned a lot about myself and how to push out of my comfort zone at work and hope that it will carry over into my personal life as well. Plus - the food was amazing!! The "meal" bell rang five times a day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and morning and afternoon snack. Fresh baked scones/tarts/and cookies between meals is something I will definitely miss but I'm sure my trainer at the gym will be glad was only for a week!
So now after a week of being able to distract myself I find myself back in the real world and it's definitely an adjustment...one I'm taking day by day as I work through my grief, prepare for a crazy busy week at work, and try to regain some focus on making myself a better person. I took a look at my list to see if I had in fact accomplished any of my goals in the last month and this is where I'm at:
a. I tried a new recipe (new to me anyway) and made dad some barbecue with mom's recipe. He liked it much better than when I cook with my own recipes :-)
b. I ordered fish at a restaurant and had tuna steak when we went out with Chad's mom 4th of July weekend. It was good... but not as good as the Rockfish I had in Ocean City!
c. I pushed my comfort zone by speaking at my mother's funeral. I didn't think I had it in me but I did and it was a blessing to be able to honor the woman who meant the most to me in life and I thank God for helping me get through it.
Today it's off to see my dad and hang out with the family...and tomorrow back to the library for the first time in two weeks...and whatever comes my way I'll just take it one day at a time.
The weeks following have been a blur. As hard as the week of mom's funeral was - I was lucky enough to be surrounded by family and friends and the love and support was overwhelming. Someone mentioned to me during that time that it was amazing to see how close my highschool girlfriends and I still were after 15 years and I am so grateful for that, they were there for me and my family each and every day making sure I ate, holding me when I cried or just sitting quietly with me. It was also wonderful to be surrounded by family everyday and perhaps the hardest moment for me was when everyone started going home and "real" life had to resume.
"Real life" however didn't really resume for me right away as the following week was spent at a work training, the "Maryland Library Leadership Institute" in Port Deposit, Maryland. Truly this was for me just what the doctor ordered... It was intensive and engaging and kept my mind occupied almost every waking second. I was lucky enough to have a fabulous group of peers to work with through the week (Thanks 46% Fairly Content!) and I must say it lived up to the praise of all of my coworkers who have gone before me through this program. I learned a lot about myself and how to push out of my comfort zone at work and hope that it will carry over into my personal life as well. Plus - the food was amazing!! The "meal" bell rang five times a day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and morning and afternoon snack. Fresh baked scones/tarts/and cookies between meals is something I will definitely miss but I'm sure my trainer at the gym will be glad was only for a week!
So now after a week of being able to distract myself I find myself back in the real world and it's definitely an adjustment...one I'm taking day by day as I work through my grief, prepare for a crazy busy week at work, and try to regain some focus on making myself a better person. I took a look at my list to see if I had in fact accomplished any of my goals in the last month and this is where I'm at:
a. I tried a new recipe (new to me anyway) and made dad some barbecue with mom's recipe. He liked it much better than when I cook with my own recipes :-)
b. I ordered fish at a restaurant and had tuna steak when we went out with Chad's mom 4th of July weekend. It was good... but not as good as the Rockfish I had in Ocean City!
c. I pushed my comfort zone by speaking at my mother's funeral. I didn't think I had it in me but I did and it was a blessing to be able to honor the woman who meant the most to me in life and I thank God for helping me get through it.
Today it's off to see my dad and hang out with the family...and tomorrow back to the library for the first time in two weeks...and whatever comes my way I'll just take it one day at a time.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
All about me...
So these last few weeks (at least as far as this list is concerned) have been all about me :-).
I had a massage, got a desperately needed pedicure, took up a running program (ok so its mostly walking and jogging) and joined a gym. I must admit, it feels really good to have "me time".
Life is stressful and I am trying to think more positively about ways to deal with stress and also to realize that in order to be able to help other people I also have to help myself.
I completed my time with personal trainer #1 who taught me just how far I have to go :-) and I joined a gym closer to home. I go to the gym tomorrow to get shown the ropes and also have the trainer there help me formulate a plan. I like to plan (hence this list!) so I'm looking forward to that.
As far as the running program - it's hard to believe but I am really enjoying it so far. It's not easy because I have never EVER been a runner. I can remember dreading running the mile in gym class as far back as middle school because I was never any good at it. I can't EVER remember running even one lap around the track without being totally miserable (if at all) but yesterday the Couch to 5k running program had me doing just that-- quarter mile intervals with walking between... and I did it ... and it seems small but I am quite proud of myself :).
The pedicure and massage were rewards for some stressful times--- I actually got the pedicure spontaneously as I waited for my second flat tire in about a week to be fixed (luckily the nail place was within walking distance from the tire shop - I think I deserved it!) and the added bonus is pretty feet that are actually sandal worthy now!
In the coming weeks I'm going to try to focus on continuing my me time by allowing myself quiet time to read or just think as well as focusing on making the running and gym a habit. I also realize that I think I am going to need to edit my actual list in the future - I've got a few new goals and a few goals that might not seem as interesting anymore. I know these lists are probably supposed to be static... but I prefer to be a fluid person and I will change my mind if I want to!
I had a massage, got a desperately needed pedicure, took up a running program (ok so its mostly walking and jogging) and joined a gym. I must admit, it feels really good to have "me time".
Life is stressful and I am trying to think more positively about ways to deal with stress and also to realize that in order to be able to help other people I also have to help myself.
I completed my time with personal trainer #1 who taught me just how far I have to go :-) and I joined a gym closer to home. I go to the gym tomorrow to get shown the ropes and also have the trainer there help me formulate a plan. I like to plan (hence this list!) so I'm looking forward to that.
As far as the running program - it's hard to believe but I am really enjoying it so far. It's not easy because I have never EVER been a runner. I can remember dreading running the mile in gym class as far back as middle school because I was never any good at it. I can't EVER remember running even one lap around the track without being totally miserable (if at all) but yesterday the Couch to 5k running program had me doing just that-- quarter mile intervals with walking between... and I did it ... and it seems small but I am quite proud of myself :).
The pedicure and massage were rewards for some stressful times--- I actually got the pedicure spontaneously as I waited for my second flat tire in about a week to be fixed (luckily the nail place was within walking distance from the tire shop - I think I deserved it!) and the added bonus is pretty feet that are actually sandal worthy now!
In the coming weeks I'm going to try to focus on continuing my me time by allowing myself quiet time to read or just think as well as focusing on making the running and gym a habit. I also realize that I think I am going to need to edit my actual list in the future - I've got a few new goals and a few goals that might not seem as interesting anymore. I know these lists are probably supposed to be static... but I prefer to be a fluid person and I will change my mind if I want to!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Me Running?? That's crazy talk!
OK so along with the torturous personal training session I have also completed week one of the Couch-to-5k running program with the help of a handy ipod-touch app. I love that it keeps track of the time for me... tells me when to walk and run in intervals and also lets me import a playlist of songs. The first time I ran I attempted to take the beagle with me. I figured she could use some off the couch time as well... but she didn't make it past the warm up before she started driving me crazy with her stopping to smell things or to mark her territory.... seriously she wants to own the whole neighborhood! So I sent her back inside and went out to finish the workout alone. I enjoyed being outside but the 2nd two workouts of the week had to be on the treadmill because it was either dark or too darn hot when I had time to fit it in. I realized after the first day that treadmill running is way easier than outside running so I decided to try to make it closer to outside running during my 3rd workout by upping the incline a little (not a lot - trust me!) and that seemed to do the trick.
I hope that this blog and making my goal of completing this 9 week program public will keep me focused and help me to actually push through and finish and not quit halfway through... so if you see a few weeks where I don't mention it ... please feel free to hound me about it!
Other than running, this week has been pretty busy with work and hanging out with the folks. Mom had a setback and had to go back to the hospital Tuesday night and should be released today to either home or a rehabilitation facility. Thoughts and prayers for her strength, healing, and calmness are always appreciated!
I hope that this blog and making my goal of completing this 9 week program public will keep me focused and help me to actually push through and finish and not quit halfway through... so if you see a few weeks where I don't mention it ... please feel free to hound me about it!
Other than running, this week has been pretty busy with work and hanging out with the folks. Mom had a setback and had to go back to the hospital Tuesday night and should be released today to either home or a rehabilitation facility. Thoughts and prayers for her strength, healing, and calmness are always appreciated!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Torture... I mean training.
Ok ... I could be exaggerating a *tiny* bit... but the personal training session this morning proved to me exactly how much I need the personal training sessions. I am out of shape and it's time to rectify the situation :-) I am sure the trainer this morning (who was lovely and kind - it's not her fault I'm miserable at coordination AND strength) thought I would run from the gym and never return but I made another appt for next Tuesday morning at 7am and will do it all again. I even have homework of exercises to do during the week. So YAY - I am participating in a fitness related activity and can check it off my list and gain the health benefits :-)
In other 101 list of things to do news I am currently reading my 5th book that will complete the "Read 5 Teen Books" item. I am reading A Certain Slant Of Light by Laura Whitcomb and I am really enjoying it. It looks at a lot of teen issues through the eyes of two spirits who have "taken" the bodies of two teenagers whose souls had left their body for different reasons. I won't spill all of the plot and details (plus I'm not all that good about putting these "supernatural" types of things into words anyway) but I am finding that I am having trouble putting it down.
I think that's all for now on the list front......
In other 101 list of things to do news I am currently reading my 5th book that will complete the "Read 5 Teen Books" item. I am reading A Certain Slant Of Light by Laura Whitcomb and I am really enjoying it. It looks at a lot of teen issues through the eyes of two spirits who have "taken" the bodies of two teenagers whose souls had left their body for different reasons. I won't spill all of the plot and details (plus I'm not all that good about putting these "supernatural" types of things into words anyway) but I am finding that I am having trouble putting it down.
I think that's all for now on the list front......
Friday, June 4, 2010
Getting Things Done...
Life is still undeniably stressful and exhausting but slowly things are getting accomplished! YAY me!
Ok so here are the things I can cross of the list/things that are in progress:
23. Clean and prepare sewing machine for use - I actually decided to sell both sewing machines that I own at the yard sale. Let's face it... sewing is not a love of mine anymore and now they hopefully will get use in someone else's house. Maybe I'll buy a new one one day... maybe not.
24. Sew something… anything! - Obviously I can't do this now that I have sent away my sewing machines... so maybe I will replace this with something else sometime... we'll see.
34. Take a fitness class or join a fitness related activity - My hubby won a gift certificate for 3 personal training sessions by answering a trivia question about Annapolis on facebook and he gave it to me! YAY! I would never in a million years have thought to shell out the cash for this or even have the guts to do this normally... I'm sort of a workout/gym novice but I'm going to take the plunge and give it a shot and I'm actually excited about it. The trainer was really nice on email... hopefully she won't be a crazy drill Sargent in person :-)
55. Sell fairy collectibles - Do I seem like the type to collect fairies? I guess at one time I did. They are gone now-- they all went to one lovely lady at the yardsale.
65. Purge house of unneeded things - Clutter = gone
66. Have a yard sale (or participate in one) -we had a yardsale at the hubby's mom's house and got rid of all that clutter mentioned above while making a few bucks. Anything that didn't sell we left with his mom to take to a charity. I wasn't bringing any of it back into my clutter free house!
I'm not sure how all of these things actually got done recently because it's been pretty hectic in my little piece of the world. Mom came home from the hospital this week (prayers for strength and recovery always appreciated) and I have been hanging with her and pop as much as possible and staying busy with work as well. I suppose I carved out time by not cooking or cleaning :-) Hey I said my house was clutter free - not actually dust free or clean!
Ok so here are the things I can cross of the list/things that are in progress:
23. Clean and prepare sewing machine for use - I actually decided to sell both sewing machines that I own at the yard sale. Let's face it... sewing is not a love of mine anymore and now they hopefully will get use in someone else's house. Maybe I'll buy a new one one day... maybe not.
24. Sew something… anything! - Obviously I can't do this now that I have sent away my sewing machines... so maybe I will replace this with something else sometime... we'll see.
34. Take a fitness class or join a fitness related activity - My hubby won a gift certificate for 3 personal training sessions by answering a trivia question about Annapolis on facebook and he gave it to me! YAY! I would never in a million years have thought to shell out the cash for this or even have the guts to do this normally... I'm sort of a workout/gym novice but I'm going to take the plunge and give it a shot and I'm actually excited about it. The trainer was really nice on email... hopefully she won't be a crazy drill Sargent in person :-)
55. Sell fairy collectibles - Do I seem like the type to collect fairies? I guess at one time I did. They are gone now-- they all went to one lovely lady at the yardsale.
65. Purge house of unneeded things - Clutter = gone
66. Have a yard sale (or participate in one) -we had a yardsale at the hubby's mom's house and got rid of all that clutter mentioned above while making a few bucks. Anything that didn't sell we left with his mom to take to a charity. I wasn't bringing any of it back into my clutter free house!
I'm not sure how all of these things actually got done recently because it's been pretty hectic in my little piece of the world. Mom came home from the hospital this week (prayers for strength and recovery always appreciated) and I have been hanging with her and pop as much as possible and staying busy with work as well. I suppose I carved out time by not cooking or cleaning :-) Hey I said my house was clutter free - not actually dust free or clean!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Not much of an update :/
I have been getting nowhere fast on this list of things to accomplish. Turns out the spring has been busy and stressful and hasn't presented much free time for anything :(
I did read another teen book. I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green (everyone who will listen to me blabber on knows he's my favorite author) and David Levithan. It was just ok for me, but I will forever judge every John Green book against Looking For Alaska which I loved deeply so perhaps I judge too harshly?
Other than that I haven't accomplished a whole lot on the list... I'm working on cleaning the house of clutter for a yardsale we are going to participate in on Saturday (if it doesn't rain!) and I have been doing a little bit of knitting and crocheting (I've found it much easier to make things that go in circles - like hats- by crocheting). I'm thinking of ammending my list so as not to limit my yarn/crafty ideas to knitting only. I'm also thinking of selling the old sewing machine instead of trying to make sure it still works. Seriously- I have not sewn anything in the last 15 years. I tried to sew a toga for a party but fought with my machine so much that I would up hot gluing most of the thing together! So I think I may just add the machines (I now have two in the house as mom just sent me home with hers as well) to the yardsale pile and buy a new basic machine if I ever get the itch.
I think that's all for now. I hope to have some more exciting updates in the future full of adventure and excitement :-)
I did read another teen book. I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green (everyone who will listen to me blabber on knows he's my favorite author) and David Levithan. It was just ok for me, but I will forever judge every John Green book against Looking For Alaska which I loved deeply so perhaps I judge too harshly?
Other than that I haven't accomplished a whole lot on the list... I'm working on cleaning the house of clutter for a yardsale we are going to participate in on Saturday (if it doesn't rain!) and I have been doing a little bit of knitting and crocheting (I've found it much easier to make things that go in circles - like hats- by crocheting). I'm thinking of ammending my list so as not to limit my yarn/crafty ideas to knitting only. I'm also thinking of selling the old sewing machine instead of trying to make sure it still works. Seriously- I have not sewn anything in the last 15 years. I tried to sew a toga for a party but fought with my machine so much that I would up hot gluing most of the thing together! So I think I may just add the machines (I now have two in the house as mom just sent me home with hers as well) to the yardsale pile and buy a new basic machine if I ever get the itch.
I think that's all for now. I hope to have some more exciting updates in the future full of adventure and excitement :-)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Over a month with no updates :(
Well I had every intention to update this blog at least once a week (but my list only said "start a blog" so I'm not in trouble !) but life gets in the way sometimes. My mom has been in the hospital or rehabilitation facility since March 29th so a lot of my energy has been with my family. I'm happy to report that her spirits are good and that she is hopefully over the worst of her illness.
I haven't made fantastic progress with my list but I've been able to check off a few things.
I have certainly been visiting my family a lot and did some cooking for my dad while he has been home alone. I discovered an important fact though, dad doesn't like my cooking. I tried making barbecue, baked chicken and vegetables, a chicken casserole and homemade coleslaw only to find each of these still in the fridge barely touched when I would return. He did enjoy my sliced and sugared strawberries, and the "mush" I made him (which is really more like polenta). So in the past week or so I have stuck to taking him groceries that he can make himself and am leaving the cooking up to my Aunt Eva who lives next door to my parents and who is an extraordinary cook! I would choose her cooking over mine any day too!
I did manage to clean out the file cabinet (I know - contain your excitement) and I have read three teen books (OK - I didn't "read" all of them... but for the purposes of this project I am going to count "listening" to them as well). I listened to Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey, and read Fat Cat by Robin Brande. Hattie Big Sky was fantastic, it reminded me of my love for the Little House series that I have read and reread over the years. I recommend it to everyone, young and old!
My most exciting (at least to my taste buds!) accomplishment was ordering fish in a restaurant. I had the Crab Rock (sautéed crab over blackened rockfish) at Jules Restaurant in Ocean City, MD. I've never had rockfish before and it was DELICIOUS!! I highly recommend this restaurant, a friend that I was dining with told me it was the best rockfish she had ever eaten and I trust her, it melted in my mouth. I should have taken a photo! I will learn.
I hope to update more regularly in the future...but I make no promises!
Carol Jen
I haven't made fantastic progress with my list but I've been able to check off a few things.
I have certainly been visiting my family a lot and did some cooking for my dad while he has been home alone. I discovered an important fact though, dad doesn't like my cooking. I tried making barbecue, baked chicken and vegetables, a chicken casserole and homemade coleslaw only to find each of these still in the fridge barely touched when I would return. He did enjoy my sliced and sugared strawberries, and the "mush" I made him (which is really more like polenta). So in the past week or so I have stuck to taking him groceries that he can make himself and am leaving the cooking up to my Aunt Eva who lives next door to my parents and who is an extraordinary cook! I would choose her cooking over mine any day too!
I did manage to clean out the file cabinet (I know - contain your excitement) and I have read three teen books (OK - I didn't "read" all of them... but for the purposes of this project I am going to count "listening" to them as well). I listened to Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey, and read Fat Cat by Robin Brande. Hattie Big Sky was fantastic, it reminded me of my love for the Little House series that I have read and reread over the years. I recommend it to everyone, young and old!
My most exciting (at least to my taste buds!) accomplishment was ordering fish in a restaurant. I had the Crab Rock (sautéed crab over blackened rockfish) at Jules Restaurant in Ocean City, MD. I've never had rockfish before and it was DELICIOUS!! I highly recommend this restaurant, a friend that I was dining with told me it was the best rockfish she had ever eaten and I trust her, it melted in my mouth. I should have taken a photo! I will learn.
I hope to update more regularly in the future...but I make no promises!
Carol Jen
Monday, March 22, 2010
Weekend Progress?
I had big plans for this weekend but it was so beautiful outside I didn't get much of anything done. We spent a lot of time outside this weekend with Paula (the beagle) and she is still exhausted I think from all the exercise :-)
I did get a few things done though... we went to visit my parents yesterday and I took them a casserole I had never made before... I just sort of made it up but I think it should count as trying a new recipe even if it was simple. It was pretty tasty... but I'm not sure my dad (who can't have much salt anymore) found it to be very palatable... but he ate a bowl of it anyway :-)
I also downloaded Tess of the D’Ubervilles to my ipod touch kindle app (it was free) so that I can read it anytime anywhere and I read the first few pages.
I think I will make two simple goals for this coming week: 1) to take my vitamins everyday and 2) get a pedicure. It's time to start wearing sandels soon I hope :-) If it keeps raining like it is today I might put off number two this week but it makes me happy to think about getting a pedicure anyway!
I did get a few things done though... we went to visit my parents yesterday and I took them a casserole I had never made before... I just sort of made it up but I think it should count as trying a new recipe even if it was simple. It was pretty tasty... but I'm not sure my dad (who can't have much salt anymore) found it to be very palatable... but he ate a bowl of it anyway :-)
I also downloaded Tess of the D’Ubervilles to my ipod touch kindle app (it was free) so that I can read it anytime anywhere and I read the first few pages.
I think I will make two simple goals for this coming week: 1) to take my vitamins everyday and 2) get a pedicure. It's time to start wearing sandels soon I hope :-) If it keeps raining like it is today I might put off number two this week but it makes me happy to think about getting a pedicure anyway!
Friday, March 19, 2010
The beginning
I have been flip flopping about whether or not to start a blog recently...would I have anything to say (anything interesting anyway), what would I write about etc...
Then I noticed this idea on the internets to make a list of 101 things you want to do in 1001 days... and what can I say -- I like lists. Librarians in general like lists I think... we like organization and order in our lives... and best of all I like crossing things off lists :-) Plus I have a whole boatload of things I want to get done that I just never do so this is a way to make those a priority for me. It's also an easy way to structure my blog that I wasn't sure about starting :-) It means I will always have something to blog about (I am not gauranteeing that it be interesting - look at my list-- pretty boring to most probably!)
I am sure I will stray from just talking about the things on my list once I get rolling on this so bear with me if you decide to read along on my journey. I haven't done much writing since college so this is bound to be rough!
So about that list... you can find the link to my full list on the right side of this page... like I said earlier it might be pretty boring to some but I assure you there are several items on the lists completely out of my comfort zone... and I am always willing to change the list if I decide an exciting idea comes to me (I can always remove one of the many books to read or things to knit :-)). One thing you won't notice on my list are work related tasks. I make enough lists AT work between workplans and just keeping myself organized that I decided that I didn't want work to permeate THIS list. Now some of you will say "but there are still books on your list" but I promise I would read books even if I wasn't a librarian and most of them are for personal enrichment and either things I have meant to read for years or things that aren't what I would normally choose.
Ok - enough for now... it's early and I need to get myself ready for work! It is a beautiful day though and I can't wait to get it started :-)
CarolJen
Then I noticed this idea on the internets to make a list of 101 things you want to do in 1001 days... and what can I say -- I like lists. Librarians in general like lists I think... we like organization and order in our lives... and best of all I like crossing things off lists :-) Plus I have a whole boatload of things I want to get done that I just never do so this is a way to make those a priority for me. It's also an easy way to structure my blog that I wasn't sure about starting :-) It means I will always have something to blog about (I am not gauranteeing that it be interesting - look at my list-- pretty boring to most probably!)
I am sure I will stray from just talking about the things on my list once I get rolling on this so bear with me if you decide to read along on my journey. I haven't done much writing since college so this is bound to be rough!
So about that list... you can find the link to my full list on the right side of this page... like I said earlier it might be pretty boring to some but I assure you there are several items on the lists completely out of my comfort zone... and I am always willing to change the list if I decide an exciting idea comes to me (I can always remove one of the many books to read or things to knit :-)). One thing you won't notice on my list are work related tasks. I make enough lists AT work between workplans and just keeping myself organized that I decided that I didn't want work to permeate THIS list. Now some of you will say "but there are still books on your list" but I promise I would read books even if I wasn't a librarian and most of them are for personal enrichment and either things I have meant to read for years or things that aren't what I would normally choose.
Ok - enough for now... it's early and I need to get myself ready for work! It is a beautiful day though and I can't wait to get it started :-)
CarolJen
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