A New Year

 I love the sense of a clean slate that the new year brings. A new chance to tackle things that I truly want done. I make three resolutions each year. I usually manage to achieve at least one, often two, but rarely all three. Still, it's a new year and so . . .

Goal number three. Last year I tackled my office. This year it's the front room, the production space, the craft area, call it whatever we like, it's a little overrun right now. Getting a few projects completed would help, but it needs more than that. It needs a thorough cleaning out. Some sort of cabinets would help. I might be able to swing a little budget for that this summer. I'm going to get that room under control. Plus clean off my desk. :-)

Goal number two. The health goal. This year I'm putting numbers to weight loss. I think I can. I want to lose 20 pounds. Last year I did 15 in 7 months, so with the full year I should be able to do it. Of course stress eating chocolate will have to go. Dove chocolate, you are the death of me.

Goal number one. As it always is. I really want to get some of those photo albums done. Not sure yet of how to approach making this achievable. Let's see, find everything in first quarter. Do pages between where I stopped and where my blog books begin in second quarter. And a year each in the third and fourth quarters? It's a plan anyway. And sub-goal is to keep current on this blog so it's not a mad scramble at the end of the year.

Here's to 2022.

May you have a blessed and fruitful year.

Goal Number One

 Ah, my main goal. The goal I want most to accomplish. The goal with the biggest block. Yep, I failed again to update my photo albums. Not only that, I stopped keeping up this blog in April. Well, a 45% off coupon on blog books that expires a few days has got me caught up on blogging again. Nothing like two dozen blog posts in threes days. :-)

I have many good excuses. The garden was much bigger this year. I painted the exterior of the house! We've had some troubles to deal with this fall. But life will always have "things" to handle. Ah, well. There's always next year, right? :-D

Goal Number Two

 So my number 2 goal for 2021 was to expand the garden.

SUCCESS!!

Wow, did that ever happen. I canned over 200 jars this year. Jars of salsa, tomato sauce, pickled jalapenos, and home made Rotel. Plus I've been canning chicken as well. It's not home grown chicken, but it gives me a convenience food that doesn't freezer burn.

The garden was so productive (and painting the house was so time consuming) that I'm afraid quite a lot went to waste because I just couldn't handle it all.

Next year I'll do better. I won't be painting, so that should help in the time and energy department. All in all I was very pleased with how the garden did. I am also very pleased with my shelf of canned goods from the garden in the basement.

Makes me smile.

But that is not all; oh no, that is not all.

 

I usually have a weight loss goal in the number 2 slot. But I had just given up. I tried so many diets, so many exercise routines. Nothing seemed to work for me. So I made no weight loss goal last January. But in late May I ran across another diet strategy and decided to give it a try. I have lost 15 pounds!! Not very much, I know. But I went down, not up! And it's been slow. Excruciatingly slow. I know now what works for me. And I know how I could speed it up, but other things need my attention more. As long as I am steady or making progress, I am satisfied. But, golly, I am happy to finally have lost some weight. (It's intermittent fasting, if you want to know.)

Goal Number Three

 The end of the year, the time I look back to evaluate how I did on my three goals.

Goal number 3 was to tidy my office space. And I did! I got rid of a filing cabinet, so now I'm down to 1 and the space is lovely. I got the electronic equipment moved so scanning and copying are handier. I culled my books so my shelves aren't quite so cluttered. Mr. Wonderful helped hang the art work. I finally made the insulated Roman shades. Done by February's end.

And then the year took over. My bookshelves could use another de-cluttering. My desk is awash in 3x5 cards, which I use for note taking, recipes, lists, charts, etc. And the floor where the other filing cabinet was is filled with packing boxes of things I've ordered and need to store. The copier is covered with things I need to file.

*sigh*

So success? yes . . . and no. I'm still pleased with what I accomplished. On ward!

Christmas Eve Gift Time

 This year, there were no major things we needed, so gifts were smaller, but still enjoyed. (although my camera was dead so I had to have Brad take the pics and they still won't orient they way I want. Poo.)

The chemists main present was a rotating swift (it helps in balling skeins of yarn). There's no fire in the fireplace this Christmas eve. Seventies today. :-D

 The wee one got several things, including a fidget cube, a purple cube clock, and this really cool

axolotl her sister crocheted for her from her own pattern!

My guy is so hard to gift, but his sister found a couple of DVDs he will enjoy, and I found an adult sized minecraft shirt for him.

I was very proud of what I managed to get for Mr. Wonderful. We have this cute little concrete frog in the flower beds. Mr. Wonderful had been saying all summer that we needed a concrete turtle to go with him. On the way home from band day at the state fair back in September, I stopped at a concrete statuary place on the way home and got him a turtle. He rode for about a month on the floor of the backseat of my car. Mr. Wonderful never saw him. I kept my secret!

Blessed Yule to all.

Fall Band Concert

 The 8th grade band was the final group for the fall band concert.

Still not playing in the high school auditorium, but that's because renovations are not yet finished.

A medley of holidays tunes, plus three movements from the Nutcracker Suite. They did so well.

The flutes did their trills so nicely and sounded so good on Waltz of the Flowers.

My guy even joined us for the concert.

Nice evening capped off with a stop drinks and a little holiday lights viewing.

Today I Finished . . .

 . . . PAINTING THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE!!!!

Oh, but I am happy to see the end of this project. I could not have done it without my dad's help. He came out a couple of times to help with the high work that I am so slow doing because I'm so nervous.

Happy, happy day.