My 2009 Report Card

I just realized I hadn't really put much thought into what my 2010 Resolutions will be. Probably because I'm not quite finished with my 2009 ones, which I blogged about HERE. Especially the big "L.W." one. Oh well, lets review, shall we?

2009 Resolution#1 - Lose Weight... My Grade: C+

My goal: Sheesh, did I even set one? I think I had 20 pounds in mind for a challenging, yet achievable goal. For a while, it looked as though I had the ambition and willpower to do it, but then life happened. The official tally is...... 13 pounds. Which in itself isn't all that bad. I mean, despite hormones and a busy and stressful work situation this year, a little turmoil on the homefront and a smattering of depression here and there, 13 pounds is ok. What sucks is at one point I was at 18 pounds....ah well, thankfully I'm at the start of a new year, and I'm already plotting my course.

My BIGGEST downfall was not the two weeks of holiday baking I did at the end of the year - I really didn't eat many of those goodies. My downfall was exercise, or lack of it. My focus for my 2010 Lose Weight Resolution (of course there will be one!) will be on exercise - I need to get to the gym more, as that was where my most effective workouts take place. I might even have a little extra moral support, as we're doing this as a family. My husband's been doing great, going to the gym at least 2 or 3 times a week, gave up his beloved Diet Coke habit (yes, even though it's "diet" it's really not good for you - too many phosphates, especially when you drink 2 liters a day...) He's down about 20 pounds, and "on his last belt loop" meaning he'll be digging through that bin of clothes we packed away a couple years ago, unable to fit into them nor part with them.

Anyway, our social butterfly daughter is at an age where she wants to go to the KidWatch Gym at the Y, make friends and play while Mommy and Daddy go off to the Wellness Center. So I guess my Tuesday and Thursday nights are booked! My biggest stumbling block is my work schedule, but I'm working on that one too.

2009 Resolution#2 - Visit My Parents Once A Week ... My Grade.... B+

Started out strong, but as usual life gets in the way and there were a few weeks that a few phone calls had to suffice. Still, I am blessed with a wonderful mother and father, both of whom have had some health issues - some normal aged-related, and others more serious - but I have to hand it to them both - they keep on keeping on! My mother is a three-time cancer survivor - three different types of cancer (cervical, breast and colon), and while she had yet another scare this year (lung) it turned out to be negative. For now, anyway. My father, whose general health has always been pretty good except for high blood pressure, which he has controlled with diet and medication for the past forty years, has also had a few "blips" here and there, but is still doing well. His eyesight is failing terribly, but he can read with the aid of a magnifying device and has also taught himself to see using his peripheral vision. His hearing aid is tempermental, but he has taken to listening to music again and will always listen to his beloved Red Sox games. And despite the fact that he needs his walker to get around, he goes for several walks each day (and even did some gardening this summer!). He has to. If he doesn't, his legs and back stiffen up so badly he can barely move, so for a total of an hour each day, he walks, sitting down when he needs to, then climbs back up to my parents; second-floor apartment for a break.

Sometimes I get a little sad thinking that this is what his life has become. He turned 85 in 2009, and for the first time he's feeling what old age can be like. It's a very painful thing to witness, but on the other hand he lights up like a Christmas tree every time my daughter walks into the room, and better yet she has not been one of those kids who shies away from "old" people. On the contrary, she adores her Grammy and Grampy, and there is never that few minutes of "warming up to them" at the beginning of each visit, she just delves right in, dragging out her toys and recruiting them for games of cards (which my father can barely read!) Sometimes I join in, sometimes I sit back and watch, wondering if she has any clue how precious these memories will be some day.

(Excuse me, I need a tissue....)

Alright, let's lighten the mood a bit!

2009 Resolution#3 - Clean House My Grade: Incomplete

So many projects, so little time. Yes, I made a lot of headway into this one - that bedroom set, as predicted, made it's way into the Salvation Army truck, as did on old television set we were trying to give away but no one wanted. But no sooner do I get one corner cleaned up, another corner becomes a disaster. So give me a couple more weeks on this one. Things were looking good just before the Christmas decorations came out, and once they're back in their respective storage places I plan on finishing this one up to the point where I can...what's the word? Oh yeah! MAINTAIN. It sounds so simple.

2009 Resolution #4 - Visit Ten New Places My Grade: A

Let's see.... I blogged about the big trip - Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Buffalo, Niagara Falls. That's 50% of my goal achieved in one trip! Add in a few more local places - blueberry picking at Tougas Farm, finally visiting the Old Stone Church, a visit to the Children's Museum in Hartford, CT...I also walked around Newport, RI last May, when my sister-in-law was up for a visit. We've done the mansion and cliff walk before, but never the actual town. It was nice! Historic buildings, cobblestone streets, a nice seafood restaurant, a fudge shop....the weather was cool and rainy, and being slightly off season there weren't many tourists around, yet it wasn't deserted either. One more makes ten.....well, I know I went to at least two local restaurants that I had never been to before! Love those girls' nights out! One was a Mexican restaurant on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, and the other an Italian restaurant that had just opened and has since closed. Both were great meals and great fun. Might be stretching it a bit, but overall I think I did well with this one!

And finally......

2009 Resolution#5 - Read More My Grade: A

I blogged about my progress earlier this year and listed some of the books I had read. While my reading time kind of dwindled off a bit, I came back full force. In fact, this week on vacation I read three books...in three days!

First, "Mr Timothy" by Louis Bayard. I grabbed this one off my shelf as I headed out to wait for my car to be repaired...it was just a few days after Christmas, and the night before we had watched Scrooge, so I was in the mood for this one.

Set in the 1860's, this is the story of "Tiny" Tim Cratchit, grown to adulthood and trying balance survival and independence, while being haunted by his past, trying to separate himself from his benefactor, Ebenezer Scrooge and finding himself a sort of witness to a crime. The book captures what life was like during those times for those less fortunate, and the story is suspenseful and entertaining.

My daughter got a Playmobile boat and submarine set for Christmas (because Daddy wanted to play with it), and at some point Christmas morning, while a rescue was underway in my living room, I uttered the quote "Gloucester! They're always from Gloucester!" from "The Perfect Storm". I thought of that when I chose this book:

The Hungry Ocean by Linda Greenlaw

If you've seen or read "The Perfect Storm" about the tragic last journey of the Andrea Gail, lost at sea during a violent storm, Linda Greenlaw is the real-life captain of the Andrea Gail's sister ship, Hannah Boden. In this book, she chronicles a typical month-long fishing trip in the north Atlantic, including a few flashbacks into her childhood and early fishing career. While there's no real plot or story line, this journal of a fishing trip was very interesting. She explains the process of fishing, the technical and scientific side of running a fishing boat, and shares some stories of her very respectable career. Good book - I have her other book, "The Lobster Chronicles" waiting on my shelf and am looking forward to reading more about this really interesting person.

And this tearjerker I finished up last night, standing by the stove making popcorn and bawling my eyes out.

Chosen By A Horse by Susan Richards

A very poignant memoir of a woman who survives an abusive childhood, battles a drinking problem, emerges from a failed marriage to a life centered around her horses and her job as a social worker. When she takes in an abused and neglected horse, her outlook on life gradually changes. While the horse heals, the author also begins to heal and in her 40's returns to the dating scene. Just as the future seems to brighten for both, an illness rears it's ugly head. The most empowering aspect of this book is that the author decides not to run away from this problem as she always had in the past, but to embrace the heartache and pain of loss as an example of her own capability to love.

I needed tissues at the end of this one.

Well, all in all, I think I did pretty good! While the weight loss is still a problem for me, I keep chipping away at it, keep getting back up on that horse (oh that HORSE!!!! Waaaah! Seriously, that book killed me). But as I review 2009 I realize I got the scale to move in the right direction, I broadened my horizons in travel and literature, reminded myself to appreciate my family and even cleaned a little house!

I'm trying to think up a few specifics for 2010 resolutions, but to summarize: lose more weight, travel more, read more, live, laugh and love more.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

The Literary Lunatic

I'm surrounded by books. Piles of them. And it's all my fault.

I'm talking about those darn New Year's Resolutions! Back at the end of last year I came up with a list of New Year's Resolutions. I've been doing pretty good so far, although there's only (YIKES!) four months left to knock 'em all off.

Let us recap, shall we?

1.) LOSE WEIGHT.... I'm workin' on it! I am down a good 15 lbs. from January 1st...was down a couple more, but then I sort of fell off the wagon this past month. I'm back on, though, and like I've said about the time I quit smoking...it doesn't matter how many tries it takes, the end result is all that matters. I was kicking myself and then I finally stepped on the scale last week...and although my first thought was "You gained three pounds", I stopped myself before the tears came and said "You lost fifteen pounds." So, I'm going to go ahead and say: Lose Weight? CHECK! (Besides, we ALL KNOW this one will make the list again for 2010 anyway...)

2.) VISIT MY PARENTS MORE OFTEN... Um, yep. Check. Except for this month - August has been horrible at work, hectic at home and the folks have been neglected more than they should have. I talk to them often, but haven't seen much of them. The good news is, that sometimes it's because of their busy social lives that we have been unable to hook up. And those bingo games, dinners and other social obligations are what keep my parents going, so God bless 'em for being too busy to sit around waiting for me to show up. ;)

3.) CLEAN HOUSE...Let's skip this one.

Well, technically, I did clean house the week before the masses descended upon my house for my daughter's birthday. So, CHECK! (Pay no attention to those marauding dust bunnies standing behind me...)

4.) VISIT TEN NEW PLACES...Ah! This one is all but complete! I won't count things like "spending 3 minutes going through the drive-thru at Burger King in Wilkes-Barre, PA", yet already I've accomplished something here....Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton (Air Force Museum...oh wait, I forgot to tell you about that, didn't I?), Buffalo (OH BOY! Do we have catching up to do....) and even though technically I had been there before, Niagara Falls. And even some little local places - blueberry picking at Tougas Farm, a jaunt to Hartford, CT where we actually got out of the car, for a change, and I even pulled over and got out of the car to visit this place...

Cool, huh? If I had a nickel for every time I said "We've got to check out the Old Stone Church"...I could probably BUY the Old Stone Church. Anyway, more on that to come....

5.) READ...Now this one I'm pretty proud of, and I have paperbackswap.com to thank for it! It's a great website! You get books for free - you can keep them if you like or pass them on when you're done. The only cost is when someone requests a book you have made available for swapping, you agree to pay the postage (media mail rate). I've sent books all across the country and have never paid more than $3.50, and that was for a hardcover copy of "Twilight". Best part is, it's addicting. These books keep showing up in the mail, or I send out books I've read and book credits keep showing up on my account! Why, actually I think I can say I have cleaned my house, because I've gotten rid of at least 20 books...oh wait. I have about 25 sitting around waiting to be read. Never mind on the cleaning thing...but did I tell you I cleaned the week before my daughter's birthday party?

Anyway, I've read a couple best sellers, as well as a couple of off the grid books. Here's a little sample (and my reviews/ratings!):

"The Life and Legend of Leadbelly" by Charles Wolfe and Kip Lornell

"Biography of one of the most famous black folksingers of American history", this meticulously researched story of Huddy Ledbetter, who began his career singing and playing guitar in the red light district of Shrevesport, LA, to a couple stints in prison - one for a murder he may not have committed - to his rise to fame in New York City, Leadbelly has been cited as an inspiration by other artists, such as Woodie Guthrie and Janis Joplin. ****

"Autobiography of A Face" by Lucy Grealy

This one had been sitting in my closet for years. Diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma at a very young age, Lucy Grealy's childhood is filled with memories of cancer, a disfigured face (she had half of her jaw removed), to countless surgeries - most of which failed to rebuild her face - and the desperate loneliness of being "different". I would have said it was an inspirational story, but when I was searching on-line for an image of the cover, I found that Lucy died in 2002, at the age of 37, of a suspected drug overdose. *****

"The Twentieth Wife" by Indu Sundaresan

I bought this one off the bargain book table years ago...what made this one interesting to me was that, although a work of fiction, it is a historical novel. The main character actually lived during the 15th century, and using historical facts, the author created a very realistic portrayal of her. Towards the end, it is revealed that the real-life sister of the main character was the woman who inspired the building of the Taj Mahal. (The one in India, not New Jersey...) ****

"The Shack" by William F Young

There was a lot of hoopla around this one - both hype and controversy. A young girl is abducted and presumed murdered, and two years later her grieving father, who has lost his faith over this tragedy, receives a mysterious note from God, inviting him to revisit the scene of the crime for a weekend. I flipped through some pages, as I thought it was kind of cheesy, but I must say I did get something out of this. Maybe not to the extent that the author intended, but there were things I can say helped me further whittle down what my personal beliefs are about God and religion and faith, including the occasioanl differences between the three. ***

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

I just love poignant memoirs! This is one of the best I've read. Ms. Walls' childhood is just insane, raised by two of the most irresponsible, "free spirit" parents I've ever heard of, yet you never get the feeling she wrote this looking for sympathy. She tells her story matter-of-factly, and she's a perfect example of how some people grow up successful and well-balanced despite having not so great parents. Fascinating and inspiring read! *****

"The Day The World Came To Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland" by Jim Defede

My husband says they should make a movie about what happened in Gander on 9/11. I totally agree. This tiny town of about 5,000 took in and cared for thousand of travellers left stranded while U.S. airspace was shut down. They opened their hearts and homes to these strangers - just an amazing story. Not many books make me laugh out loud or bawl my eyes out - this one did both. *****

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

I love a book that gives you the ability to clearly visualize the characters, the culture and scenery, so you feel you are connected. I feel like I was not only entertained, but I learned something without feeling this was a history lesson. I felt there was no boring "down time" in this book, it moved seamlessly from one chapter to the next and kept my interest the whole time. Without giving too much away, I also like that the story is true to life in a way - the ending is neither too tragic not too happy, yet at the same time it is both. *****

"The Zookeeper's Wife" by Diane Ackerman

Over 300 people owe their lives to the zookeeper and his wife - during WWII, the Warsaw Zoo became a sort of underground railroad and hiding place to Jews trying to escape from the Nazis. The book does focus mainly on the wife, hinting at the husband's own involvement in the resistance. Fascinating wonderful people, and a beautifully written book that makes you want to visit Warsaw.

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society"

One of my all-time favorite books! I first read of Guernsey and its fascinating history, particularly during WWII, in an Elizabeth George novel. This book is written as if it's a collection of letters written between the characters, and at first it's a little annoying, but as you read on you really become emotionally atteched to these characters. Because of Elizabeth George's novel and now this one, Guernsey is on my list of "must visit" places! *****

"The Weight of Water" by Anita Shreve

Great mix of truth and fiction - a photographer travels to the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire to photograph the scene of a horrific double-murder (which actually did occur in real life) 100 years earlier. The author shifts back and forth between then and now, creating a spellbinding parallel between the one survivor of the attack and the modern day photographer. I had already seen the movie but didn' quite understand things so I looked forward to the book - the book answered my questions, but also threw in a twist at the end. Beautifully and hauntingly written. *****

"The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox" by Maggie O'Farrell

A young woman receives word that the aunt she never knew is being released from an asylum that is due to close. Bouncing around between characters and past/present, it was a bit confusing at first, but when it clicks it's an amazing suspenseful story. My only complaint is that it ends abruptly, leaving you wanting one more chapter. ****

"Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer

Yep. I got sucked in, too. Wanted to know what all the hype was about. An entertaining read, but coming from someone who was on the Anne Rice bandwagon years ago, this is definitely written with teens (and maybe tweens, judging by my niece's obsession) in mind. I liked it, but I found myself wanting to reread Rice's Vampire Chronicles instead. ***

So, there you have it! My summer reading list! And I have about 17 books on my To Be Read list, and another 33 on my Wish List. I may just have to quit my job!

My Progress So Far...

So, how are YOU doing on your New Year's Resolutions? (If you made any, that is!)


Well, since 2009 year is almost half over I figured I would take a moment to reflect on those resolutions that I was oh-so-passionate about back in January...


First, the obligatory "Lose Weight". LW has been a faithful companion of mine for years, even during those (brief) years when I weighed in at a whopping 110 lbs (as an adult, I mean....technically my lowest weight as a human being, post umbilical cord severance, was 8 lbs. 3 oz.). Foodie at heart, my weight has plagued me for as long as I can remember, and these days as a (gulp!) middle-aged woman, evil hormones are jumping on the bandwagon. Sheesh, why don't they just slap a beard and a furry chest on me while they're at it?!? (Psst...just kidding! No, really...BACK OFF, guys!!)


ANYWAY, guess what? I've lost weight! Not a lot, but it's noticeable. I may even browse through me closet inventory and start trying on new (old) clothes. It has, however, been a bumpy ride...






I started out strong, carefully picking healthy foods, exercising regularly...then I'd level out, gain, lose a little, gain some more, two steps forward, one step back, one step forward, three steps back. I actually almost gave up - I was hovering between 7-10 pounds down, and really frustrated by it. As I look at this little graph, I can see where I sort of backed off on the exercise, I see the cake we had (which I ate most of), the occasional overdoses of chocolate, the beginning of ice cream season (if such a thing ever actually begins or ends! We New Englanders eat more ice cream, per capita, than anyone else.) and even the Monkey Bread incident (which, again, I ate most of).


A couple weeks ago, I gave up. Just flat out didn't care.


My epiphany came the day we registered my daughter for pre-school. We went for the tour, met the teachers and even some of the kids that will be in her class this fall. We were told what their schedules would like, what some of the special events would be, and when the director mentioned "Parent Visit Days", I shuddered. And I remembered one of LB's blogs over at The Muddy Runner, talking about why he does the things he does to stay in shape. And this is what went through my head that morning, standing amidst a group of happy, chattering preschoolers being dropped off for school:


I don't want to be the fat parent in my daughter's class.


And I won't. I flat out REFUSE.


So, I pondered my weight loss options. Everything from buckling down and doing what I know I should be doing, to diet pills, to any one of those "cleanse" programs. Ew. Sorry, I have certain digestive issues and familial history that force me to do that once every three years for exam purposes...that is NOT something I would ever choose to do on my own! And frankly, it's not the answer to my problem.


Now, if you refer back to Exhibit A (aka the rollercoaster ride that has been my weight), do you, um, notice anything? Like perhaps, the last week or so??? :D hehehe! I have found something that is not only working, but I'm actually happy with it! It's not something that I'm going to do for 30 days and see what happens (er, um, even though it is a 30-day detox program...)


My wonderful friend, Gitano, has been on TrueDetox, and was so kind to share it with us. When I first heard of it, I thought, "Oh gee, another quick-fix, cleanse thing" But it's really not. You do drink the Master Cleanse drink (lemon, hot water and a little honey/maple syrup/agave, and or slice of ginger and/or cayenne...), but it's not meant to sustain you. It's a four-stage plan where you eliminate high-glycemic index foods form your diet - no flour, white rice, potato, pasta (not even whole wheat pasta in the beginning), no processed sugar, no processed food, no red meat, no dairy (OUCH!), no coffee (well....try. I actually DID give it up!) and no alcohol (I cheated there too - just once. Sorry, I had previously commited to drinking that glass of wine, so there was no getting out of it. O'Connors Restaurant would have filed a lawsuit - I just KNOW it!). It is a well-balanced eating plan, geared toward giving your liver and kidneys a break from all those toxins we keep sending their way, and creating/maintaining a healthy digestive system.


This is what you eat - fruits, healthy grains, raw or lightly steamed veggies, and lean protein like chicken and fish. Sound familiar? Yeah, I think I heard of it before...it's called "GOOD NUTRITION". Timing is important, too, as they want you to focus on eating things at the right time, and not combining certain foods (like starch and animal protein, not combining your fruit and starch until later phases).


This is what my Phase One week has been:

• Master Cleanse drink (it's like a nice cup of herbal tea!)



• Half hour later: Fruit (berries are the best! I've been partial to bluebrries, fresh cherries and strawberries)



• Half Hour later: Grains - My choice was steel-cut oatmeal. Made a batch Sunday and kept it in the fridge. I alternated between adding a little plain unsweetened almond milk, agave or natural sugar (from organic evaporated cane juice)



• Mid Morning snack: TWO servings of fruit



• Lunch: 2 starches (such as, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup chick peas with some sauteed onion, garlic, cumin, etc) and a big salad (You want to eat as much raw veggies as you can) with a healthy oil-based dressing



• Afternoon snack - raw veggie (carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, etc)



• Dinner: Grilled chicken or salmon, and a big plate of steamed veggies.



• Water, lemon water, herbal teas - as needed throughout the day.

After dinner? Water, herbal or green tea. This was a tough one for me, because I'm an evening snacker, but green tea has been my savior. It's really important to fast for 12 hours, meaning at night, because your body detoxifies during that time. Phase One is supposed to be 1,200 calories a day....I track my food over on Livestrong/The Daily Plate, and I never even made it to 1,000, but I know what I ate, and I know nutrition - what I ate, along with my normal vitamin supplements, are well within proper nutritional guidelines.


The results? I'm down 3.4 lbs at the end of my first week. That makes 13.3 since January 1st. I'm not exactly thrilled, because this is NOT where I wanted to be (I was planning on about 20 more pounds), but the important thing is I'm happy, I feel good, I'm not hungry, I DO NOT miss coffee, and I have not had any real chocolate cravings, not even when I caught a whiff of that Hostess Cupcake my hubby bought. I do miss my yogurt though, and am looking forward to re-incorporating healthy dairy into my diet. Pasta does beckon me, although if I want I will be able to start whole wheat pasta again soon. And I may be excommunicated from The Pioneer Woman club, because the longer I'm staying away from red meat, the less I seem to have the desire for it. It may become the next "pork" for me (remind me to tell you about Thelma, my uncle's pet pig, who went to live on a farm twenty-five years ago, and is now 32 years old and probably 7,000 lbs.). But I am so comfortable with Phase One that I've opted to stay here for a while. That's the thing about this TrueDetox - it's really something you could follow forever, because it's that well-balanced!


I shall return with more on my New Year's Resolution progress (and anti-progress!), and I'm looking forward to having you all watch my rollercoaster plummet.


I just hope the other kids' dads don't all hit on me come September. That can be soooo embarassing!


P.S. Unless, of course, Benicio Del Toro has children???

P.P.S. Don't get all hoity-toity on me - my husband has a crush on Wonder Woman, and I am fine with it! ;)

Resolutions - Part 43

resolution |ˌrezəˈloō sh ən|noun

ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin resolutio(n-), from resolvere‘loosen, release’ (see resolve )

A firm decision to do or not to do something : she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more | a New Year's resolution.• a formal expression of opinion or intention agreed on by a legislative body, committee, or other formal meeting, typically after taking a vote :the conference passed two resolutions.• the quality of being determined or resolute : he handled the last French actions of the war with resolution.

Ok, where was I? Oh yes! It's that time of year! Time to say I'm going to lose weight, try really really hard to stick to it, then soon notice on the calendar that it's Groundhog Day....woohoo! Let's celebrate with cake and chocolate and wine.... Yeah, I tend to fall of the wagon by February.

BUT!  That's ok... and you know why?  Because falling off the wagon does not signal the end, and there's no rule that says you have to discard your resolutions just because you ate a piece of cake.  2009 will mark a special anniversary for me - April 1st will mark twenty years of being a non-smoker.  Sure, I tried to make it January 1st 1989...lasted 3 days.  My mom, dad & I all tried quitting at the same time, but by January 3rd Dad went out and bought us each a pack...his way of saying "Not sure what's worse - smoking or bitching!"  Tried again Feb 1st... March 1st.... pretty much the same result.  Somehow April 1st worked for me.  Twenty years later I don't remember those initial failures, but I do know that I am a non-smoker. It worked!  What's the old proverb? "Life's a journey, Not a destination..."  Well, maybe that was Aerosmith, but my point is the only failure is when you stop trying.

So with that in mind, here are some of my New Year's Resolutions for 2009.....

• Lose weight:  Sheesh, this one's been done to death!  But I am happy to report that I am, in fact, down ten pounds from January 1, 2008.   Let's see if I can tack on another ten pound loss this year, and I'm guessing that by the end of 2010 I'll be wearing my old high school jeans again...well, actually college.  I was fat in high school... ;)
• Visit my parents at least once a week:  That should be a no-brainer - I mean, they are maybe 20 miles away, but still the procrastinator in me keeps putting off the trip, substituting it with a phone call.  I DO see them, just not as often as I should.  My sister, who lives closer to them, gets delegated to give them rides, take them shopping, etc.  They are not only wonderful parents and grandparents, but intensely interesting people, like most Depression-Era people are to me.  Oh, the stories they tell....
• Clean house:  No, really. I'm calling The Salvation Army today to see if they can come pick up that old bedroom set, a couple old tables...what they don't take, our friend Jeff The Rubbish Guy will take off our hands.  I've also started reorganizing my daughter's room - moving her toys upstairs so my living room, kitchen and family room don't look like a daycare center.  I started on my closet a few weeks ago, and now I have room to store the clothes I actually wear! Kitchen cabinets will be rearranged, small appliances will find permanent (yet accessible) homes, and my shredder will be going non-stop for the next few weeks.  I will hang pictures. I will donate clothing. I will have a guest bedroom that could actually accommodate a guest or two.  I will not use that ever-evasive "yard sale" as an excuse to hang onto things.
• Visit Ten New Places:  In my old age, I think I've become somewhat of a recluse.  Like I felt before our trip to NYC, going somewhere with a little kid seems like such a hassle...until you actually get in the car and pull out of the driveway.  So thank you, New York!  This year I will visit ten places I've never been before.  And no, driving through does not count.  In fact one of the places is Northampton, MA, which we've passed through many, many times, but I've never actually GOTTEN OUT OF THE CAR AND WALKED AROUND!  I also like to look at maps and either pick out an interesting name for a town, or perhaps a weird shape or bump in a border and I wonder, What is it like there?  There's this strange little square of Massachusetts that protrudes into Connecticut...I want to see what it looks like!  Anyway, to make things even more interesting, I hereby proclaim that THREE of these trips must be overnighters.  Let's challenge me, shall we?? ;)
• Read:  And by read, I mean books - novels, biographies, history, classics... I love reading and just never seem to do it any more, and when I do I usually have three books going at one time - one in my bag, one in the living room and one in the bedroom.  It can get confusing.  And the shame of it is I'm something of a book collector - I buy them off the discount tables, or at library books sales or book swaps and never actually dig into them.  So the first ones I'm going to knock off this year are four Sir Athur Conan Doyle books (Sherlock Holmes adventures) that have looked lovely on my shelf for the past 15 years or so, but have never been opened.  And I'm sure as I clean I'll come across a few more

Well, I think that's a good start!  I also plan on looking at my life list over on Superviva.  I think I forgot to check off "Write My Own Blog" and as of yesterday I can now offically say I've made homemade bagels.  If you're looking for ideas or inspiration, go on over to Superviva and maybe start your own list. Big or little, an accomplishment is an accomplishment.  P.S. Don't forget to add things you've already done!