'THE LIST' -- 2019 Update

Although the year is not quite over, I don't think I'll complete any more of the items on my list so here is my update.  2019 was not a banner year for doing the things I had thought about doing.  Some were too vague, some I forgot about, some I didn't really want to do.

Anyway, here's my update:

Completed:

#1 Kentucky Derby
#6 Attend Gallifrey One
#9 One Second Everyday (not every day, but lots of pics/videos)
#14 Go to Michigan
#16 Go to Adam's wedding
#18 Bake new breads (only one)
#22 Fund emergency fund
#24 See a sunrise (if watching the sun rise while driving to/from Arizona counts)
#25 See a sunset (in Michigan)
#26 Go to Arizona
#27 Visit family (siblings/cousins/etc) - did this while at Adam's wedding and in Michigan
#30 Wine tasting
#32 StoryCorps Interviews
#35 Work on scanning old pictures
#36 Scan WWI letters (more about this later)
#38 "Night Before Christmas" book
#41 Pick berries/make jam
#43 Go on date with my husband (we went to two plays together - that counts)
#49 Visit Tahoe
#50 Go to the beach (I guess the beach in Michigan counts)
#51 Try a new ethnic food (middle eastern)

So, that makes 21 of last year's goals that I completed and/or worked on sufficiently.  Not as bad as I thought.  I completed two quilts, but one of them was not the Grinch quilt and one of them is what I would call a cheater quilt - so I didn't check that one off the list.

Here are the ones I didn't complete:

#2 Visit Buffalo
#3 Finish the Grinch quilt
#4 Make two quilts (the Grinch + one other quilt) - See comment above
#5 Knit a blanket for EOW
#7 Visit Aunt Mearlene
#8 Complete "Couch to 5K" -- I started this several times, but never completed
#10 Participate in the AtoZ Challenge -- this I forgot about completely
#11 Try something new/different each month
#12 Birthday Blog Posts
#13 Blog once a week, every week -- there are total of 36 posts this year (so I'm averaging 3/month)
#15 2,730,000 fitbit steps = 1200 fitbit miles (as of 12/29 I walked 1,980,342 steps (813 miles))
#17 Go to Seattle
#19 Work on photography
#20 Make pillow cases for me
#21 Make gifts for all my children (and blog about it)
#23 Begin reading the 100 books to read before you die (I don't like the list so I'll have to come up with my own)
#28 Make a dessert souffle
#29 Work on 15 minutes a day discipline (Sew, Walk, Read, Clean)
#31 Watch original Star Wars trilogy
#33 Make bread sticks
#34 Get bikes
#37 Nevada trip
#39 Make and execute a plan for watching less TV
#40 Plant garden (tomato plants)
#42 Take 6 different walks/hikes (I might have done some of this -- but didn't keep track)
#44 Re-start cocktail Wednesday (monthly) (ONLY DID ONE SO THAT DOESN'T COUNT)
#45 Have a 60th Birthday Party (I did turn 60 but we kept it very low key)
#46 Visit Yosemite
#47 Decorate for Christmas
#48 Make a stuffed animal

and I'll do this one in the next 2-3 days.

  52. Make a list for 2020.

Secret Santa - Day 5

Today was the big reveal.  We had a firm lunch and then went around the room and everyone tried to guess who their secret Santa was.  I didn't guess, though I should have. 

So here was my final gift ...

Two bottles of wine to go with the two glasses!!  

It's a great time for bringing the office together and I think it's great fun!

Favorite Things Friday - Last Christmas

So, back in the day, a blogger friend of mine used to have a Friday linky post called Favorite Things Friday and people around the world would post some of their favorite things. 


As you know, one of my favorite things is Doctors Who.  I have watched, and re-watched, all the episodes (the episode from "modern" Who which started back up in 2005).  One of the traditions Doctor Who has had in the "modern" era is to have a Christmas episode which is loosely related to Christmas.  One of my favorite episodes is "Last Christmas".  

Anyway, one of the quotes from this episode is: 

"Do you know why people get together at Christmas? Because every time they do it might be the last time. Every Christmas is last Christmas. And this is ours. This is a bonus. This is extra."

I try to remember that every Christmas is Last Christmas.  Depressing, or just realistic? or both?

Secret Santa - Days 3 & 4

I forgot to post yesterday but my Secret Santa gift was the second wine glass. 

The gift today was a Starbucks gift card .. so I have a coffee cup and now coffee.  Two wine glasses and tomorrow .. some wine?  Such fun. I'll let you know tomorrow.

Baby Weezer ..

Secret Santa - Day 2

So, I was wrong about the gifts .. which is fine.  It's even more fun this way.  Here's today's gift.

A super cute mug.  Can't wait to see what's coming next ...

Oh, what I gave on Monday was this ..

I had help with the decorating .. if it had been up to me, it would have been a complete failure.  I'm not sure how they went over, but that's not my worry.  Today's give was just some Lindor chocolates.

Secret Santa - Day 1

At the office, we have a secret santa gift exchange.  It's a little different than most because we are required to give a gift to the person whose name we drew, for five days.  The gifts are supposed to be $5 and under.  Then on the last day, the gift can be a little more elaboartet.

I participated last year because I wanted to be a part of the office.  I'm doing it this year because I really enjoyed it last year.

Here is what I got last year:  a tree (with little lights on the ends of each branch).  Each day I came in there was a new ornament on the tree.  It was really cute, and a cute idea.

Today is the first day, and this is what I got ..

Can't wait to see what comes next.

Unfortunately, I am not quite so clever.  The gifts I got are not related.  I was struggling just to think of what I could get for this person.  I need to try harder.  :(