Reduce-Reuse-Recycle: Old Lists

I had given up on the listmaking- in part because of the inherent frustration I have in sticking to the list, crossing items off the list, and eventually, remaking the list that mysteriously seems to disappear as soon as I cross off the first item. 

But, in light of the annual celebration of my birth, I thought it would be nice to amend my list of “20 before 30″ list from last year.  And, now that I have only 365 days to complete the rest of the items, I’m wondering if maybe I should have made it “20 before 40″…

1. Go to London to see the Globe Theater- and oh yeah, the Tower of London, and that other stuff. Will be done in 3 weeks!

2. Start/Finish writing a novel- it doesn’t even have to be good, just as long as I finish it.

3. Have this blog reach the 100,000 hits mark. (I’d even settle for 50,000- so pass it on to all your friends…).

4.Finish renovating the bathroom- it’s sooo within reach, I just have to muster the will to do it…Done this summer!

5. Find a cause I’m passionate about, and volunteer to help.

6. Rent a beach house for a week with my family and do nothing but play in the sand and the ocean. No email. No voicemail. No Internet. Nothing.

7. Take an art class. I always think I will when those seasonal catalogues come out- but never do…

8. Learn how to make my own tiramisu, so I don’t have go to an Italian restaurant to get it (unless I want to of course). Done- Christmas 2007

9. Learn how to say more than just “Let me through- I’ve found my passport.” in Italian. Done this summer- Now I can have a kindergartner’s conversation with most Italians!

10. Join a professional organization and improve my schmoozing (I mean “networking”) skills.

11. Acquire enough closet space to be able to find every article of clothing I own within a few minutes. Sorry, M, your closet space might be affected in achieving this goal…

12. Have my photos published/purchased by a complete stranger. Completed 9-28

13. Eat healthier, exercise more, and stop stressing about the small stuff.  Partially done- still working on the stress thing

14. Learn to harness my road rage for good, not evil.

15.Complete a sudoku puzzle before A grabs it out of my hands and finishes it for me.

16. Learn to ski- even if it’s just down the bunny hill.

17. Eat “lobsta” in Maine, king crab legs in Alaska, or drink a mint julep at the Kentucky derby.

18. Invent my own easy mixed drink- for when company comes over- or just when I come home from work.

19. Learn one “fool-proof” joke that’s appropriate for all occasions. Done July 2008

20. Do something spontaneous for my 30th birthday- whether it’s skydiving, bungee jumping, hang-gliding, or just putting all the money in my wallet on one hand of blackjack in Vegas.

Runner’s High

Every other morning, I get up and run.  I don’t run very fast.  Or very far.  Or for very long.

In fact, unlike a lot of runners I know, I don’t love it.  Sure, running helps me quiet the thoughts rambling around in my brain, but I never get that “high” I hear so much about.  Maybe I’m doing it wrong…

Instead, I seem to be counting down the minutes to when I’m done, because then I can sit down on my porch in the early morning air, and watch the bumblebees going about their business in my garden- even this late in the summer.  That little bit of calm before I start my day.  That’s what I’ve found I love about running- the quiet after.

Happy Love Thursday!

An Open Letter to Summer

Summer,

What can I say?  You came so late, and now are leaving so early.  You had such promise.  You and I were going to GET THINGS DONE.  I feel like we hardly got to know each other, and then there you go- riffling through my pockets for loose change so you can pay for the bus ride back to the south. And honestly, now that I’m noticing you trying to sneak out the back door, I feel a bit cheated.  Even a bit woozy. 

And no, that’s not because of the denial margaritas I’ve been medicating myself with.

There were plans- great plans- to work on the house.  Remember those?  Remember picking out paint for the porch- BACK IN MAY- for when those old boards would finally be replaced?  Remember the plan to finish the kitchen- BACK IN APRIL?  Remember the plan to cover up the ugliness of the back stairs? 

Oh, sure, you can remind me of the little projects- the planting, and the bathroom, and the garage painting…but that tell-tale cackle of yours also reminds me that you had no intention of helping with those big projects. 

No.  No, don’t try to reassure me that there’s plenty of you still to go around!  I won’t take that- not with the 65 degree weekend that suddenly left me in the dark at 7:45pm.  Seriously?  Seriously?!?  How’s anyone suppose to get anything done by 7:45?   Yes, your ugly cousin winter doesn’t even allow me that much time- but really?  How is that any kind of comparison?  The last time I checked I shouldn’t need a pair of night-vision goggles to weed my flower beds…

But I digress.

I guess I’m looking for a compromise-  after the late spring and now autumn conditions, you owe me that much.

• You will pledge that while you may not hang around as long as you should this year, you will entreat the next season in line to last a long time into November, and will make a prompt showing of yourself on May 1, 2009. 
• In return, I will not turn into the usual pale cranky winter couch slug I usually become on November 1st, and instead will use the time to get a head start on some of the other outstanding interior house projects. 

And, as always, I will rejoice, dance, and sing your praises when the last of the snow melts next year.  It wouldn’t be summer after all without the rejoicing, singing and dancing.

Agreed? 

Sincerely,

The Occupants of the Cotterpin House

A Fair Day

Really? Wednesday already?

How the heck did that happen?

Ok, I KNOW how it happened, but, wow, the last few days went by fast.

Did you ever wake up thinking it was Friday, get all excited, start planning your weekend events, and realize it was only Thursday?  Bummer, right?  Now just reverse that and add a dash of anxiety.

The last few days I’ve waking up thinking it’s Monday.*  Each morning I wake up, thinking it’s Monday, and trying to organize what I need to get done in the next two weeks before we take off for the Labor Day weekend.  Then, holy crap, I realize that it’s Wednesday and Labor Day is less than a week and a half away.  

I’m not sure why my internal clock is off the last few days…maybe cause we had guests this weekend and they’re lucky enough not to have to go back to work?  Maybe cause summer is quickly leaving the building, and I still need a vacation from the grinding work week?  Maybe cause I haven’t been on a weekend renovation jag in the last two months and all reno bones in my body have yet to adjust to the lack of work? 

Not so sure- but I would have thought getting the garbage disposal installed (with help of the above house guests (Thanks again!)) would have at least addressed that last one…

The clincher of the whole thing?  After the momentary anxiety ebbs away, I’m not sure exactly what it is that needs to get done…I know it’s something.  Something big…and probably house related…but I can’t pinpoint it.

Electricity…well, yessss, but that’s not it…

Mud-jacking…again, yes, but not quite…

Renovating the attic….hmm, close, but not until this fall…

Going slightly insane from being completely out-of-sync with the calendar…already taken care of.

It’ll come to me…probably tomorrow when I wake up thinking it’s Tuesday.

 

*Have I mentioned that Mondays and I don’t get along?  We’re kind of twin toddlers about an hour after the designated nap-time who have been told that only one of us gets an ice cream cone-and we have to fight it out- winner takes all…

It’s ugly is what I’m saying…

How about that view?

Amazing house- though the work needed makes me shudder a bit…

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/07/garden/20080807-CLINGSTONE_index.html

A little bit of love…

for this Thursday…

Into the wild

…if you still get to use indoor plumbing…

Old School

We went camping this weekend.

I know, like renovating a kitchen and a bathroom while still living in the house isn’t tough enough, now we want to take away the options of a kitchen and personal bathroom competely, to instead huddle around a fire for warmth and light while sleeping on the ground.

We’re tough. Old school tough. Like, 1840’s wagon train old school tough.

Pictures soon.

What’s that in Euros?

Electric estimate- $500

Mudjacking estimate- $850

Choosing to blow your hard earned dollars on pricey Italian shoes and desserts in Rome instead of home repairs at home?  Tempting, but a little bit crazy.

Still getting more estimates on the projects…  Who knew cement and wiring cost so much?