My 14 Goals for 2020
Goal #1 – Take Full Advantage of Having My Husband Home 24/7
Husbands that put things together are the best kinds of husbands.
Goal #2 – Take Better Care of Myself.
Sleeping in, taking long walks on the beach and dragging home treasures, it was a good week. Now, what the heck am I going to do with this lobster pot rope? I just couldn’t leave that gorgeous blue and sea-foam green rope now the beach now could I? Any ideas?
Goal #3 – Get Organized
I am a week TWO WEEKS behind on my painting goals and so now I am re-writing my goals for the next month. Here they are:
The plan:
- March 22 – 28 Paint Kitchen Walls, Trim Doors and Office Door
- March 29 – April 4th – Finish Garden Beds {Raspberry & Asparagus Beds, 3 New Flower Beds Along the Back of the House}
- April 5th – 11th – Paint Master Bedroom Walls, Trim and Doors
- April 12th – 18th – Make Window Treatments for Master Bedroom
- April 19th – May 2nd Make Window Treatments for Sunroom
Goal #4 – Get Proper Window Coverings on All Our Windows.
See above.
Goal #5 – Master Bedroom Make Over
I am almost done going through the stacks of wool I set up on folding tables in my bedroom back in JANUARY. This week I plan to break the tables down and move them to the basement and have the HH move the furniture back in place. The new nightstands arrived and I have a rug, and so now all that’s left to do is paint the walls {and the trim and windows and closet doors oh what a pain those are going to be} and make the window treatments.
Goal #6 – Kitchen Update
I finally fixed the window treatment above the sink and now all that’s left to do is paint the kitchen and we are done! YEE-HAW! Well, actually I still need to find a proper runner for in front of the sink too. Also, Lucy figured out how to open the cupboard under the sink {where we have a small garbage bin} so that was fun and now we have to secure the area with a rubber band. C L A S S Y !
Goal #7 – Install Vegetable Garden
Last week I pulled up {most of} the bricks in the patio area and began construction on the flower bed edging. The plan was to have the HH build 4 garden boxes in the space instead and move the patio {seating} area to the back of the house.
And well, I think he did a WONDERFUL job! He built the boxes with Douglass fir and the price for the garden boxes was about $50 each. I plan to stain the outside of the boxes {just like I have in every other house we’ve had} with a dark stain once the weather warms up and the wood has had a chance to dry out.
The snow has finally melted {although more is in the forecast for tomorrow} and so getting anything done in the garden will be a little hit and miss over the next few weeks as we battle with freezing {and then thawing} temps.
The next thing on the list {for the backyard anyway} is to clean up all the tree limbs, stumps and gravel in the {soon to be old} fire pit area and to work on getting the new flower beds installed along the sides and back of the house. The goal is to have all the beds in place BEFORE growing season starts so that when it does, all we’ll need to do is plop the plants into place. 🙂
Also, in case you were wondering, the soil for the garden beds is a 50/50 mixture of 50% loam an 50% organic shellfish compost. I guess that’s what they do here in Maine. It will be interesting to see how all that organic shellfish compost affects the vegetables. Who knows, maybe all those ground up lobster shells will result in some giant veggies. Exciting!
FYI: If you still haven’t ordered your seeds, Botanical Interests is currently offering 30% off online seed orders with code SEEDS30 at checkout through the end of March.
Goal #8 – Explore More of Maine
Looking forward to my next day trip with the HH! Harpswell, Maine is on the list next, but it will have to wait a bit.
On the radar for exploring Maine this month:
Bar Harbor, MaineLincolnville Center General Store in Lincolnville, Maine- Wallace’s Market in Friendship, Maine
Alewives Fabric Store in Nobleboro, Maine- Harpswell, Maine and Bailey Island
Goal #9 – Host Some Sort of Get Together
I think it will be a summer BBQ.
Goal #10 – Read/Listen to 12 Books
I made it almost 4 hours into the Gilded Hour but finally gave up because the story just seemed so slow and predictable and now I’m on the hunt for a new one.
Other Books I’ve Picked Up From the Library This Year:
- Olive Kitteridge
- Smitten Kitchen Every Day: Triumphant and Unfussy New Favorites
- Natural Color: Vibrant Plant Dye Projects for Your Home and Wardrobe
- The New Bungalow Kitchen
- Container Gardening by Stephanie Donaldson
- A Piece of the World
- The War I Finally Won
- Vertical Gardening
- Front Yard Gardens
- The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook
- Beach House Style
Goal #11 – Learn A New Skill or Craft
Hopefully this fall? Right now I’m on a mission to get the garden in place.
Goal #12 – Visit 12 Museums, Historical Homes or Botanical Gardens {and bakeries too!}
January
- Maine Maritime Museum
- Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
- The Island Market
- Cafe DiCocoa
- Hungry Hollow Country Store
February
- Two Fat Cats Bakery
- Portland Museum of Art
- Speckled Ax
- Atlantic Baking Company
- Rockland, St. George, Cushing and Port Clyde Maine
March
- Bar Harbor and Desert Island Adventures Day One, Day Two and the Summer Cottage Rental Tour.
- Tinder Hearth Bakery in Brooksville, Maine
Goal # 13 – Reach 5,000 Etsy Sales by the End of The Year
As of this morning, I have made 3308 sales on Etsy. That’s up from 2804 on January 1st. I dyed a bunch of wool last week and updated my Etsy shop with new wool bundles and made some more garden markers.
As far as rug hooking goes…. Ummm Yeah. That’s not going as well. I started this rug TWO WEEKS ago and I think I’ve only had the time to hook 10 wool strips. How that’s possible, I don’t even know. The plan was to have this giant rug hooked and ready to offer as a pattern {along with a second much smaller rug} for my April 3rd, Etsy shop update but apparently I’m so busy doing other stuff that by the end of the day, I’ve got nothing left to give.
If only it would SNOW for an entire week and I couldn’t go outside…. I could get it done.
Goal #14 – Once a Month Menu Planning {for 2}
Freezer meal planning was a total success this week {if you love cookies that is}. I made a batch of chocolate brownie cookies and chocolate chip cookie balls for the freezer.
Have YOU made any goals for this year? If so, DO TELL! We all want to hear about them.
Have a great Sunday everyone,
~Mavis
Mrs. Hillbilly’s Update
Mrs. HB said she will send us updates once a month now. So she’ll be back the first Sunday in April. 🙂
Lj says
Untangle the rope and wrap around wooden box; plastic bucket etc for decorative container for plant/magazines etc
Mel says
I would make the rope into a wreath, perhaps with one of your ceramic lobsters on it!
I was on Spring Break this week, so mainly worked on my Housework goals. I deep cleaned the whole house–I took apart our vents and sinks and cleaned them, washed all the windows and window tracks, scrubbed the deck, washed the baseboards, washed all the rugs/curtains/shower curtains, wiped and organized cabinets, polished the furniture, decluttered, dusted, etc. I still need to clean the outside of the windows and the porch (it kept being too rainy or too cold), but that’s pretty much it. Everything feels so bright and airy now.
It wasn’t my original plan, but I’ve also been working on re-stocking the freezer due to everything going on right now. So, after cleaning each day, I tried to cook a dinner that would double as a freezer meal, and I froze a total of 13 meals (red beans and rice, corn and black bean quesadilla filling, vegetarian chili, and chickpea curry).
This week, I plan to decorate for Easter, transition to working online, and continue to freezer cook.
Slw108 says
Love the idea of a wreath!!
Ellen in Clackamas says
Mel, you did more over your break than I do in a year! I am envious of your energy. I might be able to match the Easter decorating though. Haha
Mel says
I should emphasize that I basically did all of the cleaning that I did NOT do for the past year! I usually rely on my Spring Break to get caught up, but our dog needed emergency surgery this time last year and then two weeks of 24/7 care, so I was pretty behind. I need to find a way to keep up with it during the school year, but our work schedules are so hectic that I usually don’t have time for more than the basics.
Jillk says
But still, you cleaned just about everything in your house;-) How about a vacation in sunny, Southern California, lol. I would treat you to Disneyland but its closed.
I did three coats of poly-acrylic on our round, oak table. Painted an oak cabinet with navy outside, white inside. Cut back the white clover in one, spring bulb bed. There are six total. They are going crazy right now. Both the clover and the bulbs. Did meal prep for the week and here it is Sunday and another week to start. Painted a second coat of Navy on the accent wall which is now going to be joined with two more walls in Navy. Painted another round, oak table but smaller, then sat in down after moving it and a leg broke. The hubs is trying to fix it but its hopeless. It broke in a weird spot. Plan B is not coming to mind.
Some serious cleaning should be taking place but both are fighting colds…just colds. I do one coat of anything and its nap time. Due to all the painting or lack of it the house is in total chaos. Most of the furniture not being painted has been moved into the garage along with books, knick-knacks etc. I am thinking a declutter is in order as none of it seems important at the moment.
By the way, we here in California have been ordered to stay at home by the Governor. So not happening where I live. The few times I went out folks are everywhere. Our Hobby Lobby is still open. Trying to think what I need but nothing comes to mind. I must really be sick, lol.
Hope everyone is staying as well as you can. May God watch over you all and keep you safe.
Janet in Woodway, WA says
Mel, You are amazing and a real inspiration! Thanks so much for sharing!
Janet in WA
Linda says
I saw a cool plaque on Pinterest of a mermaid made out of an old rope!
E in Upstate NY says
Don’t know if you have enough, but know that outside door mats are made with old lobster pot rope. There’s a company there that does it. Sorry, can’t remember their location in Maine.
Since a daycare business in our basement, the entire house was super cleaned with bleach and Lysol [not mixed together!] Then the schools were closed. In one proclamation, we’ve gone to a 4 adult home with 1 paycheck. With all the businesses also being closed, I have no temptations to leave the house, keeping my gas usage to zero.
Since I’m in the High Risk group anyway, leaving the house has to have a very impelling reason [med appts or =].
My trips to visit my #2 son in Maine have been temporarily cancelled. And unfortunately for basically the same reasons, he can’t come this way.
Your posts are one of my daily highs. Thank you Mavis
Nancy from mass says
That’s the first thing I thought of too. The best part is, they are weather resistant. Maine coast rope rugs is one place, New England trading company is another. You can probably find directions on how to make them.
Tracy W says
I know you’ve shared with us how to bake the frozen cookie dough balls, but can you post it again? I’m going to make cookies today and plan on freezing half of the dough. Thank you!
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! Here is the link: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/time-saving-tips-how-to-freeze-cookie-dough/
Tracy W says
Thank you!
Teri says
Love the kitchen! And love the garden boxes that HH built; nice job! Can you post the dimensions, please?
Take Care all of you.
Mavis Butterfield says
There are 4 garden boxes and they are all 4 x 6 feet.
Kim says
The kitchen turned out great. The fresh paint will only take it up a notch higher! Well done!
That 5 yards of soil will be marvelous exercise if the weather allows. I hope to get out into a very soggy yard and get some work done myself.
Stay busy, everyone. It is good for the mind!
Christine VanHuss says
Just a quick word about your kitchen. Your husband and yourself did a beautiful job on your kitchen. Love your tips on garden and recipes. Have a great week from Texas.
Sherry says
You could wrap the rope around a terra cotta pot, or a vase…you get the idea
Beth says
Have been meaning to ask you if a trip to Downeast Maine is on your list? If so, you MUST make a stop at Helen’s Restaurant in Machias for their famous pie. I thought that, being a dessert person, you would appreciate it. Oh, and your kitchen is fab!
Mavis Butterfield says
Just looked at the pie and lobster roll pictures online…. and now it’s on the list! 🙂 Thanks Beth.
Ramona says
Back in 1983 I cut out an article from a newspaper with a blueberry pie recipe from Helen’s Restaurant. It featured Larry Mugnai holding a pie where he was the baker at the time. I love a good pie and have made the recipe many times. Another reason the article caught my eye was because I lived in Machias, Washington at the time.
Julia Park Tracey says
Vegetable boxes look great. I like the idea of a wreath for the lobster rope as well.
I am sure most of us will be on lockdown within the week. Coronavirus is serious. I would love to hear some stay-at-home activities to do with your husband. My husband and I are going to learn how to play chess together. We’ve never played. I’d also love to see some more of your Crockpot meals and eating from the pantry advice.
Stay safe, stay healthy out there — stay home!!!
Mavis Butterfield says
Here’s the link to the Crock Pot meals. 🙂 https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/category/recipe/crock-pot-recipes/
Laura T. says
I’m so jealous seeing you out working in your garden! We just got 4-1/2 inches of snow yesterday! It is very pretty though! We are in lock down here so for now I’ll be working on inside projects. We are all going to have such clean & decluttered homes when this is all done! When the resale shops reopen, they will be filled to the brim! I did a lot of baking & freezing of banana bread, cookies, etc. yesterday. You know, the important things! :0) Stay well everyone!
Emily says
Your garden boxes look fabulous with the brick paths! Have you made them with Douglas fit before? I’m curious, how long do the boards usually last before needing replacement?
Bonnie says
Hi Mavis!! You could make a couple of macrame hanging plantholders to hang near your nook. They are drastic and pretty ropes.
Bonnie says
Rustic not drastic. Lol.
Gina says
Hello! I had to add that I would have to sew a rope coil bag or basket with the lobster rope. It is so beautiful!