My 14 Goals for 2020
Goal #1 – Take Full Advantage of Having My Husband Home 24/7
Well, the good news is the HH went to the hardware store and bought a few more supplies to lay the tile in the entryway {although I’m not seeing grout… so that may be yet ANOTHER trip to the store}. 😉
And he did promise the entryway would be completed by Christmas… and so now we {you and me} wait.
Goal #2 – Take Better Care of Myself.
It was another week of wearing pajamas more than real clothes and I’m beginning to think I’ve fallen into a pattern here. I mean, on one hand why bother getting dressed, right? I’m not going anywhere, it’s cold outside, and flannel jammies are so much cozier than jeans.
But, on the other hand getting up and getting dressed for the day does give one purpose, and makes them feel like they’ve got a mission to accomplish or something.
But then, what’s the point of getting dressed in street clothes if all I’m going to do is change back into my jammies 8 hours later?
Goal #3 – Get Organized
The HH reorganized the kitchen cabinets {since he’s the one doing most of the cooking these days} and called the electrician so we could get on his calendar. The electrician said he’d be able to make it out before Christmas to install the new {special} outlet for the kiln and take a look at where we’d want to have a washer and dryer {more outlets} installed in the basement.
Right now we are making do with a tiny stackable washer and dryer upstairs that only accommodates 3 towels or two pairs of jeans and two tops at a time and let me tell you Bob, it’s been frustrating.
Also, Mrs. HB requested a chicken pillow for Christmas but I’m not sure I like the color combination so I might hook the same design but with a different background color and see which one I like best.
Goal #4 – Get Proper Window Coverings on All Our Windows. Done!
Goal #5 – Master Bedroom Make Over Done!
Goal #6 – Kitchen Update Done!
Goal #7 – Install Vegetable Garden Done!
Goal #8 – Explore More of Maine Done!
Goal #9 – Host Some Sort of Get Together Done!
Living out in the boonies is nice. It’s super quiet, peaceful and the scenery just can’t be beat. But I do miss not being able to walk across the street to visit my neighbor with the greenhouse and kiln. And I think the HH misses all the old ladies that would walk by and complement him on what a fine job he’s doing in the yard. And our neighbors next door, they were so much fun.
Don’t get me wrong, I never want to live in a downtown setting again, but there are some aspects I miss.
Goal #10 – Read/Listen to 12 Books {1 more to go. I’m only counting real books, not cookbooks or home decor books}
Currently waiting for:
A Christmas Carol by Dickens and The Best of Me by David Sedaris. Also, I’m still reading little snippets of Chickens, Gin, and a Maine Friendship: The Correspondence of E. B. White and Edmund Ware Smith while I eat my lunch.
Books I’ve enjoyed this year:
- The Dutch House #1
- The Adventure’s Son #4
- Olive Kitteridge #5
- Olive, Again
- Evvie Drake Starts Over #6
- Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers #7
- Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man
- Save Me the Plums
- 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
- The Nightingale #2
- A Piece of the World #3
- 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 Done
I learned how to make swizzle sticks with my former neighbor and I think they turned out great for my first try {you can see the kiln pictures here}.
Goal #12 – Visit 12 Museums, Historical Homes or Botanical Gardens {and bakeries too!} Done!
No adventures this past week, but a flock of Canada geese, a loon, two deer the ducks that always come in with the tide all visited Lucy this week through her picture window.
- The Mitten Store
- Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
- The Island Market
- Cafe DiCocoa
- Hungry Hollow Country Store
- Two Fat Cats Bakery
- Portland Museum of Art
- Speckled Ax
- Atlantic Baking Company
- Rockland, St. George, Cushing and Port Clyde Maine
- Bar Harbor and Desert Island Adventures Day One, Day Two and the Summer Cottage Rental Tour.
- Tinder Hearth Bakery in Brooksville, Maine
- Puzzle Mountain Bakery Pie Stand in Newry, Maine
- Red’s Eats in Wiscasset, Maine
- The Bees Knees Honey Stand in Kennebunkport, Maine
- Rococo Ice Cream Kennebunkport, Maine
- Beech Hill Farm Hopkinton, NH
- Wallingford Farm in Kennebunk, Maine
- Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, Maine
- The Gnome Lady, Thomaston, Maine
Goal # 13 – Reach 5,000 Etsy Sales by the End of The Year DONE!
As of this morning, I have made 5727 sales on Etsy. That’s up from 2804 on January 1st. Sweet! On Saturday I listed a few more wool bundles. If I sell 77 more items buy the end of the year that would be 3000 sales in one year. Holy canolies, that would be pretty cool.
I must say, it’s been so much fun packing up ornaments and tying little ribbons to all the boxes. I feel like a Christmas elf and it makes me so happy knowing something I made is going out into the world for someone else to enjoy.
Goal #14 – Once a Month Menu Planning {for 2}
- The HH’s current meal plan for the rest of the month: Snack, snacks and more snacks.
- My current meal plan for the rest of the month: Comfort foods and salads.
*********
Have YOU made any goals for this year? If so, DO TELL! We all want to hear about them.
Have a great Sunday everyone, stay warm.
~Mavis
Cathy D says
my goals went out the window with covid I wanted to attend 4 rug hooking retreats, I attend 0.
I needed to lose some weight for health reasons I did that and I walked more but I need to make some new goals for the coming year. congrats on all your sales. I am still working so I have to get dressed 4 days a week but the pj thing works for me.
Mel says
One of my goals was to sew another type of reusable gift wrap, and I did that yesterday. My husband’s gift arrived in a box that didn’t fit in any of the reusable gift bags I’d sewn (all were too big or too small), so I sewed fabric wrapping paper with adjustable Velcro closures and a built-in ribbon, and it worked great! It wraps up just like the paper kind but is reusable since it’s fabric.
I also haven’t had a chance to organize digital photos this year (just not a priority with everything going on), but I did update the photos in our digital picture frame and also hung frames for a gallery wall on our stairway walls. I left the frames empty for now so that I can fill them as I find pictures I want to display. I’ve also organized about 50% of our holiday decor (just waiting to reorganize Christmas stuff when I put it away for the season).
I’ve mostly done really well with my hydration and running goals this year too, but the end of the semester derailed me a bit, so my plan is to get back on track with that in the two weeks left before Christmas.
Sue says
Mel, you are amazing, where do you fine so much energy and motivation?
Mel says
I don’t know that I really have above average amounts of energy and motivation. And there are always things I fall behind on or don’t get to. For the stuff I do get to, I rely on
-To-Do Lists (Check things off as you go, and list every single part of a task. Don’t just put “laundry”–put sorting, washing, drying, folding, and putting away)
-Working Ahead When I Have the Time (I do a lot of freezer meals and pack lunches the night before in non-pandemic times. This spring, I’m teaching on top of taking on a huge new work project, so I worked an extra week this semester planning the entire class, making all the materials, and setting them up to auto-post at the correct times throughout the semester–having this done will buy me time each week to work on the new project.)
-Using Apps. (I have one that reminds me to hydrate, one that manages my grocery lists, one that tracks Christmas gift ideas and budget throughout the year, etc.)
-Setting a Timer for Breaks. (I can zone out and do whatever for 10-15 minutes and not have to watch the clock.)
-Listening to Audio Books or Music. (I find background noise keeps me on task better.)
-Using Automated Reminders. (I manage a lot of students, so I use a site that allows me to schedule-send text message reminders to them. I can load all the reminders for the semester in one day and not have to keep track of them daily. I also schedule-send e-mails to myself with reminders.)
-Investing in Things that Make Life Easier and More Efficient. (I put crib sheets on our pet beds so I don’t have to disassemble the whole bed every time to wash–I can just wash the sheets and then every so often deal with the whole bed. I also asked Santa for a cordless vacuum. And the reusable gift wrap saves me hours on wrapping Christmas and birthday gifts.)
There are probably some other things I’m forgetting.
Heidi P says
You are amazing Mel! I’d love to know what app you use for managing your grocery list. I’ve never been able to find one the I like.
Thanks for the tips to stay focused. I need to implement as many as I can. Thought I’d be so productive during this crazy pandemic and its been the opposite. Time to get back on track!
Mel says
I use “Out of Milk” for groceries. It is free and lets you maintain multiple lists (say, grocery store, hardware store, etc.). You can also put in quantities, put things in categories, etc. It does have a slight glitch where it thinks any number is a quantity–(no, I don’t want 1000 bottles of Island Dressing–just one bottle of 1000 Island!).
It also lets you share your list with others (setting that up sometimes takes a few tries, but once it’s set, it’s good to go). I like sharing the grocery list with my husband so we can both add to it and also see if the other person stopped on the way home to pick up milk or whatever.
Carrie says
I have done reusable fabric gift bags for several years now. I do find I have to sew a few more every year for odd shaped gifts. This year it will be a ling skinnier one for hiking poles. I also find holiday sheets at thrift stores to use fir the fabric.
Mel says
We’ve had them for a few years too now, but this is the first time I had to make a different size/style. I do have extra winter and Christmas fabric, so I’m always set when the need arises.
Gail says
Do gift recipients return your reusable gift bags to you, or are they considered part of the gift?
Mel says
For people outside our house, I give them the option to keep them, and they usually do. But the vast majority are opened in our house (either between the two of us or when we have family over for the holidays), so those just stay in our house. But I made extra so that we could always afford to not get them back. I like to imagine people starting their own stashes with them.
For other types of gifts (birthday, baby shower, wedding, etc.), I’ll make a gift back specifically for the recipient.
Carrie says
Most of our gifts are opened in our house ir at grandparents houses, so they just return to our stash. If someone really wanted one, I let them have them. We don’t do many gifts outside of the family. We do save any gift bags we receive at Christmas and birthdays and we use those if we are going to a party where I wouldnt want to ask for the reusable bag back. I have not purchased any gift wrapping (except some fabric to make bags) in 13 years.
Laura L. says
I’d love to see a picture of some of your gift bags, Mel. I know you did a guest post of your sewing room awhile back so possibly you showed how to do them in that post, I’m not sure?
Also, I’m with Sue on the sheer amount of energy you possess! I’m older, for sure, but even in my younger days, I didn’t accmplish nearly what you do. Of course, I was raising and cooking for 5 kids, my husband and myself so in my spare (cough and ahem) time, it was shopping, attending school functions, helping with homework, running to appointments…..you get the picture. However, I truly admire your organizing skills which are obviously, fine tuned. You go, girlfriend!
Carrie says
That is where yoga pants/leggings come into play. You get up, shower and put on clean clothes. You still have the comfort of jammies but also feel like you dressed for the day. I know you hate ‘toddler pants’ maybe do jammie bottoms and a real shirt. Then, when you check off your to do list you can go full jammies 🙂
suzanne says
Amen to the “toddler” pants. My sister has a beautiful wardrobe of “lounge” wear for home. I lounge in older downgraded tees and jogger pants. A fancy name for sweats. Pj’s would work but I don’t own any.
Rory says
I agree. If I wear a flannel nightgown all day I feel like I need to take it off a night to put something “clean” (or cleaner) on. But with yoga pants and a flannel shirt I feel that’s a 24-hour a day outfit
Kim says
Maybe old Santy should bring you a plethora of new jammies.
Staying in PJs means you’ll save a ton of cash on bras, right? Those darn things are expensive.
Your tiny washer sounds extremely annoying!
Merry Christmas!
Brianna says
Bras are my pet peeve. I absolutely hate bra shopping. It is a torture session and the sticker shock is awful. You buy for the fit and comfort and not the price and if you manage to get lucky and find 3 bras it easily cost $200. Then a week after you buy them you decide they aren’t as comfortable or supportive as you originally thought and you would rather not wear that one and cannot return it, Such a time waster and wallet buster.
Linda T says
I buy the same kind of bra every year now that I found one I liked (front close 18 hour) and I buy from One Hanes Place. They send me email regularly. They have periodic sales, but I buy when their good bras are $16 each. They have a number of different brands and different styles in each brand. Good luck!
Terri says
Around here, people think nothing of running around in pajama bottoms and a tee shirt in public.
Heidi P says
Your post gave me a chuckle! Every once in awhile I see someone out in pj bottoms and a tee. I always think “Do they own a mirror?”. I have to admit I ordered plush onesie pjs with hoods from Costco this year. My daughter asked for soft PJ’s for the holiday. They came in a two pack. I actually suggested we wear them to Walmart and get our picture taken in front of the Walmart sign as a holiday activity. Lock down must have made me a bit crazy in the head.
Ellie says
I saw someone wearing a onesie in their front yard the other day (and adult). it was kind of weird
Julie says
A work colleague walks her children school in her onesie. She is now known as onesie woman
Dawn says
LOL!
Jennifer says
Not a goal, just an observation. You are finishing up your 12th book of the year and completing your goal. If I read only 12 in a month, I feel let down. Different strokes for different folks, of course..
Diana says
Ahhh… tiling. The question at this point isn’t whether he brought home grout, it’s whether he brought home mortar. Mortar is what you use to stick the tile to the floor. Grout is what is put between the tiles and the color could vary depending on the color of the tile. I’m sure you have your tile. Did you already pick out a color of grout? That could be what he’s waiting for…
As for the jammies, I rarely change out of them anymore. I only change if I have to go someplace. Jammies and robes are the standard wear in my neighborhood. Many of us congregate in the alley to ‘catch up’ at times and we’re almost always in our robes, lol.
Kathy Wolfe says
Do you buy your wool by the roll and then dye and cut it? Do you have a blog or YouTube where you explain it? Thank you for sharing your great scenery.
Kathy LORENTZ says
Let’s face it – you sound really depressed. Why live in your pajamas all day? No cooking? Sounds like you made a mistake on this house….. time to make some quick changes and flip it again so you can keep the magic blog going.
Sue P says
Huh? Mavis sounds depressed? I must be reading a different blog than you Kathy. Because the blog I read everyday is by someone who has found complete happiness, and comfort. And who LOVES life! Keep doing you Mavis!!
Mary Neathway says
Have you heard of the Bangor Maine Police Dept face book page, maintained by Tim Cotton? It is delightful. He has also written a book- “The Detective in the Dooryard” which is a collection of essays about life in Maine, musings, some cop stories- nothing bloody or gory… it is the kind of book you nibble on, enjoying every page, with laughter, sometimes tears, and a reason to stop and think. I highly recommend both the book and the facebook page1
Mavis Butterfield says
I just recently learned the term “dooryard” and so your comment made me smile. Thanks Mary, I’ll check it out.
Julia Park Tracey says
I’m a little confused, Mavis. I thought you lived in the boonies in your previous home, and moved to a small town in Maine — that also happens to have a backyard to looks onto a bay/the coast? Are you in town or in the boonies? Trying to keep my visual of your happy life in my mind.
I did and did not do my goals this year. Some, like “visit 12 new coffeeshops,” went by the wayside. We ended up buying a house, selling two, and spending the first half of the year tending my MIL, in hospice, until she passed, then renovating our Victorian (new house) the rest of the year. We moved in late November and are still getting settled.
None of that was on the list, but they are huge goals to manage in a single year. And a pandemic year at that.
So I’m calling 2020 a win, and setting new goals, inspired by you, for 2021. A new garden, some work goals, joining a UU congregation, and so on — lots to manage, and I hope some of it is sitting in pajamas with some rugs to hook and hot tea by my side.
PS I tried to read The Dutch House and found it dull as a grocery list. Like, all the ingredients were there but she just didn’t mix them properly (my unpopular opinion). Too bad, as the author is very good usually, and I waited months to get the book in my hands from the library. Oh well.
Mavis Butterfield says
Our last place was in town, now we are in the boonies. Congrats on your new home and all the projects. 🙂
Kristen says
Mavis, if you’re still waiting for A Christmas Carol audio book, Gretchen Rubin recorded a version of it and released it for free on her podcast “Happier with Gretchen Rubin”. I haven’t listened to it so I have no idea if it’s any good, but it may be worth it if you have a long wait and want to listen to it before Christmas!