1. Get Organized.
Last night I organized the pantry only to discover I have a bunch of corn meal we need to use up. Any ideas besides cornbread? 😉
2. Run, walk or crawl a Marathon, half marathon, 10k, and 5k race this year.
The Church Lady and I are doing a 10k this weekend!!! I can’t wait to tell you about it next week. It’s going to be AWESOME possum.
3. Remodel our Master Bathroom, Master Closet and Monkey Boy’s Bathroom.
I kind of miss Chino and the guys hanging around the house. Maybe I need another project.
4. Finish Every Room in Our House.
I’m still working on it.
5. Turn Spare Bedroom into a Cozy Home Office Space for myself.
I stole the HH’s office space and Lucy got the guest room. 🙂
6. Create a Vegetable Garden.
Lucy the puggle trouble and I planted 6 broccoli plants in the garden last night. I should have put them in the ground about 6 weeks ago. Maybe they’ll make it, maybe they won’t. Gardens can be terribly forgiving… so I’m hopeful. 
7. Build a Path into the Hillside for Easy Access to the Upper Garden.
We built a fence instead and I’m so glad we did. The squash bed has been cleared and this weekend the HH and I are installing a 25′ long raspberry trellis. He just doesn’t know it yet. 😉 Aren’t surprises fun?
8. Limit my personal spending to $100 a month.
It’s official. I am in fact the most boring person on the planet. I want for nothing right now. Except for those LLBean boots of course.
In September I Spent $28.73
In August I Spent $27.29
In July I Spent $50.82
In June I Spent $6.00.
In May I Spent $26.50.
In April I Spent $18.46.
In March I Spent $42.44.
In February I Spent $32.52
In January I Spent $84.33
9. Purge… Weekly. Find 10 things each week to donate to the thrift store.
Mission accomplished. Not only was I able to donate a boatload of stuff to the thrift store, but I also made $473 at our yard sale selling my old stuff too.
10. Read 1 book a week.
I picked up 3 books at the library this week:
- How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
- Wish You Happy Forever: What China’s Orphans Taught Me About Moving Mountains
- Long Time Coming: A Photographic Portrait of America, 1935-1943
11. Slow Down.
Why is it that I like to work on spring hooking projects in the fall and fall projects in the spring? Does anyone else do that too? Earlier in the week I sold a rug to someone at Ralph Lauren in NYC. How cool is that? It almost beats the lady on Nantucket Island who bought a rug from me about 10 years ago. I love, love, love sending off packages to far away places.
12. Canning
I didn’t get as much canned this year as I had hoped… but then again, we can only eat so much jam, relish, salsa and pasta sauce in any given year. Next year I’d like to can some peaches and pears. Maybe even a few jars of soup too.
Did you set any goals for this year? If so, how are they coming along?
~Mavis
Katelyn says
You’re $582.91 under budget for the year on your personal spending – buy the boots, Mavis!
Mavis Butterfield says
I LOVE that you added that up. I’m holding out for LL Bean gift cards through Swagbucks though. I’m hoping I’ll have enough by the end of the year.
Heather K says
Regarding the surplus cornmeal, I recommend you make some tamale pie!
Leanna says
YES!
Teckla says
Polenta, or cornmeal mush (w/maple sirup). Also many bread recipes use cornmeal as an ingredient besides dusting the baking pan. Try googling cornmeal, or searching some recipe sites for “cornmeal.” I’m sure you will find any number of ideas!
Sydelle says
My mom served me corn meal mush with syrup, even fried mush. I saute onion, mushroom, cilantro and mix iinto cornmeal mush. It makes a savory breakfast.
Judy says
Would you please define your “personal” spending?
Mavis Butterfield says
Clothing, CANDY, shoes, Starbucks, hobby/craft stuff,thrift store shopping, garage sales, pretty much anything that is not a necessity.
connie munoz says
ive been slowly organizing and selling, have you tried “offer up” its an app. I have sold 5 big items within 3 hours of posting, no bites at all on craigslist. im working on getting rid of the stuff. Corndogs with the cornmeal. Homemade are so good, also don’t know if I saw hushpuppies or not…Brrrr its getting cold here:)
Kristina says
Corn pudding!
Em says
I heard on the radio today that Amazon is starting up their version of etsy. I think it is handmade.amazon.com . Just thought I’d mention it for all you crafty people!
Jill says
Do you have soup recipes for canning? I’d like to put some up for winter. I did stew one year from a recipe in the Ball Blue Book and it was awful. All that work and all the veggies from my garden wasted!
christine says
Cornmeal? Scrapple!
Trish K says
Corn meal can actually be used to prevent seed germination. If you plant started plants you can use it around the garden to help prevent weeds.
sharon says
I know this looks like corn bread but it is so much more! Yum!!
http://evilshenanigans.com/2010/07/cornbread-pudding/#disqus_thread
Mavis says
That does look yummy! I’ll have to try it!
Gardenpat says
Cornmeal/blueberry muffins!
Candice C says
Cornmeal Cresent Rolls..so good and freeze well too.