[peanut]

To recap, here's my list...then my update of what I've been doing...

1. Go on a houseboat vacation
2. Go to a creativity conference (know of a good one?)
3. Travel to Costa Rica (relatives live there)
4. Take dance lessons with DH
5. Go sea kayaking
6. Go on a hot air balloon ride (I'm afraid of heights)
7. Go to the symphony
8. Go sailing with someone.
9. Take a cooking course
10. Take an etiquette course (just to see how the other half lives!)
11. Frame the stitchwork under my bed!
12. Sell the rest of my books I wrote.
13. Learn to play the piano (I have a course to use this summer, and maybe a teacher this fall.)
14. Take knitting classes.
15. Go to the opera...a real live one.
16. Have date days with DH once a month.
17. Go scuba diving
18. Go on a waterslide
19. Renovate our home to be energy efficient.
20. Go on a Caribbean cruise.


Guess what guys?! I am learning the piano with a course my kids had for homeschool but never used. So far so good. I've done the first side of the first tape in the series. It teaches all about scales. I'm practicing and am actually getting better at it.

I've posted photos of Costa Rica between me and my money. DH and I are in black belt frugality mode...mostly because DD#2 is off to university this fall, but also because we want to save up for the trip in February (we hope).

I've been debating taking symphony off the list, because we've been to that before. I meant I hoped to have season's tickets. But Costa Rica comes first.

I decided to work on my books I want to sell. I typed an Errata for the book I already self-published. Then phoned around asking about web development fees. It's over $2000 just to get set up, and then there are monthly charges after that. DH and I think I can do it on my own. So I'm looking at options. This will probably be a wintertime activity for me. I am considering what other material I might put in book format to sell. Maybe small booklets...

I talked to the local knitting shop about knitting classes. They put me down on a waiting list. They won't start up till fall now.

And you all know my attempts to get on a waterslide. I've decided to wait till I go to Edmonton next and visit the South Leisure Center for the day. Gonna check in with some of my nieces and nephews and see if they want to come too. Could be good for a pic or two!

I'm sorting through my finished stitchwork under my bed and heading in to have it framed soon. I figure there's about $1000 worth of framing there...easily. Then I'll have to decide what walls to put it on!

What about the rest of you? Are you making any headway on your Twenty Wishes? If so, what?

Jean

 

[peanut]

Thought I'd add...DH and I had a talk and I decided to cover airfare to Costa Rica from my inheritance. But spending money comes from our family budget. As we'll be staying with family in Costa Rica, accommodation is taken care of. Also, in talking with relatives we've decided to set the length of stay to one week...that's it. Family that's been there have been feeding us information on what to do and see. Should be fun!

Jean

 

[peanut]

I decided if we're going to Costa Rica, I'm going to learn some Spanish. It seems pretty similar in structure to French, which I've had in school, and taught the girls. I'm not fluent by any means, but I have the basics. And it's helping. I've signed up to LiveMocha.com for free lessons.

Jean

 

[Darlene]

Good for you Peanut! With that attitude your list will have more things crossed off in no time. :thumb:

 

[nodmicks]

Jean how exciting!!!!

 

[nancycg56]

I LOVE threads like this ~ so exciting, peanut!

 

[peanut]

So I did it! I went down a waterslide - the Giant Dragon! An enclosed one, with water curtains and dark turns...the works. And just about drowned at the end. But that's okay. I did it!

It took a lot of courage for me, especially when I realized it was enclosed. I don't like enclosed spaces. And I wasn't told it turns dark halfway down. I started to panic and didn't get a good lungful of air before hitting the water. Can you see trouble?

I was pretty miffed with the lifeguard. I'd quizzed her up beforehand and she had said absolutely nothing about it going dark at the end. Not a good situation for someone prone to panic attacks to be in. However, I made it out of the pool, and spent the rest of the time in the wave pool and hot tub. At least now I have a better idea of what they are like. And I have one thing crossed off my list.

I also took a knitting class and discovered:
1) I knew a lot of it,
2) What I didn't know I couldn't seem to remember.
Decision? I will take my instruction from DVDs instead. My memory just doesn't hold verbal/auditory instructions anymore. But at least I tried it. A friend invited me to knit with a group of ladies at another shop once a week, just for fun. So I think, once things settle down, I'll do that.

So far that's as far as I've got on my Twenty Wishes list. What about the rest of you? I think the initial thread is a page deep here.

Jean

 

[peanut]

Other things that have happened that pertain to my list ...

We've been revamping our budget and using Dave Ramsey's zero-based budgeting to get us on track with spending. It's resulted in saving an extra $600/mth. I thought this would be great for the trip to Costa Rica. But it turns out the girls have some needs in the education department. They come first here. I just came back from vacation sick as a dog. I am not excited about the prospect of traveling someplace else. Seems I always get sick or injured when I travel. I'm starting to get a complex!

Bad knee and bad back made dance lessons out this fall.

One day on my drive around town, I noticed the Re/Max Hot Air Balloon team trailer...hmmm...I'm thinking... In the yellow pages I found someone taking people up. I think it was a couple hundred bucks.

I was all poised to have my stitchwork laced onto backing in preparation for framing, but decided to use the money for the girls instead.

I made a good start on the piano, but was discouraged. Plus I stressed out a lot over renovations this summer/fall and just froze when it came to doing anything. This is something I can pick up any time now.

The date night idea was worked on without any effort whatsoever. Ends up DH and I are going out every pay period to treat each other with something. I've been sick this pay period. But we still found time to visit Boston Pizza for dessert and tea one night.

We ended up making the house a bit more energy efficient by replacing the basement windows and back door this summer. We also did some judicious cutting of trees (into firewood). The plan is to open up the south side of the house for solar gain during the day. This was all helped by a tree falling over in a thunder and lightning storm this summer.

Yesterday I looked at my list and was surprised to see how much on it had to do with water. I'm thinking it's time to find a place to practice swimming. The nearby pool has so much chlorine in it I am gagging from the fumes. I'll have to ask around to see if any other pools in town are less toxic. The water in the Mill Woods Recreation Centre in Edmonton didn't seem to have any chlorine. It was really enjoyable water to be in.

Jean

 

[peanut]

1. Go on a houseboat vacation - Not yet
2. Go to a creativity conference (know of a good one?) - Took a stitching workshop from an Australian instructor who is an artist first and stitcher second. It was very freeing to view stitching from this point of view, rather than a structured perspective.
3. Travel to Costa Rica (relatives live there) - The political and crime climate is so bad there that we decided it was not safe to go. Apparently our relatives there agreed. They've been trying to move back to Canada.
4. Take dance lessons with DH - I might be in better shape for this this fall/winter. I am losing weight again and my orthodics are finally working.
5. Go sea kayaking - This is on hold until we visit the ocean again. Not much opportunity for it on the prairies!
6. Go on a hot air balloon ride (I'm afraid of heights) - Didn't pursue this because it's expensive...$100-200 a ride. I don't know anyone who would give me a ride locally. Will have to talk to people more.
7. Go to the symphony - Several friends gave me symphony tickets over the course of the winter. I was able to attend at least three different concerts! it was great!
8. Go sailing with someone. - Once again one has to be near water to do this...
9. Take a cooking course. - I've been watching cooking videos online and learning to cook from them. The latest was making sushi.
10. Take an etiquette course (just to see how the other half lives!) - Nope. But I've been teaching the kids how to eat now they're adults! "Work from the outside in" Apparently all that silverware on fancy tables confuses them.
11. Frame the stitchwork under my bed! - This morphed into framing some of my artwork as well. It will be a long time before it is completed, but it's a start.
12. Sell the rest of my books I wrote. - Nope. I think I'll just walk away from this. It requires DH to put out and he doesn't want to. I did some research on selling online and realized it would cost $2000 to set up a website properly to sell them. DH will not commit the resources to that. Means I'd have to learn to do it on my own. I'd rather be doing my handwork.
13. Learn to play the piano (I have a course to use this summer, and maybe a teacher this fall.) - The piano course I was using is too difficult for me...it moved too fast. The lady I had lined up to teach me decided she didn't want to. Suits me fine. I don't think I could have handled it. In the end we've decided to give away the course and sell the piano. But no one's biting on the ads. Maybe God is telling me otherwise.
14. Take knitting classes. - Did this and found it wasn't for me. But I have discovered a couple knitting drop-ins in town that are fun! I sometimes wander in on them.
15. Go to the opera...a real live one. - Not yet...
16. Have date days with DH once a month. - Done. Actually we have them once a week and take turns planning them. Lots of fun.
17. Go scuba diving - I've got to get in shape and back to swimming first. I'm working on losing weight at the moment.
18. Go on a waterslide - Did this. You read about it.
19. Renovate our home to be energy efficient. - This is being worked on. We replaced basement windows and back door last year. It made a big difference in the winter. We are working on more things the next few years.
20. Go on a Caribbean cruise. - Not yet.

So that's my update folks. Hope everyone else is having fun working on their bucket lists!

 

[bee9984]

Jean I am so impressed!! Look at everything in which you have accomplished already. I have always admired your get up and go and go get them attitude, once you set your mind to doing something there is no stopping you.

Another thing in which I love about you is how you update and put yes I did this or no I didn't and reasons why. I can see what great thought goes into each goal or wish that you have.

And to think that you actually went on that water slide .....And that is not to even mention all the other things in which you have accomplished WTG :thumb:

 

[peanut]

Thanks Bee! I keep getting sidetracked. You never realize the progress you make unless you check back every few months. Seems day to day you just don't get very far...but it all adds up over time. DH likes to say I keep life "interesting". :lol3: Well, someone's got to!

 

[peanut]

Well I made a list of the things left to do on my Twenty Wishes list. There are 12 I still want to do. I showed it to DH last night and he was teasing me about them. So I asked him if he wanted to do some with me. I suggested a hot air balloon ride this summer. He thought that would be cool. So I'm going to phone and recheck the prices. I think we'll be wanting to go up during July or August sometime.

I also made a list of next actions to take. One of the things I've decided since going down the waterslide is that I need to brush up on my swimming skills. So I'm going to check out the local pool for adult swimming classes. That would make me feel a lot more comfortable in water when I sail, scuba dive, go sea kayaking (which I hope to do this fall), etc.

 

[peanut]

Well I can't find the hot air ballooning in the Yellow Pages anymore. Guess they aren't giving rides. Sigh... I'll ask around and see, but I'm not getting my hopes up...

 

[bee9984]

You have me thinking now that maybe I should write down some wishes that I would like to do one day and start preparing.

 

[peanut]

Go for it Bee! It really is a lot of fun and buoys your spirits on gray days. I just do something to further my twenty wishes list.

Don't be afraid to revise your Twenty Wishes list too. Some things I'm looking at now and wondering why on earth I ever put them on the list. I'd love that houseboat vacation. BUT I'd have to be in a small space with several other people for an extended period of time. PLUS it requires DH buying into the plan and wanting to learn how to run a houseboat. Not very likely. Neither of us are boaters really. Though I was as a child. Anyway, it may get crossed off. And then there was the ill fated trip to Costa Rica. But if it's never on the list, you'll never research it and see if it's possible to do.

You can adjust it or make it whatever you want. And nothing says you have to do it all in one year. You can take your entire life to cross things off the list.

I also have a life plan that I drew up as the result of several books I've worked through ("The Artist's Way" Julia Cameron, "The Joy of Not Working" Ernie Zelinski, etc. I think a Stephen Covey book too.) I just put all these things that come up in my reading on one master mind map that I post on my wall or door. Once a year I sit down and check things off and add things to it. It keeps me focused and motivated. It sure is a good way to chase away the blues in winter. I just pick up something to do on my life plan and do it.

My biggest challenge is breaking everything down into small enough steps that I can manage...especially in winter if I'm depressed. It just seems everything is a big effort then. I really need to leave town for a shot of warm sunshine in January/February.

Overall this has been a tremendously rewarding experience, and great for getting me outside my comfort zone.

 

[craftypam]

So I did it! I went down a waterslide - the Giant Dragon! An enclosed one, with water curtains and dark turns...the works. And just about drowned at the end. But that's okay. I did it!

It took a lot of courage for me, especially when I realized it was enclosed. I don't like enclosed spaces. And I wasn't told it turns dark halfway down. I started to panic and didn't get a good lungful of air before hitting the water. Can you see trouble?

I was pretty miffed with the lifeguard. I'd quizzed her up beforehand and she had said absolutely nothing about it going dark at the end. Not a good situation for someone prone to panic attacks to be in. However, I made it out of the pool, and spent the rest of the time in the wave pool and hot tub. At least now I have a better idea of what they are like. And I have one thing crossed off my list.

I also took a knitting class and discovered:
1) I knew a lot of it,
2) What I didn't know I couldn't seem to remember.
Decision? I will take my instruction from DVDs instead. My memory just doesn't hold verbal/auditory instructions anymore. But at least I tried it. A friend invited me to knit with a group of ladies at another shop once a week, just for fun. So I think, once things settle down, I'll do that.

So far that's as far as I've got on my Twenty Wishes list. What about the rest of you? I think the initial thread is a page deep here.

Jean

So glad you made it and completed one of your 20 wishes. I LOVE waterslides; that is the only vacation that we had been on when the kids were growing up. We loved the water park at Kings Island so much. We'd get a 2 day pass for the park and spend 1-1/2 days in the water park

 

[peanut]

Well rats! I found an outfit that does hot air balloon rides and they say they can't take people who have back problems. I'm too late for that one. Do your bucket list things early in life kids! Before you wreck your body!

 

[peanut]

I double checked with some friends this morning about hot air ballooning. One had spent a summer working with a hot air balloon. She said it was definitely out for me. The balloon can jar (often does) on landing. It's like jumping from a chair to a floor. Not good. Also it can tilt in the air sending people to the floor or side of the basket. So that's not on for me at all. Oh well...onto something else. There's lots of other interesting things to do in life!

 

[peanut]

I am in swimming lessons right now...preparing for sea kayaking and sailing I hope. And there is a trip planned to go east this fall. It may be too late in the season for kayaking and sailing...but we'll see.

 

[peanut]

I was too late for sailing and kayaking, but we had fun none-the-less. next time...