2017......Ready or Not........

Well here we are, another new year. One has to wonder how many are left. I greet each new year with a list of goals. No not resolutions because that seems so? Like "I resolve to......" I prefer " I would like to......'. I keep a daily journal, planner really, and I write down all the important dates, appointments and so on.

I think I have done this since my teens. It used to be a diary back then but, well, life is not that interesting so now it's a journal. Anyway, what was I saying. Oh yes, resolutions, no I don't do that but it is good when I do my new planner to look back and see if I can cross off anything from my list of goals.
Some are always the same, you know, loose 20 pounds. That seldom gets crossed off and if it does it's right back the next year. Still I keep trying. So what this year?
Well, lets see, my eyes are getting worse and so I must do as much as I can to get my fabric stash down. So DO MORE SEWING. I have been on a drawing painting kick, doing journals, that word again, but different. I have probably done around 12 now. I began that journey a couple of years ago because I wanted to learn to paint more loosely. I wanted to learn new techniques and I have really enjoyed myself so intend to continue. I wonder what the point is, no one but me looks at them. Although Reina has shown an interest. She wants to learn to draw. Gerry has not so much as glanced at one, nor for that matter have any of the kids/family shown any interest. So why am I doing it......For ME!!! If only I could actually do something with them. Or learn to do something that would earn some money. I have never come up with anything feasible.

I stopped doing pictures/paintings because I had no outlet for them. I can only put so many on the walls. I should do some anyway and swap them out but then you have to frame them and matt them and blah!!!! expense. So I stopped doing that. I should do it anyway. The kids or grandkids have not expressed any interest in any of the ones I have done, nor asked me to paint anything so I have to believe that what I do holds no interest to them. That's OK.
So my 2nd goal is to paint and draw more while I still can.
Next, I want to get out and explore more. I bought a book last year of trails. Well there are not many now that we have not explored but I still want to do more walking, again, while I still can. I take pictures when I am out and I love doing that. I am using some of them to make "Memes" to put on Facebook. I have a nice little collection in a spot called "My Little Corner". My Bluebell Woods page is doing really well, I have received a couple of offers to buy my page. Last one offered me 3500.00. I am assuming because I have a large following they want it to advertise on. No idea how legit that is but it is a big fat NO.
The problem with the getting out part is that it is difficult to do that on my own. Driving for one, as well as the danger of being out alone in the woods. I have fell a few times and if I was on my own it would be tricky. So I must rely on people to go with me. Usually Laura. Gerry is not good at stopping when I want a picture and has gone by before I can get a shot. Laura is better at anticipating because she generally sees what I see.

So that would be number 3, get out more and take pictures.
The other thing with getting out is when we go to the beach, we have collected a lot of pretty stones and want to make jewelry. I asked Judy Sheets, who is Angie Schaubs mum, she makes jewelry, to give us some lessons. I must follow through and make use of some of the stones I have found. Silver wire wrapping and drilling are the skills I want to learn this year.

Then there is my garden. I need to get that under control and looking better. I want to redo the veggie garden. It was quite a success last year, but limited. I want to use what I learned to do better this year.

We will with luck be retiring (Gerry) in a year or two at the most (we hope) so we have to get the house in order so we can sell it. That's not my list though, that's on his. What I need to do is to continue to downsize by getting rid of a whole bunch more "stuff". I see at least a couple of garage/yard sales this year. Got in trouble last year for running my sale too long but wanted to clear stuff out. Well, I will do the same this year. I found more stuff that I can sell. I did manage to clean out the crawl space. So that is another goal............clean out and sell. Pay my way with what I need for the garden.
A major goal is to pay down my pay pal credit card. That means cut back on spending. Ugh.......I don't like that one, but it must be done.
I can't think of many more at this point but that's what I do................I write a list of goals and cross them off or add to my new years journal. That is what I am about to do now.