2024 Goals

 These are my 24 goals for 2024. I write goals so that I can keep the things I wish to accomplish in focus. I don't expect to complete everything on this list. However, I am a "check off the list" person, so I like to have lots of long-term goals. 

Self

1) Read 30 Books ~ I read 25 books last year and I already have 29 on my shelf for this year. I really need to stay out of the used book store...lol. 

2) Walk 800 Miles ~ I barely completed this goal last year. I do hope to maybe pass it this year, but we shall see. We have a sidewalk going in on the street right next to ours which will open our world a bit. 

3) Strength and Stretch Rotation ~ I have to keep this goal on the list so that I will do it. Outside of walking, I don't really care to do any exercise. I will keep it up, because there are so many benefits that I see in my daily life. 

4) Take a Continuing Education Class ~  I am thinking of taking a florist class or interior decorating class at the community college sometime this year. I would like to take the class to expand my knowledge and to expand my social groups. 

5) Learn a Little Bit of French ~ We are going to try Babble and see if I can learn some French, despite my significant learning difference in foreign languages. I would like to know a bit of French, because we are hoping to go to French Canada this year. 

6) Widen and Maintain my Friend Group ~ I made one really nice new friend last year. I need to make sure to maintain that new friendship. Also, I am thinking of other ways to expand my friendships. I may host a party or two this year. I also am thinking of what group or organization I might want to join to find more kindred spirits. 

7) Convert My Blog into Books ~ This is another goal from last year. I did not complete this one and I am still several years behind. Maybe this will be the year I'll catch up. 

Home

This house knows I am earning two paychecks now and it fully intends to take every penny ~ LOL! This year's overall goal is to stay out of debt, which we accomplished becoming debt free last year (except for our mortgage). 

8) Renovate the Second Bathroom ~ This was on the list last year to do the floors. We discovered that the entire bathroom was in need of a full gut. The damage and condition of the cabinets, bathtub and floors were just too bad. We have been on a waiting list for six months. Hopefully, our turn will be next month. We are next in line. 

9) Buy and Have a Dishwasher Installed ~ This may sound simple, but it is not. Our house was built in three stages and the 1970's part is a never ending disaster zone. Unfortunately, our kitchen is in that section of the house. I have been without a dishwasher for 4 years and we were going to continue without it because of all the extensive plumbing work we had done last year between the kitchen sink, one bathroom and 20 feet of pipes that had to be replaced outside. However, the pipes behind the dishwasher have given way; and on further inspection, we discovered that the plumbing and electricity were not up to code and that the plumbing was failing and the electricity was dangerous. BIG SURPRISE...NOT. So $2,500 later, I should have a working dishwasher and safer kitchen by next week. Yikes. Can you feel blessed and distraught at the same time?

10) Buy a New Washing Machine ~ Before the dishwasher fiasco, we were planning to replace our washer this month. It is truly on its last leg. I was threatening it last week with a wrench and a  screwdriver.  It decided to behave for a few more weeks. Seriously, it is leaking a bit, the door hates to close (fixed it a bit with the screwdriver) and you have to beg it to start every time. It sometimes takes five attempts before it starts a cycle. Oh, the cycles also sometime last an hour longer than it should. All that said, I hope it survives until March. 

11) Paint the Rest of the Basement ~ Elijah painted the laundry room section of the basement last month. I hope to get the rest of it painted crisp white this year. The improvement is amazing. 

12) Paint the Kitchen Cabinets ~ We are thinking of keeping them blue but a color that would complement the dining room. 

13) Paint the Dining Room ~ We are also hoping to paint the dining room this year. The brown color needs touch up and we are just tired of it. We are thinking of a very light blue. 

14) Paint Stairwell and Add Victorian Dust Corners ~ Yep, I know my house was built between 1955 and 1975. I just don't care. If I am going to live here, I am going to give it as many Victorian and Edwardian touches as I can. I will keep taking the house back to when quality counted and craftsmanship was revered. 

Global Citizen

15) Monthly Charity ~ I want to return to doing monthly charity instead of a whole bunch at Christmastime. This is more fitting to the way I want to give and will allow me to spend more on any given charity than trying to spend all of the money at once. 

16) Compost ~ I am signed up with the city compost program and started doing it a few months ago. We still are struggling to get the scraps delivered to the bins outside the library. It is less than a mile, but it isn't a habit yet. I hope to make it so this year. 

17) Reduce Plastic Bags ~ We made great gains last year in reducing plastic bags. My quandary is curbside pick up of groceries at Target and the many, many bread bags. I have reduced my Target curbside pick up to once a month, but I don't want to give it up completely. Also, what to do about the bread bags. I will have to keep thinking. 

Travel

18) Visit Another Country ~ We are getting pretty close to making reservations for a trip to Montreal and Quebec City. It is the most likely thing we are doing for Spring Break...but a few things need to fall into place first. 

19) Visit a New to us City or State ~ We don't have any plans right now for travel to a new state or city...but I like to keep them on my wish list. 

20) Visit a Different City or Place at Christmastime ~ I would love to go to Newport, Rhode Island for Christmas, but I am not sure that is in the cards for this year. I love to see how different places decorate and what fun events they have. I am sure we will find somewhere even if it is much closer to home. 

21) Explore, Explore, Explore ~ This one is just a reminder to take advantage of new experiences. Rebekah and I have an annual pass to the Biltmore this year. We hope to go a minimum of once each month. Also, there are just little wonderful things to see, hear and experience all the time. My motto is to do something fun, even when on a trip that is primarily for doctor appointments or auditions. 

Family

22) Do Another Breakout Room ~ This was a huge hit and I want to make sure we do it again. 

23) Go out to Dinner as a Family (monthly) ~ This is one of the best ways to get Elijah out and about with the family. We will be doing this on non-travel months. 

24) Try Some Activities with Arms Around ASD ~ This is an organization in our area that has classes, game nights, health screenings, massages for clients and caregivers and other support services for caregivers of people with autism. I want to see if any of the activities are a good fit for any members of our family.

Happy New Year everyone!

Blessings, Dawn

What I Read in 2023

I read 25 books in 2023. Most of them were great. Some were not so great, and I dragged myself through them. Here is the list:

The Gown By Jennifer Robson ~ I really enjoyed this book. It was a delightful historical novel.

The Light We Carry By Michelle Obama ~ This was an excellent and thought-provoking book. Probably worth a second read someday. 

Call the Midwife By Jennifer Worth ~ I love this PBS show and plan to read all of the books in the series. This was the first one and I really enjoyed it. 

The Coffin Quilt By Ann Rinaldi ~ This middle school book was a gentle way to learn more about the Hatfield and McCoy feud. I wanted to know more but without gruesome details. 

The Mapmaker's Children By Sarah McCay ~ This was a fast read and enjoyable peek into John Brown's life and the Underground Railroad. 

At the Edge of the Orchard By Tracy Chevalier ~ This was not my favorite book by Chevalier. It was more intense and depressing than I had hoped.

The Second Mrs Giaconda By E. L. Konigsburg ~ This was another middle school book about who might have been the woman behind the Mona Lisa. A fun and quick read. 

The Lost Girls of Paris By Pam Jenoff ~ This book kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. It was filled with intrigue and just a bit of suspense. It was interesting to learn about the young women who went behind enemy lines to run the spy radio systems during World War II.

The Address By Fiona Davis ~ This was a wonderful historical novel about the Dakota in New York City. I really enjoyed this one and it was especially interesting, because I had two great-aunts who lived in the building in the 1940's.

Labrador Nurse By B. J. Banfill ~ This book wasn't written well, but the content was interesting. I hung in there because it was so interesting reading about the difficulties of being a nurse in the Canadian wilderness. 

The Lost Jewels  By Krist Manning ~ This was another exciting book about a time period in London that I knew very little about. 

Rules of Civility By Amor Towles~ I enjoyed this fast moving book about people living the high life in  post war New York City. It wasn't as good as A Gentlemen in Moscow by the same author, but I did enjoy it. The book kind of has a Great Gatsby feel. 

Mr. Darcy and The Secret of Becoming a Gentlemen By Maria Hamilton ~ I loved this book. It made Jane Austen's characters come even more alive. A fun updated read on Mr. Darcy and Lizzie's story.

Little House in the Highlands By Melissa Wiley ~ This was a quick read about the strong women who lived before Laura Ingalls Wilder. Enjoyable. A good pick for young ladies. 

Go Set The Watchman By Harper Lee ~ I did like this book, but it was not nearly as good as To Kill a Mockingbird. It felt rushed or underdeveloped. 

Her Heart for a Compass By Sarah, Duchess of York ~ I loved this book. It was intriguing, encouraging and kept me guessing. 

The War That Saved My Life By Kimberly Bradley ~ This was a good book. I liked reading the experiences of World War II through a child's eyes. It was an interesting take and reiterated how even in dark moments sometimes really positive things happen. 

Victoria By Daisy Goodman ~ This was a lovely historical novel about one of England's most influential queens. It was a thick book, but I read it quickly because it was so interesting. 

The Forgotten Garden By Kate Morton ~ This book was filled with mystery and intrigue. I enjoyed it very much. Once again, it kept me guessing until the end. 

The House of Seven Gables By Hawthorne ~ This was not my favorite Hawthorne book, but I did enjoy reading an account of life in the house, since I visited that house a few years ago. 

A Murder is Announced By Agatha Christie ~ I liked this Miss Marple story; it was fun and witty. A perfect Halloween tale. 

Haunted Inns in the Southeast ~ A nice reference book. There were several inns in our area which made it extra fun to read about.

Queen By Right By Ann Easter ~ This was an interesting historical novel about the years leading up to the War of the Roses. I very much enjoyed it.

Christmas Bells By Jennifer Chiaverini ~ This book was about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his life leading up to writing the poem, "Christmas Bells". Honestly, I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I hadn't read it at Christmastime. I wanted a happy book, but I stupidly read a book that took place during the Civil War. Also, I didn't know about some of the tragic events that struck this family. It was a bit tough going at times. 

The Autobiography of Santa Claus By Jeff Guinn ~ This was a delightful book and much closer to the cheerful and interesting book I was looking for at this time of year. There is a fair bit of history sprinkled through, too.

I have lots of books already on the shelf for next year. Happy reading!!

Blessings, Dawn