My 22 Goals for 2019
Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love
This dog. If you have any food, or are even thinking about getting food {even a carrot!} this dog is right there by your side, staring you down. My favorite though, is when she puts her paw right on your foot, you know, just in case you didn’t see her. đ That Lucy, she’s something else.
Eye on the prize Lou…. Eye on the prize.
Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden
T’was a good week for gardening. Cooler temps meant more time outside playing in the dirt.
Just look at those spinner gourd babies!!! Pretty soon the whole fence will be covered with them.
Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard {Calling it Quits on this one for this year.}
Well, the apples on one of the trees all fell off, but there are still a few on tree number two. I guess I didn’t spray them early enough this year. Oh well, there’s always next year. Maybe we’ll actually get to pick a few this year and find out what kind of apples we have.
Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!
- Winter coats aren’t just for winter around here.
- The gladiolus are up. That’s glad de ohhh laaas for all you phonetic spellers out there.
- Polka dot glasses are MIA again… {where did I put them?!}
- I stopped plucking my eyebrows nearly 2 years ago and they are FINALLY coming in again. I thought maybe they were gone forever. Lucky me. Although I do still have to use just a dab of the eyebrow pencil for the end bits.
Goal #5 — Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500 at my little roadside vegetable stand.
I’m pretty sure we are going to have enough pumpkins for every man, woman and child on our street this fall. So far I’ve counted 42 pumpkin babies. Holy cats Batman. The little red farm stand the HH built for me last year will be open for business next week. đ
Goal #6 — Finish Every Single Unfinished Rug Hooking Project in My Pattern Bin + 10 Things from back Issues of Magazines/Books I’ve Been Meaning to Make.Â
I finished 0 patterns from my pattern bin this past week but I was able to add a bunch more wool bundles my Etsy shop. I need to get going on my fall rugs though because usually I have them all done by the end of August. But this year, I’m a wee bit behind. đ I blame it on getting old and slowing down.
Speaking of getting old, note to self: order more old lady pills. I think the HH has been stealing them from my side of the medicine cabinet. Also, why on earth would anyone have 4 tubes of opened deodorant on their shelf? Who does that? I mean, I know he doesn’t know where the dishwasher is, but I thought for sure he knew where the garbage can was.
I started the year off with:
- 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 40}
- 183 hooked flowers {finished 129, now down to 54}
- 10 “things” from back issues of magazines {finished 0}
Goal #7 — Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns {with at least half of them being large ones} DONE!
So far this year I’ve added 12 new rug hooking patterns and 13 beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop.
New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:
- Tullia and Thomas Turkey
- Double Nantucket Whale Runner
- Miss Henny and Penny
- Miss Penny
- Simple Kitty
- Primitive Flowers
- 2 Fat Cats
- Annabell’s Big Day
- Old Fashioned Double Tulip
- Fat Brown Hen
- Busy Little Bee
- Queen Bee
Rug Hooking Kits
- Busy Little Bee {in 2 different colors}
- Folk Art Heart
- Small Nantucket Whale
- Primitive Crow
- Miss Robin {in 2 different colors}
- Simple Kitty
- Primitive Flowers
- Sunflowers
- A Basket of Spring Posies
- Fat Brown Hen
- Chicky’s Garden
Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next WinterÂ
So far we have 3 1/2 cords for this winter. I say we need more. The HH says we have enough. I think my husband doesn’t like it when I set goals {that are really for him}. đ
Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone
Down to 3392 photos. Getting there. I think I liked it better when photos were printed out instead of floating through the universe. What a hassle.
Goal #10 –Lose the Muffin Top
Turns out wearing snow pants while you garden, makes you sweat a lot. Which is a good thing. Unless of course you are re-hydrating with chocolate soft serve from the local ice cream stand.
Also, I weeded the potato patch. And then noticed I forgot to finish the rock border I started earlier in the spring. Oops.
Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon
We are at day 40 on the turtle baby watch. According to the Google, hatching could occur anytime between 45-90 days. So you know, it could be any day now really and I can’t leave my post.
Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {15 down, 11 to go}
I wasn’t able to read any of the The Gown this past week and I just got a reminder saying I have to return the book in 3 days!!! I guess that means I’ll be eating a pint of Chunky Monkey for dinner tonight and reading the remaining 90% of the book up until the wee hours of the morning.
Anyone know when The Crown, Season 3 comes out?
Also my neighbor, the Artist, dropped off an enormous stack of craft magazines to go through before she donates them to the local Y’art Sale. But first, I need to read the Gown before I go thumbing through anything.
I am waiting my turn on the library wait list for the following audio book{s}:
- On Writing {I’ve already listened to this 2 times but it’s sooo good, even if the only writing I do is an online journal.
- Mistress of the Ritz
- Grateful American
Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:
- Marilla of Green Gables #1 Favorite
- The Great Alone #2
- The Aviator’s Wife #3
- Before We Were Yours #4
- Secrets of a Charmed Life #5
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette #6
- Carnegieâs Maid #7
- The Alice Network #8
- The Shape of Mercy #9
- Will’s Red Coat #10
- Big Little Lies #11
- Bunny Mellon {Doesn’t count because it was my second time}
- Walden
- Finder’s Keepers
- Delicious!
- Following Atticus
Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.
19 down, 33 recipes to go. Caprese Salad
Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog
9 down, 44 to go. I’ll get crackin’ once fall {and cooler temps} come around.
Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 41 down, 59 to go.
I just picked up a half peck of peaches yesterday. Anyone have any good peach recipes?
So far this year I’ve I canned:
- 7 jars of Strawberry Jam
- 15 jars of Carrot Cake Jam
- 15 jars of Spiced Pear JamÂ
- 4 jars of Almond Pears.
Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House
Furniture pieces I’m still on the hunt for:
Coffee table for the family roomConsole, cupboard or sideboard for the one and only tv in our house which is in the family room. I could totally live without a television, but my husband says the tv stays.Long rectangular table for the craft room.- Table for the formal dining room.
- 2 wing back chairs for the family room.
I’d also like to decorate the mantel in the keeping roomas well as put up some sort of decoration above the other321 fireplaces in the house. I’m not one for a lot of things on the walls, but it would be nice to throw up a little pilgrim bling on the plaster.
Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {24 down, 28 to go}
He mentioned wanting to go to Cracker Barrel. I just rolled my eyes at him and walked out of the room.
Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class Done {I’ve taken 2!}
- I’m keeping the first class I took with my neighbor top secret for now
- Spoon Carving Class with Heather.
Goal #19 — Secret {for now} Holiday Project
The big reveal… Friday, September 13th, 2019.
Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters
4 down, 8 to go.
Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores
8 down 4 to go.
So far this year we’ve visited:
- Chase’s Daily {I think it should count}
- Squam Lake Marketplace
- Harrisville General Store
- Dodge’s Store in New Boston, New Hampshire
- Zeb’s General Store in North Conway, New Hampshire
- Dan and Whit’s in Norwich, Vermont
- Hussey’s General Store in Windsor, Maine
Goal #22 — Compete with Carole….. Get on My Front Door Game On
The bunting is still up. đ
Front Door Bling I’ve Made So Far This Year to Compete with Carole:
- Late January : Valentine Heart
- Late February : Shamrock
- Late March : Giant Carrot
- May: White wave petunia hanging basket
- June/July: Tin Star and Flag Bunting
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How about YOU? What are your goals for 2019? If you told us about them HERE, check in! We want to know how you are doing. Because seriously, it’s so much easier to get those goals checked off your list when you have people rooting for you! đ
♥ Mavis
You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.
Lill says
You should show us your neighbor’s door bling along with yours
Julie T says
We are at Emerald Isle NC this week and the eggs are hatching here.
sharon says
I finished listening to Mistress Of The Ritz last week. I really enjoyed it and what made it even better is that it’s based on real people!
Mel says
Am I the only one thinking Turtle Watch 2019 counts as a marathon? I mean, it’s not a sprint.
My goals for this past week were to
1) Dry our cayenne peppers if the humidity finally drops. (Still humid, so no. But it’s cooling a bit, so I may finally get a chance for this.)
2) Finish dusting the last room. (Started. Might finish today.)
3) Wash the last two area rugs. (Nope. I need my husband to lift the 10-seater antique dining table off of the last one.)
4) Finish putting the guest bathroom together. (Done!)
3) Get back to my school year routine. I always switch back about when school starts, so I want to try a gradual switch this year. I found an app that might help with this. (Done! The app has been super helpful.)
4) Wash the curtains. (Done! Including shower curtains.)
5) Wash the couch covers. (Done!)
6) Clean the tops of the kitchen cabinets. (Done! But I still need to climb back up there and put Press n’ Seal over them so I can just peel that off next time.)
7) Maintain or increase time on the treadmill. (Done!)
8) Make 5-10 more freezer breakfasts. (Done!)
9) Make 30 more freezer meals. (Done! I overshot and made 54.)
I am theoretically going back to work this week (though they need to finish renovating my office), so my goals are to:
1) Wrap up loose ends from last week’s goals (finish washing rugs and dusting the last ceiling, try to dry the cayennes, etc.)
2) Wrap up the last few freezer recipes.
3) Stick with my back-to-school schedule (treadmill, sleep, cleaning, etc.)
4) Re-seal our granite.
Lynn Y says
I’m not a doc, but sometimes thinning eyebrows can spell thyroid issues.
Lolly says
I’m curious about when The Crown comes out, too! We’ve not had netflix for several months, but I told dh we’ll have to get it for a month when The Crown comes back, so we can binge watch the show. đ
Dianna says
What shoes are you wearing in the Turtle Watch 2019 countdown photo? Also I love turtles and super glad you are ensuring their safety.
Mavis Butterfield says
DuckFeet {you can get a $30 off coupon HERE}. I normally wear an 8, sometimes 8.5 in sneakers and ordered size 38 and they fit my feet perfectly. The style I bought is Blavand in navy.
LaToya says
My pupper is a lot like Lucy … but Lucy is probably smarter.
I made some double chocolate m&m cookies and had to hide them from my son so I put them in our closet. We were watching TV and I realized that the pup wasn’t around and it was awfully quiet. So I called for her … and she strolls out of my bedroom looking mighty satisfied and impressed with herself. I called her over and noticed chocolate crumbs in her beard and she smelled like chocolate. I ran to the cookie tray and counted that she had eaten ELEVEN of them. So off to the pupper ER we went … to get her stomach pumped and all that good stuff.
I just heard this week that The Crown is coming out in November. I miss my Brits .. They teased us with Call the Midwife. New episodes showed up and it was just the 2 of the Christmas Special and not the whole season.
I bought supplies to make that TANG JELLY I found in your archives. It seems super easy so that’s gonna be the first canning “project” I do. I don’t want to invest in a bunch of fruit or veg to can if I am going to hate canning. Patience isn’t high on my list of traits – heh.
Have a great week!
Mavis Butterfield says
ELEVEN!!!!!
Debi says
You are making good progress! I can’t wait to see your baby turtles. We watched a mama turtle lay her eggs in our backyard a few years back but we never saw the babies hatch and leave. đ Is that a greenhouse behind your potato patch with the partially finished rock border? I’ve been wanting to build a small greenhouse but I wasn’t sure how a plastic one would hold up in our winters. Since you are across the lake from us I’m curious about yours.
eliz says
Did you feel you had been over tweezing your brows until 2 years ago? I hadn’t noticed in your photos. I guess a full brow is in now. I never know what to do.
Mavis Butterfield says
No, I wasn’t an over tweezer. More of a stray tweezer but I noticed they weren’t growing in very fast so I stop tweezing for a while. đ
Torry says
My Goals:
1. Sew: My Barbie gown count is 350 for the local charity. And 40 for the auction that my grandson’s daycare holds.
2. Use up my stash: Most of the Barbie dresses are from my stash.
3. Find and finish half done projects: I pulled out one and got it prepped to do this coming week. Also finished another project from that pile.
4. Walk every day: Yes
5. Make one new recipe every week. I admit defeat on this one.
6.Clean more often. I’m keeping up on this one and I’m proud of myself!
7. Date nights with my husband. Yes.
8.Read more: I’m still working on this and getting books out of the house; however, it is not even noticeable. Oh, well, I know it is going down. By this time next year, it may be noticeable.