Get Back To The Basics + Learning to Unplug
I left the house yesterday for the first time in 9 days! I had no idea it had been that long. Holy cats! I guess winter agrees with me.
I did a great job of staying off the internet. I was tempted to write a post yesterday but kept the laptop closed and listened to an audiobook instead.
Oh, and I got to have breakfast in bed too. 🙂 A pear tart. Ya baby!
In The Kitchen
We stopped by Costco and they had Heinz beans 6 for $7.99. I LOVE those!!!
I enjoyed my one hundred dollars a month grocery challenge SO MUCH, that I’ll be doing it again this month.
But with a twist. I’ll tell you all about it on Friday. I will say this though, I am looking forward to using an oven again!
Kitchen Goals For This Year
- Master the pear frangipane tart from Standard Baking Company.
- Put my Weck jars to use.
- Use two bins of beans.
Rug Hooking
I’ve kept busy drawing patterns, making kits and dyeing wool.
Originally I was going to try and get all my patterns drawn by the end of the month but it’s been easier to draw patterns and make kits simultaneously so I’m doing that instead.
I’m still on track to finish everything by the end of March so I’m pretty pumped about that.
In the evening I’ve been hooking rugs and turning them into pillows. I still have a few more to finish but I’m hoping I’ll be done on Friday so I can get them listed in my Etsy shop.
Rug Hooking Goals For This Year
- Finish drawing out all my patterns by January 31st.
- Finish making all my kits by February 28th.
- Finish dyeing wool by March 31st.
- Release 10 new rug hooking patterns/kits. {2 down 8 to go}
- Hook 27 of the patterns from the “someday I’ll hook these” bin. {1 down 26 to go}
Go New Places – See New Things
Why would I want to go anywhere!? I love the snow. 🙂
Things have been super quiet around town lately, which is fine by me. I think everyone is in hibernation mode. I haven’t even seen anyone out walking.
The HH says he wants to hop on a plane and go somewhere warm. I told him to just turn up the furnace and sit in front of a heat lamp.
Travel Goals For This Year
- Travel someplace {internationally} that I’ve never been before.
- Travel somewhere in Maine {overnight} that I haven’t been before.
Walk And Stretch More
Not only is it too cold to go out walking, but there’s still a ton of ice on the sidewalks. I have zero interest in falling on my keister {with or without traction strips on my shoes}.
Once the snow melts and it’s safe to go out walking, I’ll go. But for now, I’m hanging out inside.
Walking/Stretching Goals For This Year
- Get into some sort of stretching routine
- Fast walk a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon
Garden
My garden seeds and raised garden beds are here and ready to go! We just need the snow to melt and the weather to warm up now.
I figure by the end of March or early April the HH will be able to put the garden beds together and we can get the garden started.
Meanwhile I’ve been working on organizing my seeds by their {indoor and outdoor} sowing date.
The lavender seeds I started a few weeks ago are up and now I’m waiting on the flat of chives I planted to sprout. If all goes well I’ll have entire flat {72 plants!} to work with. We’ll see.
Garden Goals For This Year
- Rework the driveway and garden areas
- Go crazy and plant a ridiculous amount of flowers
- Step out of my comfort zone and plant some flowers I’ve never planted before.
Paint
I didn’t work on my latest paint by number kit last week but I did get the trim painted on one of the future “gallery” walls.
Once I get everything hung up I’ll paint another section of the stairway and hopefully by the end of the year {maybe even summer} I’ll have the whole inside of the house repainted.
Painting Goals For This Year
- The Van Gogh wall
- The gallery wall down stairs
- The captains wall in the hall
- Trim and walls
Well, that’s what’s happening here in Maine. What’s new at YOUR place? Anything exciting?
I hope you have a fantastic day!
~Mavis
Nancy Settel says
Holy Moly it is actually warmer in Maine than it is in Delaware!!!
Meg C says
Hi, Mavis! My friend wants to paint the entire interior of her house some shade of white. I know you have a favorite color white that you like to use but I can’t seem to find it easily in your posts…I did search and google lol. Can you please share that color with me so I can pass it along to my friends? Thank you so much for your help!
Mavis Butterfield says
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. Eggshell for the walls, semi-gloss for the trim. It’s my favorite white.
Meg C says
Thank you!
Rosemary says
If your hubby wants to go to some place warm – don’t come to Florida! It is cold down here!! LOL Apparently, there are parts of Florida that are colder than Alaska . . .
Mavis Butterfield says
He was just saying that!! Crazy how cold is it there. Stay warm Rosemary, I’ll be thinking of you!
Heather in Nevada says
Miami was colder than South Lake Tahoe and Truckee the other day, which is just crazy.
Jody says
I have to agree with your hubby about taking a trip somewhere warm! It was 82 degrees in Arizona yesterday according to my brother. Yes please! This (for me) has been an awful winter-too cold!
Your goal list is always so inspiring! Maybe if I spent less time complaining about the weather I would get more accomplished!
Mavis Butterfield says
mid 70’s is my happy spot but I’d take 82 for a day or two, that’s for sure.
Deb from Ohio says
Wow, another food challenge, I’ll be interested in reading about it! Do you have any place you could go “snow walking”? Just walk in undisturbed snow, wearing boots, not on sidewalks or anything plowed. It’s a real workout if it’s very deep, lifting each foot up from the snow. I did 15 mins this morning, def harder than normal walking.
Mavis Butterfield says
Maybe, but I’d rather just walk out the door and go walking. We do have some sunny days ahead so hopefully that will help melt the snow and ice.
Susan says
I’m not a goals person, but did make up a list of quilting projects to do for the monthly contest at the quilt shop (UFOs – unfinished objects). Then this week, while on vacation, decided to add 6 more to the list and do quilts for the great-nieces and great-nephew.
I did finish 4 of the UFOs in January, so should be able to easily finish the whole list of the 12 for the monthly plus the 5 extra credits and now adding the 6 additional.
One of the UFOs was to complete 3 insulated RV window covers and I completed 4, but still have 5 windows to go. With our first RV trip of the year planned for the end of March, having those window covers when temps will likely drop before 40’s will help keep us toasty warm inside.
Retirement is grand for having plenty of time work on fun projects!
Mavis Butterfield says
So glad you are having a great time this winter quilting!!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks says
Hi Mavis, this has nothing to do with your goals, rather mine, but I wanted to share.
I have read about your Costco chicken salad for YEARS! I make a family favorite chicken salad, but it is a lot of work-boiling and cutting chicken, chopping celery, boiling and chopping eggs etc. I have another recipe I sometimes substitute that is a little less work. Both of them require much mayonnaise.
I had bought some canned chicken, which I do not usually do. I have been doing a pantry challenge as one of my goals so decided to use up the chicken and remembered your recipe. And yes, I already had all the ingredients! I made it for a family gathering and it got all thumbs up. It was much simpler and much less mayo. It’s definitely a winner and will be going in the rotation. Thank you for sharing!
Mavis Butterfield says
That’s awesome Lynn! I’m so glad you liked it!! I think it’s a big time saver!! 🙂 Here is the link in case anyone else want’s to try it. https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/my-favorite-chicken-salad-recipe-in-costco-canned-chicken/
Alecia Loveless says
For what it’s worth traveling to a warmer climate doesn’t always work out! I went to Texas 1/21/26 to visit family and ended up being iced in with temperatures below freezing for 5 days. The week prior to that the temps had been in the 60s and later this week they’re supposed to be in the 60s again. Unfortunately I just had the misfortune of booking the wrong 10 days to be there!
Kim says
Hi Mavis! I thought of you the other day when I saw an advertisement for a paint by number kit. You submit a photo and they create a paint by number on canvas and supply the paints. I thought it would be cute if you painted a picture of Lucy to add to your collection!
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ve been thinking about doing this!!! Thanks for the reminder.
Margo says
If your husband can get a plane quickly, it will be 81 today and 87 tomorrow where I am in eastern San Diego County. Then it will only be in the 70’s the rest of the week. Balmy, considering what temps are out there across the country this week!
Mavis Butterfield says
He could go to In-n-Out!
Marcia says
Love the house pic and cannot wait to see your progress in the $100 / month this month. We are enjoying a plethora of ham.
If you want warmth, while it was freezing all over the country, it was in the lower 80’s here in So Cal. It was so hot my husband had to switch the heat pump over to AC. On a plus note, the solar panels are working great and the battery has been full…