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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

March Joy List


February Joy List

1. Volunteer at Independence Place
2.Volunteer with Homeless Ministry
3. Start tomato seedlings   Bought everything but just didn't get around to it
4. Make a Christmas present
5. Use only meats, chicken or fish from the freezer (No protein buying this month)
6. Make a large dent in the foods in the pantry (Time to use storage items)
7, Start growing sprouts again (I have missed these, especially radish sprouts)
8. Initiate contact with a friend I am no longer in touch with (No one particular but over a lifetime there are many dear folks I have neglected.)  Reconnected with a friend from High School.  Enjoyed the coffee and conversation Carol!
9. Take Mom to visit Uncle Bob (She mentions this weekly and I am available but we still haven't gone)
10. Try a different hair color, even if it is just a temporary rinse Went darker, no bueno!
11. Try a new fruit or vegetable  Tried kohlrabi meh
12. Listen to some ethnic music from a culture I  have not listened to before. Bought and listened to some didgeridoo music.  It is beautiful, but a little of it goes a long way
13. See a play Saw Chicago (for the 4th time)
14. Go to a movie solo in the middle of the day.
15. Repair the sewing machine and refashion some frumpy item found in my closet (thinking black dress)
16. Enjoy Fat Tuesday to its fullest, because Lent starts at 12:01 I did not know it was possible to eat that much chocolate in one day
17. Observe Lent without whining (even to myself) Observing, but whining
18. Take the large food donation to the food bank
19. Get rid of 10 items each week (purge) Way more than 40 items
20. Find and enjoy some free live music.
21. Work on the family cookbook.
22. Take food to someone who is having a hard time.
23. Take Mom out to do something at night each week this month. (She and Dad did a lot at night and she misses the night lights.  My mistake for not catching on to this earlier) Giving this a half mark. Took her some weeks but not others.
24. Have a small dinner party
25. Go for a drive somewhere I have never been before. Bonus points for taking Mom, and even more if we find some quaint little shop to explore.
26. Hand make Valentines My Beloved Sister and I do this every year. Our objective is to make ours to each other funny enough to make them laugh.  Bonus points are awarded if you can catch each other  sipping coffee while reading the card and make them spew
27. Celebrate Chinese New Year (Eat takeout Chinese in the dining room and use the "good" dishes and chopsticks) and Valentine's Day (Dining room candlelight meal, "good" dishes sans chopsticks) And for the record, Valentine's lunch was a grilled hamburger served on China, so no utensils were actually required.
28. Read 4 books. Thanks to Band of Brothers I am on a WW2 kick right now, should be interesting to see what I pick to read. Read 3 1/2 .  Just couldn't finish the 4th by the 29th
29. Reserve one night to be completely video/tv/computer free.  Listen to symphonic music only

March Joy List

1.  Volunteer at Independence Place
2.  Volunteer with  homeless ministry
3.  Find and enjoy free live music Nck Finzer and Chris Ziemba
4.  Go to an art show
5.  Use some form of transportation I don't normally use  Rode the train today
6.  Make a Christmas present 
7.  Work on learning Spanish
8.  Use remainder of frozen meats
9.  Decorate for St. Pat's and then Easter (They are terribly close together this year so maybe just       Easter)   Simple Easter decorations won
10. Plan something special for Mom's birthday Early dinner at Mom's with Sis, TheHub, Mom Son2, and me.  She really liked it though.
11. Take Mom out weekly at night
12. Explore a small town  nearby.  Visit a local business and eat at a local restaurant/diner there.
13. Read 4 books The Things We Bury, The Kitchen House,
14. Paint a couple of pictures for the lake place
15. Try a new to me vegetable, herb or fruit
16. Go to a museum
17. Learn jazz  piano (at least 1 song)
18. Make citrus infused wine for summer  And now the wait begins
19. Begin the seasonal wardrobe change About the time I began, cool weather came back.  Too bad!
20. Refashion at least 1 clothing item.
21. Get rid or 10 items per week
22. Reconnect with someone I have lost touch with.
23. See a play Saw "Million Dollar Quartet"
24.  Go to the park and watch a random little league baseball game
25. Try an ethnic meal from a region I have never tried before
26. Send someone a handwritten congratulatory note.
27. Take food to someone having a rough patch.
28. Try a totally new and different hair style/color
29. Buy and donate an Easter outfit for a kid
30. Keep a gratitude notebook for March, listing every good thing.
31. Eat something chocolaty and gooey after Lent, then hop back on the paleo wagon.
32. Remember to be kind, even when I don't want to be.
33. Do something for someone randomly, expecting nothing in return

15 comments:

  1. you know the one about visiting uncle bob? you will kick yourself if you dontdo it so seize the day!
    my mums side of the family are all in new zealand and my husband always said he would take us to see them. my uncle died unexpectedly last week so i can still see everyone else but not him and it happens when you least expect

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    1. Oh I know! I am willing but Mom has not felt like making the drive. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks

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  2. So jealous that you can actually do #19 in March! It's about May/June around here....lolz

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    1. After about mid-March we have days that are spectacular and require lighter clothes. Might as well go ahead and start putting back the dark dreary duds and wear something bright.

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  3. One of these days, I'm going to use your list as a beginning of one for me. In the meantime, I'm wondering if this month you're going red with your hair?

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  4. That is a possibility. After the brown experience I remembered why I have never colored it dark before. I look kind of funny as a brunette. I still think I might try either auburn or strawberry blond

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    1. My natural color and gray covering color is auburn, so I vote for that one.

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  5. Love this list. It is giving me a mild case of the guilts - which is probably not a bad thing.
    Thank you.

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  6. I think I post this out of guilt, to hopefully point me in a better direction for the month.

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  7. I can't wait to see #20 and I'm with you on 21! I may just drag everything out of DJ's room and call it a day. It's really the only room that hasn't had a redo/update.

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    1. I have decided I will only buy 2 items to wear this year so if I want anything to look "new" I am going to have to create it from existing duds. (This 2 item rule excludes swimwear though. I think most of my suits were toast by the end of last summer)

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  8. How do you make citrus infused wine?? Sounds delicious for the hot weather. Which will be a few more months in these here parts!

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  9. Jane, I have never had this before so I can't vouch for it, but have heard from others who made it that it is fantastic and they are making multiples to have throughout the summer. However it is more amped up than just wine.

    2 Caro Caro Oranges (or navel oranges)
    1 white grapefruit
    1/2 vanilla bean, split
    1/2 cup brandy
    1/2 cup vodka
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 bottle dry white wine
    wash the fruit well and slice the oranges into 1/4 inch rounds.
    Cut the grapefruit in half and slice into "half moons"
    Split the fruit between 2 32 ounce mason jars (be sure they are sterile)
    cut the half of the vanilla bean in half (split down the middle and put one in each jar.
    pour in the brandy, vodka and sugar and put the lid on. Shake well to mix everything then pour in the wine, splitting it between the 2 jars. Shake it again then put the jars in a cool dark place. Shake them daily (yeah right!) Store in the dark for 1 month, then strain the fruit from the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Bottle it and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Be sure to let it age for 1 month in the fridge before drinking it. I made some today and according to these instructions it should be ready the first week of May. Just in time for the warmer weather here!

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  10. I love your list, Anne! I would love to copy it and do all of these things myself but I know it would probably take me a year just to do them all. lol. I wanted to let you know that I did get your email but I am having trouble with my email right now and can't reply back. I am working on trying to figure out the problem. I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get back to you. We've had cooties going around the house and husband has been sick, so it's been... exciting. (Not.)
    I hope you are having a great weekend.
    And Happy Birthday to your mom! :)

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  11. Thanks for the Happy Birthday to Mom. She is happy to be here but fighting getting older!

    Don't worry about getting back to me. The Dvd's are just hanging out and if you want them, they can wait!

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