Hi there everyone 😀
Of course what this means is ... I don't really have that long left to achieve the list of the '50 Things' I want to do before I'm 60.
You can see details of the 38 'Things' that I'd achieved as of the beginning of 2022 here.
When I shared my 2022 update I did promise to come back very soon and let you know what I was planning to do with the 11 goals where there had either been little or no progress and what my last 2 goals might be. I'm afraid that I never actually got round to doing that so ... let's start off with the 11 ...
6 - Complete my on line photography course
As you will probably be aware I got my first iPhone about 12 months ago and since then I haven't lifted either my compact or my DSLR camera. I am just so happy with the photos that the iPhone takes that I have decided to replace this goal with ... Become competent with using my iPhone camera. I'm really happy with how I'm getting on with it. Here are just a few of my favourites so far ...
There are 15 National Parks in the UK. I have yet to holiday in The Brecon Beacons, The Broads, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs and The South Downs. Whilst I would still love to holiday in all ... I think the reality is that I won't be achieving this goal by the time I am 60.
14 - Finish off the Explorer 232 Series
For one reason or another Martin and I seem to have fallen out of love with Geocaching. We still do a bit from time to time, but I think creaking knees and general poor levels of fitness have meant that we are nowhere near as enthusiastic about this hobby as we used to be. I can't see me completing this goal, but I have decided to change it to incorporate one of my resolutions for this year, which is to ... Go swimming once a week, which is going well so far ...
Mmmmm ... what can I say? Definitely not achieved this one, though I have set myself the goal of being able to ... wear a nice dress for Rachel & Tom's wedding in August.
I am trying to lose weight, I know it will be good for me, but I'm not signing up to any fad diets anymore ... I am definitely over 'diet culture'. I am trying to eat a bit more healthily, a bit less of the stuff that I know is not good for me and to exercise a bit more. So far I have lost just short of a stone, so things are going in the right direction. Let's see what happens come August 😀
25 - Finish telling Will Sidney's story and decide what to do with his memorabilia
To be honest, whilst this does feel like a bit of a loose end, it doesn't really feel like a priority for me at the moment. I'm sure I will get round to it at some point but for now ... sorry Will I am going to have to remove you from my list ...
33 - Turn one of my photos into some form of art
Again ... whilst I'm sure I will do this at some point I have decided to replace this one with ... Display some of my own artwork. I do currently have bits and pieces dotted around the house. A mosaic heart in a frame ...
... some fabric art ...
This hasn't happened. We do still love Elford Walled Garden and do visit from time to time, but our bikes have not been out of the shed for about 18 months now. I don't think I want to ditch this one entirely but not sure we will make it to Elford ... but I would like to think that there might be some outings at some point before I hit 60.
43 - Visit Glamis Castle
This is another one we haven't managed to fit in. Our visit to Scotland was curtailed as a result of Covid and the property we were due to stay in was no longer available for letting. Whilst I would still like to explore Scotland more I am replacing this goal with ... Holiday in Kent and explore The Garden of England. This we managed to do in 2022. We spent a lovely week in an Oast House with mum and we visited so many of the National Trust properties, gardens and landmarks that I've wanted to visit for years ...
45 - Visit new places in The Peak District ... Padley Gorge, Cheedale Stepping Stones, Three Shires Head, New Mills
We only managed a single day out in The Peak District last year. It was a revisit to Thornbridge Hall to take mum, with a quick call in at The Magpie Mine on the way back ...
46 - Cycle round Carsington Water
Another cycling one that we didn't get to do. One thing we did do instead though is to ... Visit Bletchley Park ... something I've always wanted to do. I've seen the films and TV programmes and really wanted to see where it all happened. It did not disappoint. In fact we liked it so much that we revisited and took mum for afternoon tea ...
48 - Visit more Cotswold Gardens ... Sezincote, Bourton House, Batsford Arboretum, Cotswold Lavender and Cerney House
We didn't get back to The Cotswolds last year either so we still have Batsford Arboretum and Cerney House on the list of places that we'd like to get to see. Maybe this summer ... we shall see.
So of the 11 committed to but not completed as of last year this is where I am currently at ...
- 4 have been re-written and fully completed
- 2 have been re-written and are in progress
- 4 have stayed the same and we will see what happens over the next 12 months
- 1 has been completely ditched and will need another to replace it
By my reckoning that leaves me with 3 new ones to share with you ... I shall start by replacing goal number 25 ...
25 - Buy a Holiday HomeThis is something that I've always wanted to do but was beginning to think it was something that would never happen. As you will know we are now owners of a lodge on a lovely holiday park on the Llyn Peninsular. It was a bit of a spur of the moment purchase I have to say but we bought it in May and managed to spend a fair amount of time there over the course of the year. The park is currently closed but opens again for the 2023 season on 1 March so it won't be long before we are back ...
49 - Redecorate all of upstairs
We have got to the point where downstairs is looking fine but upstairs not so much. I started stripping wallpaper in the bathroom at the beginning of the first Covid lockdown and nothing has progressed whatsoever. One bedroom has a leak from the chimney, which is causing us real issues. I have lost count of the number of times the roofers have tried to fix it and the other bedroom is really ready for a refresh.
50 - Replace the windows on the front of the house
I have really been putting this job off for years. We have lovely looking hardwood Georgian windows which are really not in a good state of repair at all. I've been holding off because my head tells me I should replace them with UPVC, but that doesn't really sit that well with me at all. Also, when the windows are replaced I know it will create other jobs in having to have the render patched and maybe even having to do some redecoration inside.
Whatever I do over the course of the next couple of years will also have to be fitted in around our 'Lodge Life' so let's just see how we go 😀
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Interesting post & although I've had goals over the years, they've never really been written down as such. Some I have achieved & others probably won't happen now that I've reached my older years. Thanks for sharing with some great photos. Take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteI do think writing them down does help with achieving them. Although there are definitely ones that have become less relevant as time has gone in. 😀
DeleteI love your artwork and I'm glad you're thinking of displaying it.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It is nice to have it on display rather than all hidden away 😀
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