My goodness! January was inordinately long! Work picked up significantly from the moment everyone returned from the holidays and shows no signs of slowing down. This month might be more of the same.
For this February, I’m sharing my 31 before 31 list that I made in my late twenties, and some progress notes for each item. Going through this list was awesome. I loved seeing how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown and worked toward so many of my goals. It starts with bread.
Bake amazing breads - I bake bread, and that’s pretty amazing to me.
Perfect a soup - What makes me certain I’ve got this one in the bag is that when Kev isn’t feeling well he asks for my charred broccoli potato soup with roasted chicken.
See another sunrise (not in NY) - Lisbon, at the Miradouro do Santa Luzia.
Go to South America - We’ve gone as far as Mexico which is technically still North America, so... no. The Zika virus outbreak was part of our decision to forgo Lima for Lisbon a couple of years ago. Still, I want to go south.
Learn a new language - No, but I haven’t given up on this one.
Make pasta - Check.
Furnish and decorate a beautiful apartment - Check.
Help Kev catch a fish - No. We haven’t gone fishing in a loooong time, and the family has stopped migrating to Montauk every summer. I don’t know when we’ll next get the opportunity, but I’m determined to stick on him like a barnacle the whole day and try to help him reel one in.
Learn mom's spicy cold noodle recipe - I’ve tried. I keep trying. The difficult thing with my mother is that she blatantly enjoys befuddling me. When I ask her how much of anything to put into the sauce, she takes the ingredient from me and says “oh you know, this much” and eyeballs it without even an attempt at an estimate. It’s frustrating. It’ll be worth it when I can do the same to someone else ;)
Sew a dress - I have! I sewed myself a hot pink shift dress from a light wool blend, lined it in blush silk, and wore it to a cousin’s wedding last year! It was slightly wonky but no one noticed and I cannot overstate how proud of myself I am for actually completing a garment and wearing it out.
Take a girls' trip - My bachelorette to Arizona 2017!
Tailor the clothes that I love - Check.
Learn to invest - I still don’t have any straight investment accounts, but I’m proud of my consistent retirement planning and thankful for my time as a personal banker in which my daily conversations with customers were about their finances and planning for their future, thus making me worry and take action for my own future.
Perfect poached eggs - Check. I wouldn’t say they are perfect every time, but they are NBD to make now.
Knit sweaters - Check. I have a couple of tops under my belt, even one for the pup Fitzgerald, and one for myself underway in a very thin lace weight mohair yarn.
Be a blogger - WIP
Nail down a skincare regimen - Yep.
Be more thoughtful - WIP
Become great at planning - My wedding counts as my single greatest planning project. Beyond that, I’ve become an enthusiastic vacation planner, using spreadsheets, map apps, and all.
Make myself hats - Surprisingly, the only hat I’ve ever made for myself is not a knitted one. It was sewn from the last scraps of a luxurious Italian faux fur that I picked up in an odds and ends bin in the Garment District.
Make pottery that I'm proud of - YES! There are definitely pieces that I’ve made that I’m proud of, but more than anything I’m proud that I am keeping at it.
Take a food pilgrimage - Tuscany a few years back.
Develop a deep breakfast dish arsenal - Check, but alway looking for new breakfast dishes.
Go skiing; don't hate it - I think I’m going to let this one go..
Start a college fund for the future kiddo(s) - We’re saving and planning for sure, but I’d say at this point it’s more for our next home and our next phase of life. I do think and worry about these specific big future commitments though, and I try to keep them at the front of my mind when I have a bit left in the budget to put away.
Take some gym classes - Check, thanks to ClassPass.
Find a treatment for my back - WIP and really, I’m trying. Chiropractic, physical therapy, exercise, foam rolling.
Turn the camera around and take pictures of myself with loved ones - Better at this than I was before.
Euro trip - Check. A couple in the books and one booked for this spring.
Learn embroidery - Putting this on pause. I’m still interested in learning this skill but I’m not sure it’s at the top of my list anymore.
Learn calligraphy - I am by no means a calligrapher. I did, however hand letter each of the escort cards at my wedding. That took a ton of practice during which I found I really enjoy it as a sometimes hobby. I still practice a bit here and there. I’m going to give myself a check on this one.
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