Friday, November 25, 2016

Items 1 and 2

My big plan was to have a list of almost 40 items that I'd work on this year.  I can't come up with that many.  I got close, and I guess if I specify all of the books I want to read, that'll send it over the top, but I'm putting "read a bunch of books" into one slot.  It's been almost 2 months since I set out to be doing these specific things and I'm happy to report that I've been making some progress. 
My first project was working on learning to knit.  It's not spectacular but I'm starting to get it.  My grandma left a LOT of yarn and knitting/crocheting tools at her old house when she moved and I was able to get quite a bit of it.  I'm going to have a blast using her things, whether it's just for learning or (eventually...) for actually making legit, useable projects.  I have a feeling that it's going to be a long road to a legit project, but I'm having fun in the process. 

Beginning stages above, current stages below. 



I'm playing around with it, not aiming for perfection.  I'd say that's not too terribly bad for someone who has never done this before! 

I can't exactly call this goal completed because there's much more to learn but I'm still going to count it as #1. 

Second on the list is a book.  Mom & Me & Mom, by Maya Angelou.  That woman has such a beautiful style of writing that really works for my brain.  Not that she's writing for my brain, but the way my brain works and her writing style are a perfect combo.  So this was recommended in a list of "books to read before turning 40" type of list.  I chose around 20 or so... maybe it was closer to 30, I'm not sure, but it just so happened that I was subbing in one of my favorite places the other day and the kiddos had been reading an excerpt from this so I decided it would be my first to get to from that list.  A talking point with the kids I suppose.  Hmm.  What to say about this book.  Insightful, interesting, quick, liked it for sure, not positive that it would need to be a MUST read for me.  I am glad that I did, but I don't feel like it's changed my life or that it has any impact on my upcoming last year of 30s.  But it was really good and really readable and a great exploration of those... hmm, complicated mother-daughter relationships.  Only I can safely say that Ms. Angelou's version of that relationship is hugely different from mine.  Or anybody I know, for that matter. 

Next up will be some more books, more crafting of sorts, and likely some of grammy's recipes.  I'm hoping to do at least 10 of her spectacular items but I can only think of around 7 that I really want to try to recreate.  Lemon bars, chocolate cake with this amazing white icing, sticky buns (shoosh, you...), chicken & dumplin's, potato chip cookies, wine jelly, and a couple more.  At least.  Oh, and I'm thinking that I really need to go ahead and make her version of lemonade, even though there are about three pounds of sugar per glass.  It was well worth it! 

I'll be back soon with the next round. 

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