From “Late Summer” by Jennifer Grotz:
Summer lingers, but it’s about ending. It’s about how things
redden and ripen and burst and come down.
Since we’re more than halfway through the year, I thought it might be a good time to check in on the resolutions I made back in January. So, here are my goals and the progress I’ve made:
1. Paint the basement and put up the curtain walls.
// Making some good progress here! I’ve primed most of the walls, painted and semi-furnished Damian’s workshop area, and I have in my possession the dropcloths I’m going to use as curtains. I need to get some galvanized steel pipes to hang them from (they’re pretty heavy), and finish priming and painting the remaining areas.
2. Work on creating my “mom cave” so I can be creative without distractions.
// I did set up a nice craft/art area in the basement, but it is going to be a shared area for me and the kids. Now I’m working on creating a “cloffice” for myself in our bedroom. So far I’ve removed the old shelves, filled all the holes, primed, and painted. The last step is to buy the lumber and install the shelves and desk.
3. Finally finish college and have a graduation party!
// DONE!!!!
4. Read all of the books that I got for Christmas, before next Christmas.
// I’ve finished 3 out of 4!
5. Write letters to my grandmother once a month.
// I think I’ve done pretty well with this, though I’m not actually keeping track. It’s the gesture that counts. I’m also trying to be better about corresponding with friends and family, in general.
6. Stick to the budget I created last fall, which was completely disregarded in December…
// For this goal I’ve been all over the place. We had unexpected car-related expenses in July that totaled over $600 so that month the budget kind of went out the window. I am trying to be more aware of our finances, though. And, I try to update my budget spreadsheet on a bi-weekly basis.
7. Schedule time to be alone, time to be with my kids (individually), and time to be with my husband.
// Nope.
8. Put up pictures in the hallway.
// Not yet.
9. Work on Lillia’s ballet performance scrapbook.
// Argh! I need to do this!
10. Grow some stuff! (Vegetables, flowers, whatever strikes my fancy).
// I got some hand-me-down tomatoes from my parents and they have actually produced some fruit. Not enough to be more than passing entertainment for a toddler, but still…
11. See my friends at least once this year. I miss them.
// Still need to do this. My friend left me a message and I need to call her back!
12. Learn how to use my new camera — techniques and composition.
// I haven’t really worked on this yet. I would love to take a class.
13. Work on the Anna Maria Horner feather quilt (the only craft on this list, for a good reason).
// I doubt this will happen, but there’s still time!
I have a ton of pictures from our vacation to Maine, but I can’t do anything with them until I get my laptop back. It should arrive this week, so hopefully I will have a chance to work on that soon.
