Goals

Most people, if not everyone, make goals. They may be big, or small. Hard to reach or easy to accomplish. Some may take a toll on us physically or mentally or they may be fun.  Some may take a toll on our family and friends. We may give up or overachieve. Six months ago I accidentally started a goal, or perhaps I just accidentally started reaching a goal. One day, I looked at my FitBit app and saw that I had managed to reach my 10,000 step a day goal for over a week. Then it was over two weeks, a month. Then it became a thing that I kept striving for. Today makes six months that I have reached at least 10,000 steps every day. It hasn’t been easy. When I was working much of the day I was sitting. I had to make time after work, tired, to walk. There was, and still is, a pandemic making it problematic to do things with other people as much as before. My daughter has had to try to get used to her mother walking around the house, like her son does-aimlessly doing circles through the rooms. There was one night, when I was just a few weeks in, that I got out of bed to get the last 100 or so steps because I forgot. This led me to aiming at getting the goal done before dinner. It is a struggle, this step goal. If it were easy, I might make it higher. Still, after six months, I am doing loops around the house to complete the steps. Maybe when spring is here, I'll be outside every day taking a walk. Now, I'll continue to get small walks where I can and loop around the house when I can't. 

The past year by month.
August 13, 2020 is when I started this trend.

That is one big happy for today, and here are some more:

• Keziah, Zed, and I emptied and sorted through boxes today.  We have been in the house for ten months and the 'make room' is not yet put together.  Zed's part where he works is, but the craft and sewing things are mostly in boxes still.  There is so much stuff!  
• One box that I went through was from my parents.  From what I could tell this Insta-Cube box has been packed since 1970!!  

That camera box had this stuff in it.
Some cool things, some trash.

• One of the things I am going to research and then plant anyway are the seeds that were in the box.  I'm looking forward to seeing if seeds packed for 1967 are still, "Rarin' to grow."

• A Christmas card from my grandparents was in the box, too.

That was their living room.

• There is one other thing that looks kind of cool; I'm not sure what it might be commemorating.  Obviously, flight, but I am curious where it originated from.

• This afternoon, before my walk, I wasn't feeling like going out.  Many thanks to TF for the encouragement and Zed for joining me during the first part of my walk.  

Zed and I both stopped to take pictures.

There is a bird in the tree... really... I think a chickadee.

Here is my face right after my FitBit let me know I had reached 10,000 steps.
I was tired and thirsty.

At home, with a jar of water. 

We were worried that they might not ever like each other. 

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Also reading: Quiet by Susan Cain.

Stay safe.

Finally Friday

 It has been almost three months since I had a job, still Friday seems to have meaning.  Perhaps it is just because it has meaning for others.  It might be that it is because of the accountability things I have been doing with TF.  This week I have managed to get almost everything done on my list, and I still have two days.  Other happy things for today:

• It is February and so cold in New Hampshire.  I decided to take a walk this morning, the length to be determined by my cold tolerance.  It was five degrees according to the app on my phone.  I chose a point along the property to make the decision as to how long I'd be out.  If my body hadn't started to generate enough heat by that point, I'd go home.  If it did, I'd do another loop or head to the conservation area.  I was still cold enough and so I was only out for about thirty minutes.  By the time I was back home, calories were burning and I was warm enough.  Keziah commented that I looked cold, I wasn't.  

• Along the walk were deer, cat and coyote footprints, new since I was out there two days ago.  

When I took this photo, I thought
I would know what it was when I got home.
Coyote or fox are my guesses now.
I can't picture the size anymore.

• The trees were making a frozen crack sound that I hesitate to put here as a happy thing.  Fear is what I felt when I heard them crack.  Since none of them fell-split by the freezing temperatures- while I was out there, I am happy.  😊 
• It was a bright, sunny day.  The cold woke me and the sun gave me energy to be productive.  

• A friend and I had a lovely facetime call today.  She is a paraeducator and had some stories to tell from this week that reminded me of the parts of that job that I like, the rewards when students enjoy or learn things.

There is a new post on my Odds and Ends blog with some possibly not pleasant photos.  Your mileage may vary.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Also reading: Quiet by Susan Cain.


Wash your hands.

Orion

 Thursday is the accountability check-in day with TF.  This week I am doing much better at reaching my goals than last week.  TF is struggling a little, but I believe she can her list done even with the set back of Texas having a deep freeze.  I must say that Texas and New Hampshire generally have a different perspective on what a deep freeze is.  This time though, the temperatures in Texas are expected to dip down into the single digits.  This is not something many in that state are prepared for.  It is still colder in New Hampshire and I am thankful the heat is working and there is fuel in the tanks.  Other things today that I am happy for:

• A few times this week I have had the opportunity to watch videos on YouTube.  The first one that was suggested had to do with top selling cut flowers.  This has sent me watching different videos about farming whenever I have a few minutes.  I've learned about composting, growing flowers, and chickens.  Learning things is a good way to use my time.  Much better than the games I play on my phone!
• My computer has been bogged down lately with no space.  I bit the bullet and bought an external hard drive today.  Tomorrow I will spend some time figuring out how to use it.  Hopefully I will be able to open the FitBit app after this.  
• Grocery shopping tonight meant that I got to see a friend who works at the store.
• Thursday is also the day that Zed and I try to go for a walk together.  The sidewalk was plowed but there is still enough snow and ice on there that we went to the mall instead.  Walking in the dark on slippery ground seemed a bad idea.  The mall was almost empty.  There were two couples walking and a few employees.  I'm not sure how it remains open.  Walking indoors is okay once in a while, but I miss outside when I stay inside too much.  This also leads to a general lack of pictures.  I tried to capture Orion when we got home, but it is mostly black.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

        I'm learning specifics about growing some of the more common garden plants.

Also reading: Quiet by Susan Cain.

        This book has confirmed that I am an introvert. 😜

Stay safe.

Happy Teddy Day

 Sometimes titles are hard.  There always seems to be a holiday somewhere, so I did a quick search and found that today is Teddy Day.  It has to do with Teddy bears and Valentine's Day.  I don't seem to have a Teddy bear in my room, but I do have a Pooh bear...

... And a penguin, llama, Tigger and Eeyore.

Other things that helped me be happy today are:

• Today I got outside for a walk (snowshoeing) before nine in the morning.  The sun shone on the fresh snow in sparkles.  There were fresh deer tracks and fresh coyote tracks.  Also some very cute little tracks that were most likely mice.

Sun rising over the garden.

Probably from a coyote.

Deer.

Probably a mouse.

• At one point along this walk I noticed a small tan plant above the snow that was wispy and light.  As I walked onto it I realized how photogenic it was.  Thankfully I found more.

Not the small plant...  VRR.

A similar small plant to the one I stepped on.
The plant is hardly visible,
it is all shadow and light.

• I'm thankful that some of the seats from the bus were left out.  It made for the perfect place to put on and take off my snowshoes.

Before cleaning off the bus seat
there was plenty of snow and frost.

At the end of the walk I had a place to sit
 and help me to remove the snowshoes.

• I'm still a learner when it comes to snowshoeing.  I am thankful and happy that the snow was soft today.  This meant that my knees landed on a frozen cushion instead of hard ground.
• Rabbit tobacco is dinner or a snack for some animals.
• I finished the pattern that I have been weaving.  I just need to add some length to it and it will be done.

It is mostly picked clean.

It wasn't completely bare yet though.
This picture was taken from under it.

☮

 Currently reading: Quiet, by Susan Cain. 

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.

Self Care Day

 Although I did some things on my list for today, there were a bunch I didn't do.  It was snowing.  That beautiful white stuff fell from the sky.  Every time I looked at the gentle flurries my back tightened.  This was a warning to not go out in the snow.  Most of the day I did things around the inside instead.

• At the recommendation of a friend, I started reading the book Quiet, by Susan Cain.  There is a waiting list to listen to it.  It is about introverts and extroverts.  That is about all I know so far.
• I've been getting my squats done, thirty today!
• Since my back was bothering me, I started to watch a movie.  I put out the yoga mat and stretched while the movie played.  This helped my back a bunch.
• Keziah, Bel, and Folke went out for a while today.  I shoveled and snowblowed most of the driveway before they got home.  There wasn't much snow.  The snowblower is not perfect, but it is way better for my back.  Then I watched more of the movie and stretched again.

Winston, poking his head out.

And turning over.

Gideon got a new pair of snow pants.
He starts ski lessons soon.

☮

Stay safe.

Monday Dinner

 We ended the day playing Dungeons and Dragons.  We didn't spend too much time playing because it was already late by the time dinner was over.  In tonight's game we did some character development and background that is setting the stage for when we continue next week.  Other happy things from today:

• Yesterday it snowed so today I shoveled.  We are supposed to get two more small storms this week.  We have a rather large driveway.  I had done what I considered enough for now when Keziah messaged me saying we were getting a snow blower today and I should come in.  We ended up buying the last of a particular type of snow thrower.  It might not be enough for a big storm, but we can still call our friend to come up and plow.  Keziah and Zed tried it out after dinner tonight.  We are ready for tomorrow's snow!
• Tonight for dinner I made a vegetable lasagne and garlic bread balls.  It took longer than I expected and was so worth it!  When I make the garlic bread balls I usually use dried parsley, I had fresh this time.  It was delicious.
• When I got to the back of the house and shoveled by the dryer vent, Nanni, the grey/brown tabby, came to the window to say hello.

Shoveling the walk way.

It is kind of hard to see... there is a reflection 
in the snow towards the middle.

The lower part of the driveway is done!

Wisps!

Nanni behind glass.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

and I just started reading Quiet, by Susan Cain.

Stay safe.

National Send a Card Day

 Instead of going to sleep after I wrote last night, I finished listening to The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah. There were many tears. In my opinion, the author does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into the story and keeping them there.

Happy things for today are:

• I went on a short walk this morning. It was snowing. The deer have a place that they seem to always use through the property. They also tend to use my footprints, once they are there, to follow as well. Generally I try to not walk on their footprints. When they have been on my trail though, I don't carve a new one.
• I've been doing a squat challenge with some friends online. Last week we did twenty a day and this week it is thirty. So far, so good!
• Folke made a delicious quiche for dinner tonight. Tomorrow is my night to cook.
• Every day is a fresh beginning. Today also included fresh snow!

A

Arch.

These tracks are by the compost bin.
It doesn't look like whatever they belong to tried to get in.

☮

Stay safe.