I am so grateful to Cathy for inspiring this list, it has been surprisingly motivating, and prompted some interesting conversations with family and friends. The original post can be found here.
Time for a progress report:
16 walks
Zero
I have been on a few walks but none for more than an hour yet. The incessant wind and rain has not helped.
15 handmade cards
Zero
14 items in my Etsy shop
One
My first item: a white wig
I was trying out a new pattern and this one came up a little big for anyone wanting to where it as a Chemo Cap, so I am selling it a bit cheaper than it will be sold when I have the pattern created to perfection.
It would be fine on a head with hair, or on a man who wanted to wear it for fancy dress – the ghost of a Jane Austen character perhaps?!
13 different types of bead
Zero
I am going to swap this with 10 swims as I have now joined a Leisure Club so swims should be easier. And 13 different types of beads was always going to be a bit of a stretch
I have tried one sort of bead as seen on You Tube using plastic bottles, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01x5SKNMPpg
but sadly it didn’t work for me, maybe it would work with thinner plastic – more experimenting needed.
12 garden posts
One
I just squeaked it in yesterday, click here to see it.
11 bags
I have not made one myself but I am very proud to show you a bag that I helped Miss E to make as a Christmas present. She chose all the fabrics and made all the design decisions. I was her studio assistant, helping with a few techniques. We both learnt a lot. She became very confident on the sewing machine and I am now able to leave her to get on with machine stitching by herself.
10 swims
Five
I am upgrading the Swim total to the 13 slot as now that I have joined Highlands End Leisure Club I know it is going to be very achievable.
The wonderful spin-off is that I can take guests and so these swims have become social events as well.
9 pieces of textile art
Zero
I’m excited and nervous about this. I will be using some precious vintage material given to me many years ago. I have booked into a 3 day textile art workshop in March, hopefully this will give me the inspiration and courage I need.
8 mornings sorting and storing
One
I have decided that a morning is 4 hours – say 9am til 1pm
After a couple of false starts I have managed one morning.
7 paintings
Zero
Elusive Trope suggested I put some dates in the diary for painting – a great idea.
So I have booked myself on a Lino Cut workshop with friend and artist Hugh Dunford Wood in February in Lyme Regis. It’s easier to fix something away from home – so often other things crop up if I try to set aside time here. I know Lino-Cuts are not exactly paintings, but I’m thinking I can stretch my ‘7’ to include any form of picture I make. In my mind I will create a collage which will include painting and lino-cut prints – we’ll see where the inspiration of the workshop takes me.
6 bus rides
Zero
I have downloaded the local bus timetables, and wait for clearer weather.
5 new forms of exercise
Four
I’m most thrilled, excited and proud of this one!
a) I have joined a Belly Dancing class on Thursday evenings HaHaHaHahahaha!!!!!! Hilarious! My grandchildren giggled uncontrollably when I told them and went around the room doing what they thought bellydancing might look like shouting out “A belly dancing Granny????!!!!!!” and then rolling on the floor laughing.
b) I tried a session of Pilates. I’m sure it did me good coz – oh! the aches next day!
c) One session of Dance a Day. I found this regular group on a Dorset Dance website. I did enjoy the session, but it was more about stretching and moving quite slowly. I want more of a workout.
d) A 5 minute walk away in our village hall, there is a one hour class every Monday that mixes dance, zumba, aerobics and pilates. Perfect way to start my week! Love it!
So already I have tried 4 out of 5 new forms of exercise. Well done me!
4 new patterns
Zero
A pattern for bobble hats is likely to be the first.
3 massages
Zero
I need one every morning after belly dancing! It really seems to worry my lower back with all that circling and thrusting! I love it though, it is such a laugh.
I’ve booked a massage in February – oh how I am looking forward to it.
2 ways to help refugees
Zero
I have been doing some research and linked in with Bridport Unitarian Chapel, who took a group to Calais for 3 days this January.
I have also been in touch with Lee Godwin who takes blankets to refugees and we are looking at dates to see if I can go with her on one of her trips – I’ll keep you posted.
1 novel
Zero
I have had ‘Meet me under the Ombu Tree’ by Santa Montefiore sitting on my bookshelf for a few years. I’ve read and liked her books before. Just can’t find the right time for reading it though – maybe I will have to wait until I go on holiday. I think my reading time nowadays is spent reading blogs – which I love!
Do you know about http://www.librivox.org.
I heard about it on a BBC Radio4 programme, it is a free app, volunteers read all sorts of books, really there is a massive selection – I might try that.
0 beads bought
Zero
I drove past a new bead shop in my local town without stopping! Gosh that was hard!
~
Lots of ZEROs, but I feel I have made a good start.
It’s not too late to make a list – What would you have as your number 16?
Pingback: 16 for 2016 | Murtagh's Meadow
Would you believe I have a draft of this, inspired by you but had trouble filling in all of it. My intention was to get it out by the end of the month. I revisited it today and nearly deleted it, abandoning, but I didn’t…wonder is it too late. I will commit a bit of time here and see if I can fill in the others. The higher numbers are giving me a bit of a challenge. I may have to nab your swim one. I love it, it is do able, but I put off so many things for me to do other things that seem more necessary…along that thinking I could probably fill in the rest of it!! What do I WANT to do!? Ha, ha, inspired!! Thanks, and oh ya, love this update!! Hugs my dear friend!
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Definitely not too late! Jen is going to do her first review in March, so you have plenty of time to get your list done. No rush. I love this because we can make up our own rules to suit ourselves. And deffo include lots of things you WANT to do. In fact ONLY include things you want to do! ❤️ Xx
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Will do then!
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Hurray! Excited! It’ll be fun! 👍😄
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Only a couple more to fill in…
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Lots of zeros? Pshaw. Lots of time left I’d say. You’ve made huge progress in the exercise department (and that’s always a difficult one)! And your curly wig is adorable. So, go you! I should do a progress report in March, maybe I’ll have some walks in by then.
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Yep, loads of time. I’m quietly confident. Glad you like the wig, they are fun to design. Looking forward to hearing all about how you get on in March. 3 of us doing this together is great.
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Yes, safety (power?) in numbers!
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The biggest challenge would be putting the list together in the first place so you did that and have now made a start on tackling the challenges – well done! To make it seem more manageable (or put it into perspective) you could always add together the number of challenges and see how many you would have to average each month…I make it 11 and a bit… Hmm, better get on with them then…! 😉 Seriously though, it is a great incentive to do new things – or in the case of buying beads, to stop doing things – and I shall be most interested reading about your progress
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Have I given the impression that this list is feeling daunting? I didn’t mean to – it just seems great fun at the moment. The only part that is not feeling very likely to be achieved are the 7 paintings, but already I’m relaxing the rules on that one – we are only in January after all.
Thanks for your support, it really is very much appreciated. ❤
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You change the rules with your own challenge, can’ t you?
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Exactly so – that’s what I love about this way of doing it 😉 I’ve never been very competitive against others, but I do like a personal challenge, and being able to share it here feels great.
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Yes, I like a personal challenge – hence not buying plants in 2016 😐
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I wonder which month will be most tempting for you – good luck!
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I will not be tempted in any month Sandra… 😉
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You certainly seem to be doing well with new forms of exercise. I have just come back from a six mile ramble and am going to have a rest.
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How lovely – no better form of tiredness in my book. It was sunny here this morning,was it sunny with you? A lovely day for a ramble – I’m jealous! I’ve had a horrid virus for a week now and am still feeling weak and feeble – next week maybe.
Hope the rest of your weekend goes well.
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Yes it turned out to be a lovely day. Blue sky and sunshine by the middle of the walk. My sympathy re the cold. I had one a couple of weeks ago and had to forgo the previous Saturday ramble!
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You’re doing really well – I love the honesty of this – so many people would just ignore the zerosz
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Bless you MM – your encouragement is fantastic – thank you!
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I’ve missed this starting but I did see your garden post. Lots of zeros yes, but lots of new exercise which I bet will put you in a better frame of mind for all the other things. Your mention of belly dancing made me chuckle – my mum and sister did it about 10 years and ended up buying fancy costumes and everything. 😃
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Ah, I realise a link to the original post would be a good idea – thanks, I’ve put that right now and added one.
Fun that your Mum and sister did Belly Dancing, did they do it together? Did they do it for 10 years, or 10 years ago? If they did it for 10 years they must have become REALLY good!
Costumes!!Ha!Ha! I already have a jingly-jangly belt I bought back in my festival-going days – at last it is being used for its right purpose. I wonder if I will be lured into the full regalia – I’m very tempted to go all out!!! If only for the further entertainment of my grandchildren.
Thank so much for your support, this challenge is proving to be a lot of fun.
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It was 10 years ago and I think it lasted about 6 months. My mum just had the belt but my sis went all in! Wouldn’t know if they ever got good at it, but they were better than me!
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😀
I’d love to be able to do this with my daughter – it is one of those female bonding things to do – I love the humour of women together especially when there are plenty of opportunities for bawdiness!
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Great list Daffy. You might have some zeros but you have done well with other things! I am envious of your belly dancing! That is one thing I am sure I have got he right shape for! Well done for joining the new leisure centre too. It;s great that you can take people along. I loved that bag your granddaughter made. She is going to be so creative, just like you, what a wonderful gift to give someone.
Keep at it Daffy! 🙂
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It feels so good to have you cheering me on Eddie ❤
It really does help, I never would have believed how much. Thank you muchly! xx
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Oh, yes, I am right behind you Daffy x
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👍 🙂
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Well done you! Fantastic start! And all that exercise. Wow! Double well done you
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I can’t thank you enough Cathy. I’m still amazed at how motivating it is to have this list and to be sharing it with you. I surprised myself!
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