I love having goals. I also love watching goals brush past me as I drink more coffee and soak up the summertime sun. Even though I would say a lot of the goals I made for summer didn't pan out exactly like I would have wanted, I am okay with it. I am making a new set of goals for the "winter hibernating" months and move forward.
I am totally in love with goal setting and for me, it helps keep me focused and with a solid direction. Now, that being said, I also realize these days that sometimes what I THINK I can get done doesn't always seem realistic and I knew that going into these sets of goals.
I guess I was enamored with the ideas of long summer days, frolicking in the sun without thoughts of homework and routines...sleeping in and eating a fresh dinner from our garden. And, we did that. The biggest snag, if you will, to my lovely list of summer goals was: Larry. Back in late May when I set these goals I had no way of knowing that by mid-summer he would be traveling back home for good. It isn't that that is a bad thing...quite the opposite...but, it did change up our daily (summer) routines and we ended up down path "F" instead of my normal little, unassuming path "B".
But, I am not here to make excuses...at all. We have had a FANTASTIC summer, even though my goals are rather pathetic in what I did actually accomplish. I will revamp some of these goals for the upcoming months, and the remainder of the year, and go from there.
Let's review...
1. WRITING RELATED. Here is where I vowed to write, finish chapters, edit, put finishing touches on a non-fiction book, fine-tune a historical novel, and work more on a book project I have not mentioned to anyone yet.
Hmmmm. Well, let's see. I did finish the chapters so I can send a book proposal out as soon as the kids go back to school and I can get back to my own version of work. I have decided to shelf the non-fiction book for the time being because, quite frankly, I'm tired of it. I would say I worked probably 90% on the book project that is currently a kind of secret and another 10% on making notes and jotting down more and more and more ideas and very (VERY!) rough outlines. That's it folks. I have told the kids that when my fingers are flying on the keyboard and you see text on the screen, quietly back out of the room. Yeah, it worked real well.
Mainly, I couldn't always get my ass out of bed early enough on a regular basis to make this goal happen. I did a lot of organizing and setting up a plan for when I will have more quiet moments in my home office...we'll see how it all goes.
2. PURGE AND ORGANIZE. This was a goal to break tasks down one-by-one and get this house in shape.
I believe this goal was right on the money. If you recall all my "to-do list update" posts...I completed more than 60% of the 80+ items on my list! The house is looking great!
3. GARDEN. Grow, preserve, learn, and plan for a winter garden.
Again, this one was a success! I have frozen zucchini, cucumbers, herbs, and tomatoes. I have made spreads and sauces and dips and salsas. Next up will be making some jams and chutneys. Meanwhile, the garden keeps producing and we will have more than enough to last us through winter! YEAH! Oh, and the winter garden was planted a couple of weeks ago...more lettuces, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, parsnips, beets, and white onions. Hardly wait to see how this unfolds.
4. READ AT LEAST 12 BOOKS.
Another met goal.
5. EAT HEALTHY AND EXERCISE OFTEN.
Oy. I do feel I eat moderatly healthy meaning I don't munch on chips and cookies...however, we have made lots of desserts this summer, drank lots of wine, and maybe some meals weren't all that fantastic. But, we are eating mostly all whole foods, produce from our garden, and no processed crap. As for exercising: I hurt my chest early on in the summer...that lasted about a week...and it was enough to make me hesitant to go back to that kind of work-out. Dammit. I'm frustrated about this goal and MUST continue to focus more on exercise!
6. STITCH A HANDFUL OF TOWELS.
I don't think I have picked up my needle and thread the entire summer! Between the pool and reading and organzing the house and Larry returning...I just haven't felt like picking any project up. However, a couple of weeks ago I did finish a cute little project to frame for the guest bathroom and I brough out my embroidery basket full of towels that are waiting to be stitched in hopes it will inspire me to stitch more!
7. SCRAPBOOK. My goal was to finish 2008 and all of 2009 and do a page a day...
Okay, I started this goal off strong. I finished 2008 (okay, except the month of December) and I was totally working on a two-page spread every day...it was actually pretty fun...but then, again, I had a few snags along the way and then Larry returned and life just got busier and my focus and direction were not necessarily in line with scrapbooking. But, I still managed to ALSO complete half of 2009. Not bad!
8. DO ONE THING EVERYDAY. This goes along with #2 above...
I would say I was successful for this goal! I got a ton completed!!!
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