Resolution 2023 - two month check-in

How have two months gone by already? No matter, it's check-in time. Remember, I'm changing my scoring between 0-2, adding to each month for a total of 12 for each resolution. 

Personal Goals:

• Paint my home space - My ceilings haven't been painted since we first moved in. My living room and my hallway need an overhaul. My bedroom could use it too, but that isn't as important as the first two. - There has not been any painting, but I have visited two paint stores, gotten millions of paint samples, discussed painting questions with said experts, searched the database for fabric samples, and scheduled the paint day. So, BAM! Working on it. Score: 2

• Entice Tom to build my shelves to display my playing card collection - I collect playing cards. I need somewhere to display them, and Tom drew out plans for what I found on Etsy. He claims he can knock it out, "don't waste your money." Once I get the paint done, this comes next. - The only thing I've enticed Tom to do is get rid of the almost 30-year-old couch in the Steelers room and allow me to paint the living room. I have to be gentle with him. I have, however, gone through the cards and counted them. Score - 1

• Travel - Can't let those Wyndham points go to waste. - I didn't travel, but I've made some arrangements, which counts. Score - 1

• Lower my cholesterol - I retake it in May or June. - I don't get tested until later in the year, but I did count calories in January and lost five pounds. I have started back to the gym. I am eating oatmeal. Bam! Score 2

• Exercise/Healthy eating habits - This goes with the above, but I do need to shed some weight for my own mental health, not to mention the flip side of the coin. I lost five pounds, and I started back to the gym. Score - 2

• Catch up on my blog - Writing has kept me from this. My readers are complaining. I need to catch up! - Oops! - Score - 0

Total - 8 out of 12 - Look at me go!

The forgotten note

For Christmas, I received the gift of a monthly handwritten letter from a stranger. A pen pal! Her name is Katie, and she's from Pennsylvania. My first note arrived before Christmas, and she even sent me a postcard after Christmas from her vacation in Florida. February's note was about the Eagles and how her hometown was very excited, although she is not much of a football person. 

Oh, well. She likes to send little notes inside the envelopes. Sometimes I get a poem. For February I got hearts. She updates me on the weather, or gives me history on her town, or tells me interesting things she and her husband do like dancing to 1920's music at a speakeasy. It's a cool thing and a very different gift.

I liked the idea so much, I'm doing it for my BIL. Surprisingly, and I know readers of this blog will be shocked NOT, but I forgot to get a card out to him for his birthday. Thinking it through, I thought why not do this for him? Send a little handwritten note each month, filling him in on my life or whatever catches my fancy. 

It was hard. It's been ages since I've written a letter to someone. Remember those days? My PA friends and I wrote letters all the time - probably because our mothers made us. But, I had to dig deep to have things to talk about. I'm used to blogging or writing fiction. Updating and creating something worth reading? Not so easy. Yet, I am determined. 

I haven't a clue whether he is enjoying it. But, I am. I like taking time out of my day to jot a note, and I'm getting solid use of note cards my mother owned. 

Here's to bringing back letter writing! Watch out. I may just send you something!

February birthdays

Nikita and his mother have birthdays a week apart, so it was a solid two weeks of fun and cake. We celebrated Nikita's with BBQ at Sonny's, and we pretty much closed the place down. On a Monday, with everyone coming from work and two counties, it was hectic, but we managed. By the time we left, I was swimming in liquid because Sonny believes in BIG cups. 

The Saturday after that celebration, we had brunch to celebrate Nataly's birthday, and then we played putt-putt on the beach. Putt-Putt is not a Ukrainian thing, and feeding the alligators was almost as exciting as the game.

I made sure to talk a lot of smack beforehand, which is hilarious since putt-putt is not my thing. It's my brother's family's thing. I'm not clueless, however, having come from a golfing family. The weather was wonderful, and because we were a big group, we had to split into two. That left me in the adult group with the two who had never played before, so yeah, I was safe. 

I ended up knowing the person who worked the front, and she was thrilled to see me. Our kids danced together, and I taught hers how to swim, so she hooked us up with great discounts.

The "children" group was not well behaved. They played in front of us, and I think their goals were how to play putt-putt in any way other than correctly. Oddly, holes-in-one were scored.

Maddy: "It said to keep on the path. We did that."

Darcy won overall, but I won out of my group. The other two caught on quickly, though, so I might have to practice some at home just in case this becomes a birthday tradition.