Week 52 : Farewell to My Fabulous Fifties – Wrap-Up Edition

This last year has quickly passed and, like everyone else, it wasn’t the year I expected. Since Covid-19, I think we’ve all had more time for reflection. In thinking about my bucket list experience, there has been so much positive that has come from it. First of all, I have always been drawn to self-improvement projects that span over the course of a few months or a year. For instance, I’ve done Simple Abundance and I re-do it every few years and I am alway surprised at the different perspective a few years can bring. I’ve also embraced The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I’ve done P90X to get in shape, which is a workout program which spans 90 days. I’ve done Gretchen Rubin’s Happier at Home and the Happiness Project with time spans ranging from 9 months to a year. There is something intriguing about taking a chunk of time and using it to re-shape yourself. I also feel, as an obliger, publicly acknowledging a goal makes me more accountable. So the year has come to an end and now it’s time for the reckoning. Let’s go back to the year’s beginning and I will try to do a quick summary of my successes and failures.

Here are my results:

Create a blog to document my year. Obviously, mission accomplished on this one. For the first 31 weeks, I posted weekly. As my list dwindled, my post frequency lessened as there was less to write about. So I give this one a big checkmark!
Go skydiving. Checkmark here as well. (week 15) What an experience. To be honest, I didn’t do it to conquer a fear, I’m not afraid of heights. I did it for the adrenaline rush. I especially loved sharing the experience with my daughter. Now quite a few years back, I faced a fear by scuba diving. That for me, was a much scarier experience!
Do 50 random acts of kindness throughout the year for family, friends and/or strangers. Check mark here. I did not share each act of kindness because I am a believer in keeping the nice things one does a little more private.
Finish modernizing our house. Checkmark. We modernized our lower level and remodeled the bath. We still need to redo our wood floors on the main floor. That was waylaid by Covid. Hopefully we’ll be able to do it soon.
Do a 5k. No check mark here for two very good reasons. One is I waited too long and Covid canceled the runs. The second reason is I was recently diagnosed with arthritis in my hips and my doctor recommends no running or high impact exercises. As it hurts when I run, I will be following that advice.
Keep up my Duolingo streak. Well I’m not sure what magic allowed this to happen but on my birthday, May 13th, I have a 1,000 day streak on Duolingo! I have completed the whole program but go on it every day to refresh my skills.
Lose 10 pounds- hahahaha. Ok, Covid, I see you. I was VERY close to reaching this goal and then….Covid. Damn you! I am back to watching my weight with Noom, but I am not sure I am going to continue with it. I am committed however, to getting the weight back off!
Complete 50 workouts on my Nordic Track treadmill. Gold star here! I have completed 76 workouts on my NordicTrack. The last few were very interesting. One was a walk through Salt Lake City Utah with a couple of comedians. They weren’t hilarious, but made they did make interesting guides. The other was a meditation walk through southern Utah’s Scout Cave Trail with Dr. Shauna Shapiro. I did enjoy being able to walk and meditate and check off two of my daily line items in one fell swoop.
See Stonehenge. This was done early on, week 3. What a wonderful trip for so many reasons!
Keep attending French Class at the Alliance de Francais, Detroit. Well I’m giving myself a checkmark here. When I traveled to our Florida home over the winter, I switched to private FaceTime classes with my instructor David. And of course, all classes are online still with Covid. I definitely enjoy one on one classes though they are a little more expensive, they are worth it. I’m able to converse with and ask my questions of my instructor, a native French speaker. I think this is one of the things that I enjoyed the most this year. It definitely took me out of my comfort zone!
Try one “new to us” restaurant a month. Well, check, until Covid reared it’s ugly head.
Organize our storage room. Proud to say that Mike and I worked together to get this done! (Weeks 44, 45&46)
Meditate daily. Check but I have to be transparent and say that I may have missed a day here and there. I am enjoying it though and plan to carry it forward. I use Headspace and also meditate on my own.
Create my own signature cocktail. Yep. See Week 18 for the recipe for “The Tropical Bae.”
Learn the alphabet in sign language. Done! Here it is.
Decorate our Florida retirement home. This was such a joy to do! It is spread over several different posts. I am still working on selecting a few paintings and decorative items. Week 19, Week 30 and Week 37
Go hiking. See week 13 for this one. We hiked to the Au Sable Pointe Lighthouse and the Pictured Rocks area.
Read 50 books in 2019. I read 72 books. I’ve set my new goal for 2020 to 75 books. I am currently 5 books ahead of schedule. I am currently reading “Love and Ruin” by Paula McLain. It is a fictional account of the relationship between Ernest Hemingway and journalist Martha Gelhorn. I’ve always been intrigued by Ernest Hemingway and have visited his home in Key West. I enjoyed reading The Paris Wife also by this author which imagines the relationship between Hemingway and his first wife Hadley.
Build a capsule wardrobe for Florida. Done, though I won’t say I’m entirely finished. I’ve enjoyed adding a few more pieces into the mix. If you want to see what I selected, check out week 22.
Entertain friends and family in said Florida retirement home. Check! We enjoyed visits from our kids, our new neighbors, my parents and our old friends. It’s been amazing! Weeks 40 & 41.
Complete the complicated puzzle that my husband Mike bought me at Christmas that sits untouched. Week 22 saw the completion of this puzzle. If only I had waited it would have made an excellent corona virus activity.
Bake a loaf of bread from scratch. I completed this on week 25. I’ve made a couple loaves since then. It’s a lovely skill to have acquired! (Thanks Deana!)
Try a new recipe at least 1-2x a month. I’m giving this one a provisional check. I was rocking it all the way until Corona virus hit. I feel like I am blaming this miserable virus for quite a bit but it complicated my methods. I usually select my menu for the week and then go shopping. Well, with shopping being hit or miss, I am having to come up with menus around what is available. I still enjoy trying new recipes though and will continue to do so.
Find and attend a French Meet-up event. Again, enter Corona Virus. I saved this for my return from Florida and meet-ups are currently out of the question. I did attend a virtual Zoom Happy Hour with some of my classmates though, so I’ll give myself credit after all.
During our annual family trek to the Les Cheneaux islands, take a day trip to somewhere we’ve not been before. Check! See week 13.
Organize and catalog all of the photos sitting in a jumble in the storage room. A great big project that I was happy to wrap up! See week 28.
Re-enact the Beatles walking on Abbey Road. Done! See week 2. I was so tickled to be able to check this one off on our awesome trip to London.
Reach out to a friend or extended family member in person or online at least once a week. This has been even more so since Covid. We are zooming with family and friends probably at least as often, if not more so than usual.
Daily Visualization. Done!
Finish a course in the Masterclass online teaching series. I have finished several Masterclass courses and have enjoyed them all! My most recent was an interior design class by Kelly Werstler. I also did a Storytelling and Humor class by David Sidaris and am looking forward to taking a gardening class and a Mixology class. Perhaps I’ll come up with another new signature cocktail!
Teach our dog Kobe a new trick. Check and here it is! His new trick is playing dead.
Ride my bike from the Lower Huron Metro Park to Lake Erie and back (about 40 miles). Done, see week 14.
Host a fun event for all of the ladies in my family. Well this one did not get done, sadly. Again with the Covid thing. But I am really looking forward to doing this at some future point. I am envisioning a Hallmark movie night sometime before Christmas, with cookies and cocktails!
Learn to play a simple song on the piano. OK. Here’s the thing. I did make a HUGE discovery. I haven’t any talent or ability here. I also have no desire to try to acquire any. I am happily crossing this off my bucket-list and placing it in the “don’t ever do this” list.
Learn how to use the Overdrive app to borrow books from the library. I have been enjoying the heck out of Overdrive/Libby. I use it almost exclusively, unless there is a book I am dying to read and the wait time is too long. I’ve also showed my mom how to do it and hope to help Mike’s mom with it as well. It’s a money saver and really allows me to indulge my reading without feeling guilty about spending the money on yet more books.
See Buckingham Palace. Again, this was done early on when we made the trip to London. Week 3
Work on our Family Tree through Ancestry.com. Done! Well, I’m not actually done with the family tree. It’s still a work in progress. But the interesting thing is extended family I’ve not met in person on both sides of my family have reached out asking to be in touch. I’ve been emailing back and forth with a couple of them. Such an unexpected benefit!
Try the restaurant The Woods on our annual family trip to Mackinac Island. We were happily able to do this on our family trip to Mackinac Island. Week 9
Take our kayaks on a romantic paddle leading to a picnic in the park. Yes! I discussed this one on week 15.
Keep an herb garden and use it in cooking. This was done over the summer. What is surprising is the chives that I planted wintered over and I have a full crop already. I didn’t realize they were perennials. Week 6
Try something new I’ve never done before. My spontaneous thing was asking my mom to pick a destination for her birthday for her and I to travel to. We had an awesome time in Williamsburg. (See week 17)
Actually take out the jet-ski instead of letting it sit in the hoist un-used. Nope. This did not get done. I did take it out once. But we didn’t end up bringing it up north and I usually preferred a boat ride over the jet ski. I am hoping to get some use out of it this summer.
Plan a sunrise breakfast on the pontoon. Done on week 8. Mike and I often enjoy spontaneous last minute boat rides. Having our boat at the dock, uncovered except for the canopy on the hoist makes it easy!
Take our dog Kobe on a walk through a nearby park. Kobe was delighted with this one. He also enjoyed a whole lot of walks when we were in Florida as there is a dog park in our community located about 3/4 mile from our house. (See week 12)
Watch a movie in French. Done. In fact, I’ve watched several and through the course of the year, my comprehension has definitely improved, though I still use the subtitles as I don’t pick up every word.
Discover a new favorite wine. I was happy to have been gifted this wine aptly called Shady Lane. Alas, it was a limited edition from a private vineyard. I will stay on the look out for more wines of this varietal from their Shady Lane vineyard. Week 11
Do a high-ropes course. So fun! If you remember it took two attempts due to inclement weather. But if you are thinking of doing it, I highly recommend Treerunner. It was fun for our whole family. (See weeks 17 & 20)
See Liverpool. Again, I tackled this early on during our memorable trip to England. Week 2
Go sight-seeing in Boston. We loved Boston and I discussed our trip during week 10.
Do yoga at least once a week. I may have missed a week or two in here but especially now with arthritis, I am planning to practice it even more regularly.

So, if you are keeping track, I consider myself to have completed 46 of the 50 things I set out to do. Some things simply couldn’t be done thanks to Covid and others were interrupted. In the case of piano playing, I decided it really isn’t something I actually wanted to pursue. For me, this has been a worthwhile endeavor. In looking back over my 59th year, it has been filled with travel, novelty, leisure, enjoyment, learning, adventure, along with the unwelcome surprise of Covid-19. I think creating a list of desired goals and activities definitely added a richness to my year.

What have I learned from this year? I’ve learned I’m made of sterling stuff. I’m tougher than I thought. I am happy to welcome my 60th year, along with all it brings, both the joy and the challenges. We’ve got a new reality and while we are all learning how to adapt and adjust, I am going to keep reaching out to try new things. I’m going to push myself to look at things with different eyes, to challenge my body as well as my mind. I wonder what my 60’s will bring. What new challenges will be presented and what new opportunities will arise, or are they one in the same? Being diagnosed with arthritis makes me wonder about my genetic lottery, what other illnesses may yet reveal themselves? I hope my 60s are as wonderful as my 50’s have been. To tell you the truth if they are only half as good, it would still be more than I could possibly hope for. And for that I am so grateful. As my 50’s have drawn to a close, this will be my last post. Whether you tagged along for the whole trip or just popped in here and there, thanks for following me. You are appreciated. Stay well my friends. Cheers to the next decade!

Weeks 44, 45 & 46 : Farewell to My Fabulous Fifties – Quarantine Edition

Wow, thanks to COVID-19 the world is a different place than it was a few short weeks ago. I hope you and those you love are all safe and healthy and taking precautions to stay that way. (ie social distancing and wearing masks/gloves if you go out) We were home briefly, but decided to return to Florida once businesses were shut down in Michigan. So after Mike tended to some important details with his staff and practice, we headed out. Mike and key team members are able to do virtual appointments so thankfully they can stay in touch with patients and address needs as they arise. We did not fly, we drove down. We drove straight through and packed our own food with minimal stops for gasoline, using a glove or plastic bag when pumping gas and wearing a glove on one hand if we had to use the restroom. Some gas stations had placed out of order signs on their restrooms. I am assuming they were reserving it for employees and to minimize transmission to those cleaning the facilities. Thankfully, we were able to reliably find bathrooms in the rest stops. The day we arrived in Florida, the governor here finally issued a stay home order. Here at The Place, all amenities are shut down including the gym, pickle ball courts, pool and the take out they had recently instituted at the restaurant, which is fine as we are planning to cook at home anyway.

My goals for myself before turning 60 seem trivial in comparison to what we now face, however on the plus side, it has given me something to focus on other than the horrible state we all find ourselves in and something positive to do other than watch compulsively for updates and take our poor dog on yet another walk. With that said, here’s what’s been going on with the bucket list.

Here is the link to my original list. I am keeping up with my French classes virtually. They have actually switched all classes to virtual, but for now, I am still doing private lessons as my current level doesn’t seem to match with anyone else’s right now. I am continuing with Duolingo and am at day #960 today. I am still getting pleasure from learning French, however I’m ’bout to have a throw down with the French subjunctive. It’s a concept that is still a work in progress for me. I have also watched a movie in French (with subtitles) on Netflix, Un + Une and would recommend it.

Some of what I had deemed a goal will be undoable now given the world’s current situation. For instance, try a new restaurant every month has been suspended. And life has intervened with # 5, Do a 5K. While new health circumstances would require that I walk it instead, it is unlikely anyone will be holding any 5Ks soon. Also, no fun gathering for the ladies in the family, but at least we can do so virtually, though we may have to include the guys for this one too now.

However it has also given me time to tackle a few things that I was neglecting, such as organizing the basement storage room. It was long overdue! Also staying in contact with friends and family has been converted to virtual happy hours via Zoom. We are probably talking more now than we ever used to and it’s been awesome. Another positive, I’ve had more time to work on tricks with our dog Kobe which I will share on a later post.

Before, so you can see just how messy it had gotten!

After, maybe not perfect, but a lot less messy!

As far as my weight loss journey, it’s a hard fought battle. I am using Noom but certainly not to the best of my ability. I, like probably most of you, have been snacking more than normal. I am in the process of getting back on track. In the “unfortunate” column, I was recently diagnosed with arthritis and bone spurs in my hips and I have some stiffness in my lower extremeties which limits my flexibility so my doctor has instructed me to eliminate high impact exercises. While in Florida, I plan to walk, bike, swim and do yoga. All of which are all less stressful on the joints. I did manage to use my NordicTrack a few more times when we were home. I discovered a new workout series. It is lead by an Egyptian Archeologist who brings you on walking tours of several Egyptian pyramids. I also managed to do a warm up and a cultural walk set in front of Niagara Falls and some flexibility yoga in Kauai, Hawaii, making a grand total of 72 NordicTrack work-outs. My original goal was 50. I also plan to take advantage of the video workouts our awesome bootcamp trainer is posting with modifications.

Walking the pyramids of Egypt with an Egyptian archeologist.

I am guessing my reading will pick up a bit more. I am currently on book # 21 of my 75 book goal. I am reading the last book in a Nora Rogers trilogy, The Perfect Hope. It’s escapism at it’s finest. Since I last posted about my reading goal on February 26, I have read In A Dark, Dark Wood, The Turn of the Key, Evvie Drake Starts Over, Olive Again, The Giver of Stars, Turbulence, The Last Boyfriend, and The Chocolate Thief .

I also tackled # 15: Learn the alphabet in sign language. Here is the poster for the hand motions.

And here I am, signing the alphabet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjsEHqdjul0

I also completed another Masterclass(#30) while driving down to Florida. It featured David Sidaris on writing. It was highly entertaining even if you aren’t a writer. I am working on learning Silent Night on the piano(#34). Let me just say it’s harder than I thought it would be and now I am in Florida with no access to a keyboard, so this particular goal may be carried over into my 61st year.

My birthday is mid-May and as there isn’t much left on my list to accomplish, I will be posting just once more at this project’s conclusion. I thank you if you’ve stuck with me throughout the year and look forward to summarizing all that I was and was not able to accomplish.

Remember to embrace the things you love that you are still able to do and enjoy keeping socially close while physically distant. I hope you all stay safe and healthy and that my next post finds us all in a much better place. ((hugs))

Weeks 42 & 43: Farewell to My Fabulous Fifties – The Disneyland/Corona Virus Edition

It’s been another busy two weeks and we are currently prepping to close up our Florida house, at least for a couple of weeks, as we are also eagerly planning our return. I can’t say I’ve been super productive when it comes to my bucket list except for a few categories. I’ve continued my French classes through Facetime as well as kept up my Duolingo streak (day #937). I’ve decorated our Florida house as well as entertained friends and family here. So onward and upward, let’s take a peek at the last two weeks.

My husband is here for our last week and last weekend my youngest daughter Sammi flew in. She arrived late Friday evening and departed late Sunday evening. She had expressed that she wanted a low key visit, with time for hanging out with family, relaxing and working out and I would say mission accomplished. We barbecued one evening and on Saturday we headed to Celebration Park. It’s located in Naples and is a collection of really great food trucks. It is located right off the water and has a outdoor bar at the end of the row. They offer live music. It’s usually open from 11am until 10pm. It was pretty crowded when we were there but we managed to snag a table after loitering around a bit. Mike and I ordered something off of the Cousins Maine Lobster truck. This truck was also featured on a Shark Tank episode. They also had trucks with gyros, tacos, ice cream, and an assortment of other options. We all chose something from a different truck. I would say it’s a perfect casual spot to grab food when you’re with a group with varying tastes. This was located directly across from the dock where we took our tiki cruise over our family New Year’s vacation. It would make a fun combo activity you had a little more time to spend.

Cousins Maine Lobster food truck at Celebration Park

There were quite a few picnic tables and standing tables to accommodate diners and a bar at the end of the row.

Since my last post, I’ve also attended a barre class (OUCH) and a yoga class here at the fitness center. The barre class was effective, my daughters loved it, but working until your muscles shake uncontrollably is not my idea of fun. I did enjoy the yoga class though. We’ve continued walking the dogs to the dog park here, which amounts to about 3 miles a day as well as using the workout facilities, primarily for weight lifting.

I’ve been working on finishing up a few items in regard to decorating. All the remaining curtains and valances are in. I ordered 2 paintings for the den. They complete the room nicely. I also ordered a large metal hanging for the back guest room, a painting for each guest bathroom and a silver dipped feather piece of art in a shadow box for my dining room. (I know, it sounds weird but I love it!) I still need to find artwork for the long living room wall and the two hallways.

*Really loved this piece of art which hangs over the bed in the rear guest room.*

My daughter Jenna has been wanting to show us the new Star Wars ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios so on Monday, we headed out. We boarded our 3 dogs at Country Pet Ranch, which has a lovely facility nestled in a wooded area. The dogs all loved it! We decided to stay at a medium level resort for the night and had a reservation at Port Orleans-Riverside. We had stayed there with the kids 20 years ago when it was called Dixie Landings. The room was fine for the night and the grounds were nicely appointed. On Monday, we walked around the property then took a boat ride over to Disney Springs. We had lunch at Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy! This is his only fast food restaurant and it was delicious. They have a limited menu but offer over 20 different signature sauces. The place was packed. We returned to the hotel and had fun walking around the grounds before heading back to Disney Springs for dinner.

For dinner we hit Morimoto Asia. My daughter follows Disney bloggers religiously and this one was recommended as a favorite. It didn’t disappoint. My daughter and I each ordered Orange Chicken and miso soup. Beware, serving sizes are large and I wish we’d have shared the entree. After dinner we headed back to the room by boat then on to the Polynesian Resort to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. This was a fun experience. The bar is small and doesn’t accommodate a lot of people at once. We sat on the patio and had a drink before being called inside after about a 20 minute wait. Many of the pricier drinks make “funny things” happen. You might get sprayed with water, or a part of the bar area may light up. Limited appetizers are available and if you are looking for something fun to do, order a less expensive drink and sit back and watch the fun. Then, here’s something Jenna discovered, we could watch the fireworks from the beach at the Polynesian. They simulcast the soundtrack. While you miss out on a few of the holographic displays on the castle, you enjoy the fireworks in a far less crowded setting. Get there early and snag a beach chair! We were back in the room by 10:00pm.

At Trader Sam’s Grotto. We met a nice couple who shared their table with us. Great conversation!

The next day we made it to the park forty-five minutes prior to opening. Jenna had planned our day, having obtained fast pass reservations for Slinky Dog Dash, Tower of Terror and Rock and Rollercoaster. Our goal was to make it to the newest ride, Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railway. New rides don’t offer fast passes. We were there at “rope drop” and waited maybe 45 minutes once the park opened. The success here was the first 45 minutes of waiting were done before the park even opened. That was by far the longest wait of the day. This ride was very unique, nothing scary about it and perfect for families looking for a fun and innovative ride. I don’t want to give any spoilers but this trackless ride is one of the most unique rides that the Imagineers have come up with so far.

Super fun ride! Jenna channeling Mini Mouse:-)

With Mike’s achilles still healing, he brought his knee scooter and, sanctioned by his physician, we stopped by guest services for a disability pass which allows you to bypass standing in line. Instead you are given a return time and go up the fast pass line. It worked out nicely as Mike didn’t have to stand on his feet too long. In fact, for many of the rides, his knee scooter could go all the way up to embarkation and a worker would have it waiting at the conclusion of the ride for him. Here’s tip from my daughter for getting fast passes for the rides you want:Get your passes the minute you are able to (60 days prior if you are staying on property and 30 days prior if you have your tickets and you are not staying on property). Literally, get online ASAP for the greatest chance of getting good rides and times.

The other new Star Wars ride, Rise of The Resistance, does not allow fast passes, you must virtually sign in with the Disney app and you are given a group number with a two hour window to report for the ride. There are guest services representatives available to assist those less tech inclined. There is no guarantee you will even be assigned a time, so again, do this as soon as permitted. For us it was 8am. Some people may be assigned super late times or not be able to be assigned a time at all. She signed on and we were given group #40 as our assigned group. It ended up being called around 1pm. This was another awesome experience. I would say if you have a child that frightens easily, parts of the experience could be a little scary but otherwise, I highly recommend it. Another job well done by Disney. We successfully concluded our day at 3pm, having done everything we set out to do, record time for us! We headed out for the 3 hour ride home back to Estero.

For those wondering about the impact of the Corona virus on Disney, there were still a lot of people there on a Tuesday. We asked a few workers if they were seeing a reduction in attendance because of the Corona Virus (COVID-19), they said they didn’t think so. There were several hand sanitizing stations and we used them every time we passed one. I wouldn’t say they were in abundance but I heard that they placed more in the park today. I only saw one middle aged Asian couple wearing a mask during the whole day, which I wouldn’t even say is an increase, as on previous visits we’ve encountered people wearing masks (maybe immunocompromised folks?). So on 3/11/20 there really was no observable difference in our park experience. Obviously this may change if the virus continues to spread. By contrast, my daughter Sammi did have several people wearing masks on her flight back to Michigan.

We are closing up the house this week but are planing to return for a long weekend in April and again in May. We are looking forward to discovering more fun things to do in and around Estero. The weather here has been amazing. We’ve watched the houses next to us go from shells to finally getting their landscaping. It was a fast and efficient process. They look ready for occupancy any day. Since we weren’t around to watch our own house go up, it’s been fun watching the progress on similar models. It would have been nice to meet our new neighbors but the properties haven’t closed yet. All this time spent with my daughter has been wonderful but I do miss my Michigan friends and family and it’s time to head home. “Snowbirding” has been a fantastic experience and Estero does finally also feel like “home.” As my bucket list is whittling down, I am going to keep up the biweekly blog posts as opposed to weekly. We will be heading back by car on Saturday, dog in tow. We are planning to stop in Chattanooga Tennessee for the night. Stay safe, and have a great week. See you soon from the mitten state! Now go wash your hands…