Things I thought I would do 9 years ago

Years ago, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish in my 46th year.  I didn't get through most of them that year.  Looking back on that year, it was a rough one for me.   I didn't know it when I wrote this post that both of my parents would die and I would start a different position at work.   There was a lot of change that would happen, so I guess it wasn't possible for me to do it all that year.   I wondered how many I actually have accomplished in the years since then.

Here's my status:

1.  Celebrate the food of the 1960s!  Make a gelatin based dish that's not fruity....aspic or vegetable based.  (check out this Knox recipe booklet I picked up from a rummage sale)

I never got to this, but still want to give it a shot.   I think there was something lemony with vegetables in it that sounded good.   I remember when I was a kid, the neighbor used to make a lemon jello with grated carrots in it that was quite good.


2.  Learn how to play "The Entertainer" on the piano.   I have taken piano lessons on and off my whole life, but I have never played "The Entertainer".

Nope.  The piano still sits downstairs, collecting dust.   I keep thinking maybe when I retire but then I will have to move it to the lakehouse.   Not sure I want to move that piano.   It's not worth it. 

3.  Hike the Potowatomi trail with friends, and have a picnic en route.

I have hiked it several times, but never had the picnic.   I need to do this in 2019

4. Pickle brussels sprouts

Yes!  I have done this a few times since then.  This recipe is the only one that won something at the Downtown Home and Garden pickle contest.   It's a great winter canning project, if you are so inclined.

5. Swim in Lake Huron when we camp this summer at Harrisville State Park

We didn't end up camping at Harrisville.   We've sold the camper now that the kids are gone, but we tent camp every once in a while.   Not sure we will make to to Harrisville.

6.  Learn how to play "The Shanty Song" by Jonathan Edwards on guitar by heart.  Memorize the lyrics.  Inspired by that song, I guess I will buy a harmonica and learn how to play it.  Not sure that I can play it will playing the guitar, though.  Singing and playing guitar is hard enough.

Never bought the harmonica, but I could probably play the song on guitar if I put my mind to it.   Maybe this year.

7.  Play guitar when I cantor at church for one Mass

Never did this, and now I am on sabbatical from cantoring at church.   I travel too much for work to commit to a regular church singing gig anymore.

8.  Sew something.

I sew lots of things these days, thanks to my etsy shop Moms Kitchen Vintage

9.  Find out more about the garrison that was in Dearborn.

I did end up doing this, and I learned Dearborn has a lot of military history.  Check it out here.

10.  Make a pilgrimage to the Fr. Solanus Casey Center.

I visited it with my friend Mary Beth after her mother passed away.   Her mom had a great devotion to Solanus Casey.   It's a neat place.  He is on his way to sainthood now.

11.  Attend a service at a monastery, such as the Dormition Monastery in Jackson.

I still haven't done this, but I want to do it still.  Maybe I'll get to the Society of St. John in the Keweenaw.

12.  Visit Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton.

I have done this once with my friend Ellen.   It's a cool place.   I need to get back there.

13.  Kayak the Huron River at night when there is a full moon with my friend Martha.

Martha and I did do this once.   We need to do it again.

14,  Visit the Peach Mountain observatory

I haven't done this......I need to do it this year.   It is just that the sun sets so late in the sumer and I go to bed so early.   Need to do this in the spring

15.  Use my pressure canner to can soup

I did....it was good.   Need to do more,

16.  Plant another rose bush

I bought rose bushes to plant after my mother's funeral for my family.  Mine died, as they always do here.   We have a lot of clay.  My mother would understand.

17.   Make a mosaic

This is interesting, because I bought all the mosaic stuff and then never did anything with it.    I recently started again, and I need to complete a project.   2019 could be the year

18.  Make a hypertufa garden planter

I made many that year.   They all fall apart.

19.  Try to bake bread again without using a dutch oven a la Mark Bittman - I just want to make it like old ladies do.

I still do, but haven't tried.   I make it like Mark Bittman does.

20. Make a chronicling project a la Darcy Miller Nussbaum.  "Chronicling" sounds way more cool than scrapbooking.  Of course, if I hung out with Kate Spade and Martha Stewart, I'd be more cool, too.

Okay, I couldn't remember who Darcy Miller Nussbaum is, so I googled her.   I guess she is an illustrator?   Anyway, her work leaves me cold.   And Kate Spade killer herself, which was sad.  But I finished my kids school age scrapbooks in time for their grad parties.   So there is that.


21.  Make one recipe out of the Moosewood cookbook to celebrate the 1980s

I did make the vegetarian chili from the Moosewood at least once since then.   It is a great recipe.

22. Another gem from the 1960s....make a hamburger recipe from 365 Hamburger Recipes

I did do this, I made meatloaf and this is a great recipe.

1623.  Try caviar

I haven't done this yet!  Must do for 2019!!!

24.  Visit Parker Mill Park

I've done it.   If you live in Ann Arbor, you should too.

25.  Visit the Waterloo Farm Museum

See #24

26.  Visit Savannah, Georgia.  This is something I've wanted to do since I was a Brownie Girl Scout as a kid, and read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil as an adult.

I did this, and I liked Savannah.  Visited Juliette Gordon Low's birthplace.  But I have to tell you, Charleston, SC is better.

27.  Play one song on my cigar box ukulele.  I forgot how to tune it, let alone play it.

I haven't done this yet, but I am pretty sure I could tomorrow if need be.

28.  Complete Tigress's Can Jam by canning one item a month for 12 months straight.

I did do this.   It was awesome.   Tigress no longer writes a blog, but I do.

29.  Continue being a canning exhibitionist by demonstrating canning at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market.

I did this for several years, but the market manager left and it wasn't the same.    I still teach canning classes when I have the time.

30. Attend the Local Food Summit and speak out on the importance of making sure local food is available for all, not just the rich.

I did this!

31. Make at least one recipe from Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping.

Never did but I still have the book so I could.

32.  Crochet a rag rug out of old jeans.

I got about 3/4 the way through and realized I didn't want it.   Threw it away.

33.  Finish reading the Seven Storey Mountain

Man, this one is hard.   I still haven't finished.

34. Swim 200 yards freestyle.  In HS, my event was the 500 free, but I don't think I could make it that far

I swam several miles since then.   Swimming still comes easy.

35. Visit my friend Sheri from high school.

We get together about once a year now,

36. Make crumb cake.  Need to find a recipe first.

I still need to do this.

37.  Master making gelato at home

I've tried, you can't make it well at home.    I've given up.

38. Visit the Howell Farmer's Market

done

39.  Visit the Ypsi Farmer's Market

Many times.   Every week in the summer.

40. Visit the Tecumseh Farmer's Market.

Still need to do it

41. Wintersow some herbs

I did do this, but don't have time to do it now

42. Have a sunset picnic with our neighbors

Many times!  It is great

43. Have a bonfire party in the back yard

Ditto!  See #42

44. Make my hammock garden in the woods

Oh, the hammock!  I realized I never lay down that long.   My friend Victoria has it now.

45.Go on one 10 mile hike somewhere this year.

I've done it.   Need to do it more often.

Status to Target: 46 Things

In automotive engineering, we have a technique that we use when we design a new car or truck - for lack of a better phrase for it, I will call it "status to target".   It is a way to set a goal for what you are designing (the "target") and then you periodically check out how you are progressing toward that target, which is called your "status".    Eventually, as you progress toward production, your target becomes your "objective" - i.e. you are committing to realizing what you planned, and you have a way to get there.  In engineering, some examples targets are financial, assembly time, quality, weight (because weight translates into fuel economy), power consumption (if you are working on something that consumes power, because that affects fuel economy), wind resistance (fuel economy, again), perfomance based (i.e. damping, spring rate, loads, etc), emissions, horsepower, etc.   I could go on and on...but however, the point I am trying to make is that it is helpful to apply the "status to target" method to just about anything.  While on vacation last week, it dawned on me I should check on my "status to target" on the 46 goals I set for myself almost 6 months ago for my 46th birthday.   How am I doing?  It might be a good idea to check and set up a plan for the remainder of the year.

Here's what I said I would do, and my status....my completed items are crossed off. 

1. Celebrate the food of the 1960s! Make a gelatin based dish that's not fruity....aspic or vegetable based. I haven't done this one, but maybe I could do it this week.   I've got a lot of carrots around, and some herbs.
2. Learn how to play "The Entertainer" on the piano.  Haven't touched the piano yet.  It's dusty, in fact, becasue the cherubs are on summer sabatical from lessons.
3. Hike the Potowatomi trail with friends, and have a picnic en route. Great idea!  I will schedule something with the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers.  I just sent out the note.
4. Pickle brussel sprouts. This is a fall activity.  I'll do it in Oct.
5. Swim in Lake Huron when we camp this summer at Harrisville State Park  
6. Learn how to play "The Shanty Song" by Jonathan Edwards on guitar by heart. Memorize the lyrics.  See number 2...guitar has as much dust on it as the piano does.
7. Buy a harmonica and learn how to play it.  I was gifted a harmonica....so I guess I am halfway done.
8. Play guitar when I cantor at church for one Mass.   We have a new music director at church - I am not sure she'll be amenable to this idea.
9. Sew something.  I would like to make a skirt - cotton with some lycra.  I have been thinking about it.
10. Find out more about the garrison that was in Dearborn.   I sent a note to myself at work so I could schedule it.
11. Make a pilgrimage to the Fr. Solanus Casey Center. Ditto - it's something I could do on a lunch break.
12. Attend a service at a monastery.   I don't have a plan for this yet.  Any ideas?
13. Visit Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton.  I'll see if Martha wants to go sometime.
14. Kayak the Huron River at night when there is a full moon with my friend Martha. 
15. Visit the Peach Mountain observatory.  Need a plan for this one...maybe when the kids are done with camp?
16. Use my pressure canner to can soup.  Schedule for fall...
17. Plant another rose bush.
18. Make a mosaic.  I would like to make a sign for the camper before our next outing.
19. Make a hypertufa garden planter.  Maybe in August? 
20. Try to bake bread again without using a dutch oven a la Mark Bittman - I just want to make it like old ladies do.  
21. Make a chronicling project.  I am going to have to work on the scrapbooking cover.  Maybe I will make one themed around my mother.
22. Make one recipe out of the Moosewood cookbook to celebrate the 1980s.  This should be easy enough to do.
23. Another gem from the 1960s....make a hamburger recipe from 365 Hamburger Recipes.  DONE!  It was a good recipe, too.  I'll need to blog about it soon.
24. Try caviar.  I'll save this for the holidays.
25. Visit Parker Mill Park - another good fall activity when the colors are changing and there is are mill tours scheduled.
26. Visit the Waterloo Farm Museum.  I'll have to schedule it for Oct. 10 - their Pioneer Day sounds interesting.
27. Visit Savannah, Georgia. I don't know how I am going to do this....I will wait and hope that something more will be revealed about how this might happen.
28. Play one song on my cigar box ukulele. See aforementioned dusty piano and guitar.  
29. Complete Tigress's Can Jam by canning one item a month for 12 months straight.   I haven't yet missed a month, and July's cucumber pickles are currently cooling on the counter as I type.
30. Continue being a canning exhibitionist by demonstrating canning at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market. 
31. Attend the Local Food Summit and speak out on the importance of making sure local food is available for all, not just the rich. 
32. Make at least one recipe from Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping.   Those raspberry fritters sound awfully good.
33. Crochet a rag rug out of old jeans.   I am halfway done.
34. Finish reading the Seven Storey Mountain.  It is still sitting on my nightstand, gathering dust just like the guitar and uke.
35. Swim 200 yards freestyle. I am going to need to enlist Ellen with this project.
36. Visit my friend Sheri from high school.   She is not on Facebook.  Help!
37. Make crumb cake. Need to find a recipe first.   Sounds like a good Christmas activity.
38. Master making gelato at home.   I found the recipe I want to use - I just need a lb of berries and some whipping cream. 
39. Visit the Howell Farmer's Market.  Good Sunday after church activity.
40. Visit the Ypsi Farmer's Market 
41. Visit the Tecumseh Farmer's Market.  Maybe coordinate it with the trip to Hidden Lake Gardens?
42. Wintersow some herbs.  I'll do it this fall for next year.
43. Have a sunset picnic with our neighbors 
44. Have a bonfire party in the back yard
45. Make my hammock garden in the woods.  Yikes!   I need some inspiration here.
46. Go on one 10 mile hike somewhere this year.  Maybe on an upcoming campout?

Interesting recipes

Middle Eastern style lentil soup - when we subscribed to the analog version of annarbor.com, I often clipped out recipes featured by Marge Biancke in her "Kitchen Mailbox" column.  I'd paste them in a recipe book, and I also bought the Ann Arbor News  cookbook that featured her recipes.   I'm glad she is still at it at the dot com.

Homemade bread that doesn't require a bread machine or a cast iron dutch oven to cook - this recipe was in Martha Stewart Living and it actually worked!  I made the multigrain one.  Cross #20 off my list of 46 things I want to do in my 46th year.

Easy Homemade French Fries - I found this recipe on the NYT Bitten Blog....can't wait to try it!

Zingerman's Coleslaw - another recipe from Marge Biancke...thanks, Marge!

46 things to do in my 46th year

I just celebrated a birthday, and I am making plans for celebrating my 46th year.  Suggestions came in from far and wide - mountain climbing, running a marathon, etc.   None of these are going to happen - I just had an ankle reconstruction a couple years ago and so mountain climbing and marathoning are out for now.   But I did get some suggestions I could use.  My friend Ann suggested I attempt some retro recipes.   One of my New Year's resolutions was to get more music in my life.   I would love to spend more time outdoors, and more time attempting some crafty things, even though I suck at crafts.   So, here's my list for my 46th year. 

1. Celebrate the food of the 1960s!  Make a gelatin based dish that's not fruity....aspic or vegetable based.  (check out this Knox recipe booklet I picked up from a rummage sale)
2. Learn how to play "The Entertainer" on the piano.   I have taken piano lessons on and off my whole life, but I have never played "The Entertainer".
3. Hike the Potowatomi trail with friends, and have a picnic en route.
4. Pickle brussel sprouts
5. Swim in Lake Huron when we camp this summer at Harrisville State Park
6. Learn how to play "The Shanty Song" by Jonathan Edwards on guitar by heart.  Memorize the lyrics.
7. Inspired by that song, I guess I will buy a harmonica and learn how to play it.  Not sure that I can play it will playing the guitar, though.  Singing and playing guitar is hard enough.  
8. Play guitar when I cantor at church for one Mass.
9. Sew something.
10. Find out more about the garrison that was in Dearborn.
11. Make a pilgrimage to the Fr. Solanus Casey Center. 
12. Attend a service at a monastery, such as the Dormition Monastery in Jackson.
13. Visit Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton.
14. Kayak the Huron River at night when there is a full moon with my friend Martha.
15. Visit the Peach Mountain observatory
16. Use my pressure canner to can soup
17. Plant another rose bush
18. Make a mosaic
19. Make a hypertufa garden planter
20. Try to bake bread again without using a dutch oven a la Mark Bittman - I just want to make it like old ladies do.
21. Make a chronicling project a la Darcy Miller Nussbaum.  "Chronicling" sounds way more cool than scrapbooking.  Of course, if I hung out with Kate Spade and Martha Stewart, I'd be more cool, too.
22. Make one recipe out of the Moosewood cookbook to celebrate the 1980s
23. Another gem from the 1960s....make a hamburger recipe from 365 Hamburger Recipes
24. Try caviar
25. Visit Parker Mill Park
26. Visit the Waterloo Farm Museum
27. Visit Savannah, Georgia.  This is something I've wanted to do since I was a Brownie Girl Scout as a kid, and read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil as an adult.
28. Play one song on my cigar box ukulele.  I forgot how to tune it, let alone play it.
29. Complete Tigress's Can Jam by canning one item a month for 12 months straight.
30. Continue being a canning exhibitionist by demonstrating canning at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market.
31. Attend the Local Food Summit and speak out on the importance of making sure local food is available for all, not just the rich.  
32. Make at least one recipe from Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping.
33. Crochet a rag rug out of old jeans.
34. Finish reading the Seven Storey Mountain
35. Swim 200 yards freestyle.  In HS, my event was the 500 free, but I don't think I could make it that far
36. Visit my friend Sheri from high school.
37. Make crumb cake.  Need to find a recipe first.
38. Master making gelato at home
39. Visit the Howell Farmer's Market
40. Visit the Ypsi Farmer's Market
41. Visit the Tecumseh Farmer's Market.
42. Wintersow some herbs
43. Have a sunset picnic with our neighbors
44. Have a bonfire party in the back yard
45. Make my hammock garden in the woods
46. Go on one 10 mile hike somewhere this year.