A List Update

So. Let’s have a little chat, shall we?

The whole point of this little exercise in public over-sharing was the list, which I haven’t been paying specific attention to in the last few months.  Subconsciously though?  I’ve been kicking a little tush. I’m halfish the way there.

Having gotten through more than half of the year, I have some thoughts about my Things, and not a few reconsiderations.  Short notes below.  Expanded posts on specific Things to follow.

1. Clean, repair and organize my jewelry (Organized, cleaned, still needs repairing)
2. Train my puppies (They’re … better)
3. Hit my healthy weight (The Rice Krispie treat I’m eating demonstrates otherwise)
4. Have a campfire (Done.  Repeatedly, joyfully!)
5. Tequila shots with my husband (Honestly?  I don’t think I want to do this one.  Tequila makes me sick, really it does.  But there was a reason it was on the list…crap.)
6. Address my health concerns (Ongoing, probably will never be crossed off)
7. Bake a beautiful loaf of bread
8. Rid my house of extraneous ‘stuff’ (Started, not finished, but already I feel lighter)
9. Create and stick to a nightime beauty regimen (This…is never going to happen)
10. Prime rib and yorkshire pudding at Lawry’s
11. Take Claire and Mark to an amusement park
12. Eat at our favorite BBQ diner with my in-laws (Done, deliciously)
13. Make a perfect 4 layer Red Velvet Cake (I made the cake.  Was it perfect? No.  Calling it done anyway.  Perfect is the enemy of good, right?)
14. Have carpets so clean, they sparkle (Well, we bought a carpet cleaner and used it…)
    
15. A day in Chicago doing old favorites I love and something new
16. Find the perfect pants, get them altered if need be
17. Weekend roadtrip, something romantic
18. Hike at Starved Rock
19. Jump into an enormous pile of crinkly fall leaves (Done.  Wish I had pictures)
20. Spend an entire day at GJs pool (Done, more than once.)
21. Find and display photographs of my family, friends and life
22. Feather my nest (Make my bed perfect and dreamy) (In process!  Mood board coming!)
23. Buy myself a right hand ring
24. Throw two perfect showers for two of my best friends (One down, one to go.  Was the first perfect? Not sure, but it was lovely.)
25. Play outside in a summer rain (Done, yay!)
26. Write thank you letters to the important people in my life, mail them on my birthday
27. Make a grand and loving gesture to my husband
28. Martini at the Brass Ring, on a warm and breezy night (Done)
29. Organize an event for all of the Lennon/Wilson/Gossen girls (Probably not going to happen.  Between holidays and the upcoming wedding/shower festivities?  We are going to be overscheduled and probably sick of each other.  But it is something I really really want to do.  Maybe next year?)
30. Make a list of the 30 things I’m grateful for at 30 and frame it

A Recap and No Hiking

Did you all enjoy your Memorial Day holiday?  I had a lovely weekend, I must say.  Sunburn?  Check.  Family time? Check.  Mojitos by the pool? Double check-plus.  List items?  Not even close. 

In my defense, Starved Rock was only going to happen with my mom.  And due to unforseen circumstances (not to mention heat and exhaustion) hiking was just not in her lifeplan this weekend. 

Onwards and upwards!

Despite my Friday resolution to myself to do so, I took exactly two photographs.  TWO!  This simply will not do.  (And let’s be honest, the more purty pictures?  The fewer words I have to write.  And you have to read.) 

Aren’t peonies the most gorgeous things? 

Both arrangements courtesy of my Grandfather’s yard, a pair of clippers, Grandmother’s vintage vases and a bit of messing around by yours truly.

The second arrangement needed more work. Which I decided after I took the photo.  So I futzed with it.  It was beautiful. And then promptly neglected to take anymore photos the rest of the weekend. 

So, other than taking more photos (which, I will do, so help me Jeebus), I’m trying to decide what list item I should tackle next.  I have a full and short workweek and surgery on Friday.  Thoughts?  If and when I have any of my own, I’ll be sure to keep you most apprised of the situation.

A Wedding Announcement!

No, not mine, silly.   Married already.  See also: Judge, The. 

A blogger I love posted her wedding announcement in celebration of her anniversary.  It was written by her husband, The Country Doctor, and it is absolutely hilarious.   

A short selection:

“Escorting the lovely bride were her strong but reluctant parents, Harrison and Martha Bishop. Goodland. Looking relieved, Joe and Rita Malin of Plainville presented their son, the groom.”

Read the whole thing on Rechelle’s lovely site.

The Red Velvet Cake Adventure

It won’t get crossed off the list.  Even though I documented every step for this here blog (Over 90 pictures!!)  But in the end, it wasn’t perfect.  And that was the requirement for list crossing-off.  Perfect. 

Don’t get me wrong.  It wasn’t terrible. 

In fact, it was quite good.  Yummy, even. And the layers were level!

But in the end, the frosting wasn’t right.  Too buttery, not smooth enough. 

I don’t think the Judge and his parents were too put out about eating my ‘mistake’ though. 

So, we try try again.  With PERFECT frosting this time. 

A Tale of Fail

On Friday, a beautifully warm and breezy night, after a lovely dinner at the Elbow Room (a small, pub-type place in Downtown), I talked the Judge into a couple of things: 

1. Circling the block so I could take a picture of the Elbow Room Sign
2. Going to Fountain Square
3. And, seeing as how it was perfectly warm and breezy, accomplishing list item #28 – Martini at the Brass Ring, on a warm and breezy night.

So, as he’s starting to circle the block, I pull out my camera and discover a very VERY dead battery.   Which meant no picture of the Elbow Room sign.  AND… it meant no documentation of List Item #28.  

A riddle for you: If a list item gets accomplished and no pictures were taken, did it really happen?

(Editor’s Answer: Nope. )

After much hand-wringing and discussion, an iPhone photo was taken of the sign:

Really, that says Elbow Room, I promise.

And we decided to go to the Brass Ring anyway, Item #28 be damned. 

Note: that's a bourbon on the rocks. Not a martini. So #28? Total Failure.

So, I chalked it up to a trial run.

Oh, darn.  We’ll have to go back.  On a different perfect warm and breezy night.  And get martinis.  With a real damn camera this time.