Photo by Ann H. from Pexels
Halftime 2020
In January I made a list of 20 things I wanted to accomplish in 2020. It seems that list was written in an alternate universe. But since we’re midway through this crackerjack year, I thought I’d take a moment to think about which ones I’ve done, which ones I haven’t, and which ones still matter.
Launch Bookish Mama. Ok, well that was kind’ve a freebie since I knew we’d have this site up and running. It’s been a comfort to me to be able connect with others during this time.
Write at least one post per week. Not quite, but my score is not terrible. Life got in the way a few times, but this post will make 25. I’m going to count this one as almost on-track.
Make cassoulet. Nope. Maybe in the fall.
Read 5 classics. Being quarantined with kids doesn’t exactly equate to free time, but I did read two classic plays, The Miracle Worker and Pygmalion, so I’m chugging along here.
Organize digital and printed photos. My husband did start a folder for digital images we want to print. And I did go through older prints to make my mom a photo album. Still a C- at best though.
Maintain weight loss. I am happy to report that despite eating my emotions on numerous occasions, the scale has only creeped up a bit from last year. I could definitely stand to do better, but this one hasn’t been a flaming dumpster failure.
Take a class to learn something new. I was scheduled to take a French cooking class in March. Covid takes this one.
Visit Sesame Place 4 times. I’m thinking it's going to be a bust this year.
Organize recipe binders. Still need to do this. It would definitely save me time and aggravation.
Speak more Spanish. Todavía no (not yet).
Organize basement. Well, my husband built more shelving, so a few boxes have been moved from the floor. But mostly that’s a no. A good project for staying at home, though!
Take the kids to swim lessons. Covid snagged this one, too. But I am grateful to be able to swim in the pools of a few friends and family, and because of that all three kids are making progress in the water. So the summer won’t be a total regression.
Organize the junk drawer. Ok, I have no excuse for this one since I’m in it every single day and I still can’t find anything and I am home all the time. Maybe I will put a sticky note on the counter this week and tell myself I can’t remove it until its done.
Pay it forward 3 times. Well, we haven’t been out and about much, but I did get into sourdough baking, so we brought bread to our neighbors. We also visited a tulip farm and the kids delivered bouquets to our friends and family. So we’re in the right spirit here.
Redo upstairs bathroom. Yes! We took the plunge and did it. The crew came in with masks and we Lysoled after they left, and now we have a sparkling new bathroom that makes me never want to get out of the shower.
Update wall photos. You know that digital folder from #5? Yeah, still not printed. No excuse.
Date night once a month. Psssst...that Covid-19 is really becoming a third wheel.
Visit a museum. We know the answer to this one too, although I could definitely have taken advantage of the awesome virtual tours that have been made available to us. I need to do this.
Take the kids camping. Does the backyard count? Because we set up a tent last weekend for the Fourth of July. And if I’m brave enough maybe we’ll try it for a night somewhere else later this summer, because that’s one of the few vacations you can take while maintaining distance.
Express gratitude every day. I had to think about this one. I think this pandemic has brought on some soul searching for everyone. And there were definitely days where I bemoaned my plight having to homeschool the kids while juggling my job, my husband’s broken ankle, stir-crazy kids and a dog, sold-out grocery delivery slots, etc. But overall it has helped me remember how incredibly lucky I am every day to have our health, my parents, plenty of food, and relative stability when so many have lost so much.
Whew. Ok, not too shabby. I feel like there are only one or two things here that really won’t be possible to accomplish (like Sesame Place), but with a little creativity and a little reminder for why they were important to me in the first place, I feel like I might be able to make most of these happen over the next six months. Traditional date nights? Maybe not, but what’s stopping us from eating a special dinner and watching a movie together after the kids are asleep? Why can’t I put on Spanish music more often and teach the kids a few words? Why can't I utilize YouTube or listen to a podcast to learn a new skill? Why can’t I gather the kids in front of the computer and take a tour of the Smithsonian? I can. And I should. Because if there’s anything that’s going to be important in the next six months, its focusing on what we can do. A whole lot of somethings.
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