#20for2020
Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park, WV
2019 started with a broken wrist and a broken heart - sounds a little dramatic but it is true. It was a year of taking time to heal and reflect and to find my mojo again after the death of our granddaughter in December of 2018. I had a hard time finding my focus whether it was on a book I was reading, on my work, or making new plans. Let’s just say it was a hard year - for all of us.
Visiting the Tower Bridge in London, England
But I did manage to travel.
In 2019, I traveled to (or through):
11 states, including Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennesse and North Carolina. (Savannah Flowers and Jonathon Hnatow, my daughter and son-in-law won that race with 12 states)
2 Canadian provinces (Nova Scotia, of course, and New Brunswick)
3 countries (the US, Canada and England).
New River in West Virginia from a trail at Grandview State Park
I hiked the mountains of Tennesse and WV, visited the megalopolis of Washington, DC/ Silver, Spring, Maryland, and went kayaking in NC.
I photographed and wrote about some of the world’s largest pumpkins in Centreville and Windsor, NS, saw MIchelle Obama’s portrait at the National Portrait Gallery, and floated down Sleepy Creek near Berkley Springs, WV.
In November, Don and I made a trip to London, England for a belated Don Flowers’ birthday retro tour of London. We also visited our friends, Andrew and Julie ( and Lizzy and Will) who were wonderful hosts in Hitchen, England and toured Kings College Chapel in Cambridge. We saw two very different but phenomenal musicals, Hamilton and Come From Away.
Visiting Kings College Chapel in Cambridge, England with friends, Andrew and Julie Henton Pussey
Clearly, I like to travel.
Now it’s a new year, and of course, I’m setting new goals and making new plans. Yes, I know this is already January 22 but it’s still early. Plus it’s not only a new year, it’s a new decade. So, I’m taking the whole month of January as a chance to reflect on the past year and create plans and intentions for 2020 and the decade to come.
Instead of a resolution this year, I’m setting goals. My goal is to try 20 new things in 2020.
Thank you for the idea, Gretchen Rubin! And thanks to our friend Susie Ballenger who shared it with us.
Here’s my list in no particular order. It’s big on fun and low on self-improvement. I’ll keep you posted as I check them off.
Hike 6 new trails
Visit Balancing Rock in Nova Scotia
See a fjord in Newfoundland
Go cross country skiing
Read and review 25 books
Visit 6 new restaurants
See 20 lighthouses
Learn a little French
Complete the #makeninechallenge. Complete 9 craft/sewing projects.
Run the Valley Harvest Half marathon or 10K.
Go on a picnic somewhere I’ve never been
Go to Burntcoat Head Park in Nova Scotia
Photograph the world’s longest covered bridge in New Brunswick
Learn to crochet.
Publish one of my poems
Learn to play one song on guitar
Ice skate at least once.
Do the South Shore Lobster Crawl.
Learn to play Carole King’s Tapestry proficiently - with all 5 sharps - along with two Bach pieces on the piano
Give away 20 good items that I don’t need anymore.
Here’s the link if you want to join me. There’s still plenty of time!
https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast-episode/255-we-reveal-our-20-for-2020
Share your list in the comments! We’ll keep each other accountable.
A few images from 2019:
