I enjoyed trying to do 24 things in 2024. I’ll keep some things, refine others, and add in some new ones. As usual, they are wildly divergent, and I will not get good at anything, but I’ll have fun.
1. Camp more at the cottage property. Now that I have a cottage to stay in, I hope this will be easier, if I can manage my work schedule.
2. Figure out Hydro, running water, and a contractor or two to do the inside work on the cottage. Not exactly fitness challenges, but they are adulting things. Last year’s challenges of building permits, septic tank and cottage buildings worked well so I’m feeling confident I can get at least some of this done.
3. Get the canoe into the water and explore the lake. This may require at least temporary stairs to the water – or more contracting. We shall see!
4. Hike some of the trails around the cottage area.
5. Bike at least 2,000 km, including a ride to Gatineau Park for a swim. Last year’s 3,000 km goal turned out to be impossibly ambitious, especially after I retired. My numbers plummeted once those daily rides to the office disappeared. I think 2,000 will be plenty ambitious for the new circumstances. It will require me to get a handle on my ongoing knee and quad pain, so lots of physio is rolled into this one.
6. Read one book a month. I came so close last year! Sadly (depending on your perspective), I bought more new books than I read, so this challenge will need to remain.
7. Read one magazine a week. That’s 52 magazines. I had read 41 at the time of writing, and I have enough for at least another year.
8. Cook one new recipe a week. This is an old habit, but this year’s challenge has three new components. My daughter moved out this year and my dad is unwell, so I need to figure out things that serve only one or two meals and others that match my dad’s dietary requirements. I also want to do more recipe redactions from medieval cookbooks. Let’s say one a month?
9. Weed and care for my gardens and hopefully harvest more food. This is a repeat, but I’m going to push out of my comfort zone with some different veggies.
10. Swim. I recently saw people completing the challenge of 200 km a year. I like this! It will mean doubling my time at indoor pools and swimming outdoors, but I think I can do it. I have already signed up for the 2025 Bring On The Bay open water swim.
11. Do some crafting. I have a few ideas, and one project I know I want to finish for a February deadline. Plus I will be going to a conference in June where I will spend four full days learning new skills.
12. Sew at least five outfits that have been lurking in my fabric stash and “to do” list for 5 years or more. I have a June deadline for one piece. If I get electricity to the cottage, then I could sew up there. Hmm…
13. Declutter the things in my house. I have been reading a lot about fast fashion and our consumer culture more generally. Getting rid of things may not help, but I feel like it’s time to move them on to someone who will love them more.
14. Couch surfing vacation to southern Ontario as part of Stratford Theatre trip with friends. No change from last year.
15. Volunteer more. Specifically, I want to lead some harvests for Hidden Harvest. I’ll keep doing the Bike Ottawa and medieval club things, of course.
16. Visit my son in Toronto. And my new grandson!
17. Spend more time with my parents. Elder care is going to be a big part of my life for a while, sadly.
18. Stretch! Physio, yoga, some of the stretch and strength videos from Movement Union, do some aquafit classes. Is it too much to dream of physio at least three days a week and one of something else? Probably, but I can give it a shot.
19. Shop from my pantry. I’m really good at preserving food, not so good at using it up.
20. Meet up with friends. I hang out with way too many introverts. We love getting together, but it rarely happens. I’ll aim to meet up with one of them each month for coffee or a meal or something.
21. Do something artistic. Will I finish that oil painting that has been sitting around for years? Work on my calligraphy and illumination? Take a watercolour class? Or just take my sketchbooks to the cottage and put them to use?
22. Be loud. I discovered my activist voice last year and I liked it.
23. Relax. Deliberately spend time staring at trees, or lounging in the sun, meditating, or whatever. More specifically, hammock time. Use the one in my back yard and set up one between a couple of trees at the cottage.
24. Set up my bike for indoor rides and see if I can make it track my distances.
25. I have no idea! This is a placeholder for whatever adventures might come my way, or new things I want to explore. This may have been my favourite last year.
