donna

Instead of finishing my old novel, I think I’ll write a new novel.

I’m working on a languishing sweater right now, a little bit every day, with a goal to be done before the end of 2007. Like the little engine, I think I can…

My husband and I got so sick of repeating the same 10 or 15 dishes over and over that we didn’t repeat a single dish in 2005 – if we made hamburgers more than once, we used a different recipe – and we did eat leftovers. But every week it was five new recipes, everything from fritatta to Ma Po Tofu, poached fish to barbeque. We’re still cooking a lot of new stuff, but now we’re revisiting our favorites from “the year of cooking different things.”

The list is here – one book down, eleven to go.

I started reading the book with a group of crafters last year – I’d like to get back into it bwcause I felt like the Morning Pages were really helpful.

I do it first thing in the morning, so I know it’s out of the way, and it’s made a real difference for me over the last three months.

I lost a total of 19 pounds in 2001 and didn’t keep it off for a variety of reasons (the last five pounds were the hardest). Setting a smaller goal seems to be the key, plus being a little more laid back about it. I recommend both FitDay and Weight Watchers, plus as much exercise as you can stand. I don’t know if I’ll take off the whole 19, but I like where I am better than where I was.

I’m sure they must be available somewhere, but my Google-fu is failing me – except to find pictures of other people wearing theirs.

This was worth it (and it validated), but it was a lot of work for a novice like me. My reach still exceeds my grasp, design-wise, and I want to do it again, but I don’t know if I will.

I know it’s a cliche to trumpet your exercise program after only a few weeks, but even following along with a few beginners’ tapes purchased from Ebay has made a huge difference in my posture and strength.

I’m so glad I took up knitting – I feel like I finally have a craft I can call my own, and I love seeing things develop as I’m making them. I’m learning to be both more and less detail-oriented, depending on the situation, and it’s teaching me patience.