I'm new at this

I've wanted to start a blog for a long time. Why? I don't know. I can't imagine anyone being the least bit curious about what I have to say. Regardless, here I am and I'm very new at this, so please be patient with me. That being said, I hope you'll come along and join me now and again for whatever will be Happening on Chaos Ranch.

I started working on my list of "101 Things to do in 1001 Days" on 9/13. This is a list of preset tasks that I picked out to complete in 1001 days (or 144 weeks or 38 months!). The criteria for picking out the 101 tasks is that they must be specific with a result that is measurable or clearly defined and must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some work on your part or in this case -- my part). I had to rework my list a few times because of that word "stretching". I ended up with a list that I'm happy with. Remember, what is stretching for me, may not be for you. My scheduled end date is June 11, 2011.

As I said, I actually started working on the list on 9/13/08. So far, I've made the gift for Catherine, started this blog (!), started writing in a gratitude journal again and am taking daily pictures. Pretty good start, even if it is the physically easy stuff.

Here is my complete list:

1. Clean up all the cans that Barkley (second dog) has scattered
2. Clean out the laundry room
3. Caulk spaces in the laundry room outer wall
4. Learn how to use a chain saw
5. Clean up over grown limbs near drive way
6. Fill in drive way holes started 9/17/08 - this is going to take a while!
7. Investigate the possibility of a way to lighten living room walls started on 10/17/08, found out I can use stain (it lets the logs breathe), but I haven't found a light one yet
8. Plant a tree to celebrate CV's birth
9. Plant a tree to celebrate CL's birth
10. Plant a tree to celebrate J.T.'s birth
11. Get and plant a fruit bearing mulberry tree (can't be one of the three celebration trees)
12. Whittle a cross from wood on Chaos Ranch - don't know how to whittle
13. Start a blog X completed on 9/15/0814. ***Do something creative each week - beading, sewing (hand or machine), etc. 6/144-haven't really kept this up, but I've started doing it again and I'm enjoying every minute15. Start a savings account for CV and deposit $50 for each birthday
16. Start a savings account for CL and deposit $50 for each birthday
17. Start a savings account for J.T. and deposit $50 for each birthday
18. Leave a $100 tip for someone at a "mom and pop" type restaurant
19. Get anemia under control
20. Donate blood after anemia is under control
21. Sell all those cans - I've started selling them, have a lot to go
22. Make a summer quilt with no batting
23. Continue to grow my hair until I can donate at least 10" to Locks of Love
24. Make 5 mini quilts to try to sell on eBay or etsy
25. Make 5 sets of prayer beads to try to sell on eBay or etsy 2 of 5
26. Exercise at least 30 min. at day, 3 times a week for at least 2 months straight
27. Build or buy gates to keep Barkley off of the roof while letting him on the deck
28. Pay off at least one credit card (hopefully more)
29. De-clutter office started 10/26, have to take things to the dump, to recycle and to donate before I can continue and finish - this got very side tracked when MG passed
30. Put shelf in bedroom closet
31. Clean out closet of clothes not worn in the last year
32. Lose at least 50 lbs. and keep it off!
33. By October, start cooking 4 times a week (I've started cooking 10/1)
34. Send son and M a web cam and anything else they need so that I can see and talk to my grand kids X complete as of 1/17/09!!!! boy do I love Skype!
35. Continue to help organize the Nathaniel Hawthorne reunion for October 2009
36. HAVE the Nathaniel Hawthorne reunion
37. Take a photo a day for a year Started 9/13/08 (38/365) missed 3 days due to hand injury; have really not done well on this since Marianne's death - missed several days
38. Open a savings account
39. Save something each month toward trip to Alaska -- goal $100 a month 1/38
40. Take a long (3 week?) driving trip with mom to see grand kids, Teresa and family and Santa Fe
41 Take a family vacation with son and family, somewhere between our two homes
42. Make a (blank) to give to Catherine
43. Make a (to be filled in later) and give to Beth
44. Make a (don't want to ruin the surprise) and give to Kathy
45. ***I'll have to change this. She passed away. I can't complete it now. Make a (it's already picked out) and give to Marianne
46. Put the slipcover on the couch with pins
47. Make a braided rug from fabric I no longer like to go in front of the sink
48. Make a quilt top using old phone books as foundation papers
49. Build a church birdhouse
50. Make (here we go again!) for Catherine X completed 9/13/08, she likes it!
51. Make (I'll let you all know when I'm finished with them) for Teresa X completed 10/20/08, mailed52. Make (Shhhh!) for B
53. Make (blank) for David X completed 10/18/08, mailed
54. Repaint the blue dresser
55. Make a scrapbook for CN
56. Make a scrapbook for J.T.
57. Make a scrapbook for CV
58. Copy Aunt Joan's old pictures
59. Get pictures of dad's from Aunt Brenda to copy
60. Donate $100 to Habitat for Humanity
61. Donate $100 to the local food bank
62. Donate $100 to Kiva
63. Pay for a soldier's meal (hopefully anonymously)
64. Write 6 letters to CV by 2010 in a journal to be given to her when she's at least 18. bought the journal 9/19/08
65. Write 6 letters to CL by 2010 in a journal to be given to her when she's at least 18. bought the journal 9/19/08 - 1 of 6 complete
66. Write 6 letters to J.T. by 2010 in a journal to be given to him when he's at least 18 bought the journal 9/19/08
67. Pay for the next 10 cars on the toll way X Completed 1/29/09
68. Pay a $20 in the Salvation Army Kettle at Christmas time X completed on 11/20/0869. Learn to watercolor paint
70. Make a glass pendant - don't know how to do this either
71. Donate $100 to the SPCA of Texas
72. Repair the birdbath
73. Make a bird feeding station
74. Make (guess who) a Halloween wall hanging
75. Try to sell photographs on eBay or etsy
76. ***Do something different for 50th birthday -- a weekend with my very favorite women friends or ???
77. Make 5 necklaces to try to sell on eBay or etsy
78. Go to DFW airport and welcome home soldiers from Iraq
79. ***Go to each of the exhibits in Quilt Mania 2 ( )
80. Work through the creative writing book
81. Work through The Artist's Way
82. Donate items in the house as I clean out
83. Have grandchildren spend two weeks with us
84. Buy good arch supports for my shoes
85. Buy a good ladder or some kind of helper to change out of reach light bulbs
86. Find a place that fits to volunteer more -- possibly Meals on Wheels or Habitat for Humanity X completed, started volunteering for the SPCA of TX in Jan. 09
87. Make a scrapbook of old photos
88. Learn to paint "old" looking signs
89. Try to write a short story or article to attempt to sell
90. Go see my Dear Sweet more often
91. Get a business tax ID number X completed, arrived 10/8
92 Print business cards X completed, they arrived 9/27/08
93. Start a gratitude journal and write in it at least 4 times a week 5/144 (I haven't done this as often as I had hoped since MG passed either)
94. Make a list of 101 things that make me happy started
95. Ride on a Harley
96. Make out my will and living will
97. Have a dental check up (way over due!)
98. Learn to knit a scarf
99. Donate a bicycle at Christmas
100. Learn how to use the riding lawn mower.
101. No book buying for the 1001 days unless I've read all the books in the house first! (44/1001 - this one is becoming really difficult already!) officially failed as of 11/20/08, although I'm so much better that I still feel somewhat successful!