Half-year goal progress

Time to report on my resolution / goals for 2023!

1. Meditate daily

I did a daily challenge on the Insight Timer app in January and February, but I fell off in March and beyond.

2. Improve my bread making

I made maple milk bread and pizza in January, then focaccia in March, and roti in April. Each one was made to accompany another specific recipe I was making!

In May, I made Jordan Pond popovers again, realizing that undercooking is the key to tasty popovers. In June, I made chocolate babka and butternut squash bread, giving some away and making people very happy.

3. Eat more plant-based food

Thinking about this made me realized how far I had slipped back into less vegan (or even vegetarian) eating, so I focused on trying to have more meals that were mostly or all plant-based. I successfully did this in the spring, eating mostly vegan beginning in April and May. I bought a new Indian vegan cookbook and have been working through The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook by ATK.

4. Learn about foraging

In the winter, I rented and bought a few books on foraging, particularly in New England, and thought about what I'd like to try to find (and where I might find it). I also continue to follow Black Forager on Instagram, where I learned you can make day lily pickles. I also ate some dandelion greens, adding them to a kale dish, as well as broadleaf plantain. I also tried making a wild tea for the first time, using white clover flowers for a hot tea.

5. Stay under 160 lb.

Struggled to reach 160 lb. in the early part of the year, but got back on Noom in April and made good progress. It helps that Dave also regressed a bit, weight-wise, so he was all in on taking it easy. Surprisingly, cutting out alcohol most days seemed to be helpful, even though I drink very little in the first place.

6. Develop a fitness routine

Lifted weights in the early part of the year but fell off, but I did start training more in March when the 5K program began. Nicer weather also helped us be willing to take more walks. I did not continue running much past the 5K, but we did a bunch of hikes in May.

7. Write down funny quotes

Started a notebook in January and wrote down some quotes in January and February, but then didn't write any for a while. In June I had a couple and I'm getting back into the habit.

8. Bring Tupperware when eating out

Did not use a single take-out container this year for leftovers when eating out - successfully left the containers in the car and used them in both February and March.

9. Don't buy superwash yarn

Success - bought raw yarn in January and February from local sources in Maine, as well as a ton at the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Fest in May.

Shetland wool I bought at the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Fest

I did buy a bit of superwash yarn (forgetfully) in May, but for the most part, I stuck to my goal here.

10. Travel for work more

Went on a Boston trip in January and went on local visits in February and March, as well as a nice trip to Vermont in May and a trip with another coworker to Chicago for visits and a conference. I hit my visit goal and could tell the quality of visits were better in person versus Zoom.

11. Bring Chicago to Maine

Listened to XRT daily, which I was really glad I did because I heard about Lin Brehmer's death right away. We also bought a subscription to ESPN in February to watch the Blackhawks, but we didn't watch more than one game. I did get back to Chicago in March, April, and May for different things and will be coming back in style to present at a conference in November!

12. Relax better

I have done this better this year, in part because I know I need to for my mental health, but also because I've read about how rest helps your brain.

13. Finish up last year's pizza list (5 remaining)

We ate at Intervale in February, which was one I was really excited about - broccoli and cheese. It's a cute little general store and I recommend checking it out for pizza and other snacks.

In May, we found out that two of the remaining shops - DiOddo's (Fort Kent) and Hearth & Harbor (Mt. Desert island) closed. Yikes!! 

In June, we ate at the last ones, including Nora Belle's in Bridgton and Tinder Hearth in Brooksville. The latter was one of my top faves of the whole exercise! I wrote to Down East to let them know that we ate our way through their list (as best we could).

Last pizza of our journey, with the magazine that started it all

14. Go camping

In February, we scheduled a fun camping venture over the week of July 4, and then in the spring, we scheduled an even earlier camping overnight in Acadia for Memorial Day. Success! 

Sunset on the Schoodic Peninsula

We popped the tent with no problem and even went for hikes before and after. We weren't allowed to have a fire in our hike-in camping site on the Schoodic peninsula, though, so that's something to consider for next time, as we do enjoy cooking (at least making s'mores).

15. Visit Wisconsin

Haven't done this yet, but I will try to do it the next time we're back in Illinois for a length of time. 

16. Do a 5k run

Scheduled this in January and began training in March, and successfully completed the Salty's 5K in York, Maine! We ran to the Nubble Lighthouse and back. Lots of little hills, but very fun. (No photos because my phone got run over that day...long story.)

17. Propagate Stan, my pothos houseplant

This became a priority for Stan's health, as he is over 20 years old at this point and started having some yellowing leaves, partially because of how big he was getting. You can see how big at left, with very spindly stems, some of them 15+ years old or more.

Made cuttings throughout the winter as leaves fell off, but then gave him a huge "haircut" in March. We barely had enough glasses in the house to put them all in - I clearly had more than I thought!

Stan cuttings in my kitchen

18. Make recipes I've listed out from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"

In January, I made a creamed Brussels sprouts dish, cassoulet, and aïgo bouido, a Provençal garlic soup. In February, I made a lot - an orange cake with chocolate frosting, a chocolate soufflé, my first poached eggs (!), and crêpes suzette. 

In March, I made shirred eggs, basically baked eggs. I did another baked egg dish, oeufs cocotte, in June, although I might have overdone it. We enjoyed them with some vegan breakfast sausage.

19. Make acorn flour

Obviously there were no acorns available, so I found a good recipe and am holding it until late summer or early fall when acorns are available. I did eat an acorn earlier this year, blanching it and chopping it up!

20. Can and preserve this summer

I meant to make marmalade over the winter but did not. I made a list of things I want to make this summer, and things are starting to come into season!

21. Infuse olive oil (lemon, garlic, etc.)

Made lemon / garlic infused olive oil in January, which was very tasty indeed. I made chile oil next, which was delightful and I'm still using it. Not sure what is next - maybe rosemary oil?

22. Make Lang Jakke

Bought the yarn but as of April, need to get the appropriate needles and cast this project on. A major thing holding me back is terror of steeking.

23. Do 6 yarn bombs in Maine

I spent January cutting up plastic bags (especially newspaper sleeves) and crocheting them into a sleeve, which I installed on Colby's campus in February. I spent March making a blue one, which I installed in early May when it was finally nice out.

I made a pride bike rack sleeve in May, installed just in time for June...

Yarn is a single skein of Red Heart - super fun!

Then I made a series of sleeves for campus, installed on International Yarn Bombing Day!

The inspiration card is from my Color Cube

So, that's four yarn bombs, two more to go to reach my goal!