April Goals: The Year of Changing Things Up, 2nd Quarter

I reviewed my 2024 Resolutions and my January, February and March goals this weekend.   I met a few goals, gave myself a check minus  for about 70 % of the goals that I at least made some progress upon  and failed entirely with 10% of the others.  Sigh.  If at first you don't succeed, try again, right?  Well that's what I'm going to do.  I'm going to try again on all the things I've missed except seasonal tasks.  I can't turn back time but I can prepare for the next seasons ahead.

Personal/Spiritual:  I need to spend some time outdoors.  Not just working but outdoors period.  Porch or patio sitting is just fine.  But yes, also to working outdoors. 

I need to get outdoors for my mental health.  I need to be outdoors for my spiritual health.  So it's starting to be a wee bit warmer and I thought I might take my Scipture reading outdoors on the sunny days and read there.  I finished up reading Ecclesiastes in March and then started on Dueteronomy.  It might sound odd, but I actually LIKE Dueteronomy and enjoy reading it and mulling it over.  I was abysmal last week in my reading but I did listen to the audio version of the book and got through several chapters.  I prefer reading over listening.  I get more from it.

Speaking of reading, I started Michelle Cushatt's A Faith That Will Not Fail, and Grace Hamman's Jesus Through Medieval Eyes.  I am ashamed to say that both are still being read.  

And to go further, last month's Goudge book was not the one I had gotten in my head it would be.  I don't even own the book that was read.  This month will be The Rosemary Tree.  I want to do a more immersive reading experience with this book this time around, taking it slowly, looking up references to people, places, music, and flowers, making notes, jotting down quotes that move me, and meditating on each day's reading and letting it lead me to think more deeply about my life and relationships but spiritual and earthly.

Either I read the Thomas Jefferson book this month or I forget it and donate it.  I've had it on my bookshelf far too long.  Maybe it's just not the book for me.

That said, I want to set up a few books to read this month.  Grace Livingston Hill's April Gold because John just got me a lovely vintage copy with the old dust jacket and a stack of two or three other books.  I also want to read Elizabeth Van Arnim's, Enchanted April.   Yes, I know, I'm being ambitious but I'll get to the reason why here in a bit.

Now to focus on the personal side of this:  Until the last day of March, I didn't journal for nearly 12 days.  I might call the last Coffee Chat post a journaling of sorts (they are usually) but that was pretty much it.  I've given up on morning pages per se with the mandate that I must write three pages worth every single morning, but I do benefit from writing in my journal and I want to pick that habit back up again.

I want to begin to incorporate a 12-hour fasting day three days a week (as recommended by my doctor).  This week I want to begin by trying to wait 90 minutes after rising before I have my first cup of coffee.  During those first minutes, I'll be drinking 20 ounces of lemon water.

I am also going to work on portion control.  I am measuring portions, but I am trying to increase proteins.  Yes, I am trying to lose weight but more than that I'm trying to get a better balance of nutrients and minerals into my diet, rather than relying on supplements.  

I need a beauty day badly.   Facial mask, foot mask, sugar scrubs, moisturizing, hair mask, etc.  I'm going to spend some time once a week this month taking care of my hair, skin, and nails.  

I want to spend less time on the computer.  I'm going to give myself an hour after lunch to write only and won't get back on the computer for any reason until after supper each evening.

And finally, I have the movie version of "Enchanted April" which I want to watch after I've read the book. 

Home and Garden:  I am so far behind.  The pre-spring/post-winter clean-up outdoors really never took place.  Oh the porches were rinsed off last week and the things that are meant to bloom are, but the weeds have grown, the dead pots need to be emptied and washed and the soil refreshed in all the pots or at least topped up with some compost and fertilized.  Furniture and porches must be deep cleaned and painted fresh. Lots of work.  Lots. An overwhelming amount of work.  

I will do it a small bit at a time.  I'll start in one corner of the patio and work my way up to the porch, or at the back steps and work my way to the backdoor.  I'll take five minutes here or there to step back outdoors and pull a few weeds.  I DO NOT have to do it all at once.  I procrastinated and let other things get ahead of those tasks and now I will do what I can and do my best to pace myself.   We'll see how much I can accomplish by month's end.

One thing I do know:  I must have fresh mulch and I will want a few flowers.  I don't mind planting seeds.  I won't even try with the bougainvillea again this year.  They are pricey and I lose them every winter since I can't store them properly.  I will buy a few ferns and I'm going to try to add perennial plants and not focus on so many annuals.  I'll look over my budget and determine where I can find those funds.  Right now, I'm pretty sure it's coming from my allowance.  

The shed is dirty and unorganized. Kate has moved most of her things out.  I have her china and a few baby things that she'll be ready to use before the end of the year.  The dryer was moved out last month.  Now there is space to properly move things to clean and arrange.  Again, it's a big job to be done in small bits.  I'd like to get out there before it's too hot each day and do a little until it's finished.

The guest room and bathroom need work.  I've said it before and I will continue to say it.  This is a no-spend task.  I'll use what I have.  This week I've set my goals to paint picture frames and hang them, put the headboard back into place, and have John help me figure out how we can anchor it to the wall, and I have a chair to move into the room.

The guest bathroom needs a good deep cleaning and could use some paint touch-ups.  I'd like to add just a little bit more color to the room.  Not sure exactly how I'll go about that.  But I'm keeping that desire in the back of my mind.

In the Kitchen:  I had meant to work out a Spring/Summer menu already.  That is now being pushed into the first part of this month.  

I'm going to allot $110/week for groceries this month.  I need to restock flour this month.  

I want to go through the freezer shelf by shelf and determine how I can use the oldest items on each one.  I will incorporate them into something for the pantry or a meal, etc.  It will likely take most of the month, but I know there are things that need to be used. 

I want to sort out the pantry shelves.  Most are arranged to suit me but a few could use a bit of neatening up.  A few shelves are not suited to the items stored on them and others are just fine.  

This month I want to learn to make croissants. I don't know if I can make them cheaper than I can buy them, but I'd like to try something beyond my current skill level in the kitchen.

Finances:  I need to refigure our budget for the 2nd Quarter.  We won't be purchasing propane until the end of September so that money can be allotted elsewhere in the budget.  The electric bill will go up a bit so I need to account for that.

Budget for our mowing season which has begun.  Additional gas, blades, and a maintenance fund must all be added.  

I want to add in a small amount for gardening.

I want to lower our entertainment budget and push a bit of that money over to our vacation fund. 

This month I need to order a birthday gift for Lily.  Fortunately, that is budgeted for already.  I would also like to get another Christmas gift in my stash.  I've been taking my coupon savings and pushing that towards a Christmas fund.  

As you can see, I'm planning big for this month.  I am not forgetting I'll have all my usual work to do, grandchildren and the unplanned things as well as those things that are already planned...but I figured this month, I'd plan big and work hard.  Once it's really hot outdoors I'm not going to get much of anything done out there anyway.  

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