Goals are things that are achievable. They aren’t wishes or dreams that you know are not attainable. An example of a goal is to pay off a certain amount of debt, to hand-make all your greeting cards for the year, to lose 10 pounds, or to learn how to knit. Some things that would be unattainable for me would be to lose 50 pounds, win $1,000,000 in the lottery (I don’t play,) or become President of the United States.
Goals should be given some thought. Don’t write five things down and think you are done. There is a lot more to it than that. Especially if you plan to succeed.
October we were out of town a lot again. Six days were spent on our trip. Three days we had a joint birthday party for our granddaughters at our daughter’s house. There was a bit of a bump in the road because of the fall I took in late September. After having an MRI I found out that I have a hairline fracture in my right arm. October ended up with five doctors’ appoints, including x-ray and MRI. November starts out with an extra hour in our days. Use it wisely.
COMPLETED: We did it! We made it back from our trip October 6. So I can now mark off Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri off my map. Visit 3 states I haven’t been to before. I desire to visit every state in the United States in my lifetime.
COMPLETED: I have completed 37 books toward the 30 I plan to read this year. I didn’t finish any in October because I am reading a really long one this time. This goal will have to increase next year, or I will have to read longer books. Read 30 books.
COMPLETED: I am continuing physical therapy. However, my physical therapist gave me permission to attempt driving. So on February 19 my husband road along as I drove. We went on the freeway very briefly, mainly driving in town. Since then I have driven several times by myself. This was probably my most important goal since it has given me the freedom that has brightened up my days. Drive by myself.
COMPLETED: I had my BAHA (bone attached hearing aid) surgery on July 22. On August 20 I received the outside portion of my implant. It was with great joy that I realized I could hear my husband speaking to me on the way home from that appointment. I’m still getting used to this, but as time goes on I think I will adapt to it a bit better. I didn’t regain any hearing in my ear, but I have the ability to feel like I am hearing in my left ear. All options have been pursued. To have the hearing in my left ear improved to 30% or all options pursued. Another result of my brain tumor surgery.
PROGRESS: We put the grass in the front yard. Sprinklers are in. I’m waiting for the heat to settle down to work in the yard again. We have looked for bushes a few times but haven’t found the ones we want yet. We actually bought a few plants on 10/31. However, the winter garden has taken over my husband’s plans. It must be going to happen in November, before Thanksgiving.Have our front and back yard landscaping completed so we can enjoy them.
PROGRESS: My husband had made a little progress on this. None since then. Clean up/organize our garage so I can park in the garage.
PROGRESS: The weight roller coaster continues. Honestly, if it was a roller coaster it would be bigger changes. Saddly I have been eating too much and I am now down only 1/2 pound for the year. I can’t imagine being successful on this one. Lose 10 lbs.
COMPLETED: It feels great to no longer have any house or car payments. Pay off all debt. This was on my list for last year and I came close, but not quite.
PROGRESS: I have finished one baby quilt. I went fabric shopping before our governor wanted us to always wear masks, so oops, that was more enjoyable than it could have been. I started cutting out one of the quilts in the last week of October. Really hope to finish it in the next 2 weeks. Begin and finish three baby quilts.
PROGRESS: I am now in contact with another cousin. We are trying to figure out her upline of relatives. She is adopted and knows her birth father’s name and thanks to 23andMe her great great grandfather, who was my great-grandfather’s brother. I love trying to solve a mystery. This can be so exciting. I have been in contact with a second cousin. This is one of my last things on my mind, hence it is not going quickly. I have started typing up my history on one side. Ancestry: Tie at least 10 more people that are my second or third cousins to my family tree.
October was a disaster as far as completing any goals. November has to be productive. I’m not giving up yet, except possibly on my weight. I don’t think I was really committed to that goal. If you have goals set, don’t give up on yourself either. We have the time to do it if we put in the effort. Two more months to go!
The Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri, is not your regular National Park. You can’t go camping there. Neither can you see a natural wonder that has been there for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years, or longer. Gateway Arch is man made. It is 55 years old (in 2020.) There are ninety acres of land included in this National Park, covered with a few buildings, a lot of grass, and over 4,000 trees. Plus 5 miles of trails.
Even though the Gateway Arch has only been a National Park since 2018, it has a large amount of history. Before becoming a national park it was known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Its location is near where Lewis and Clark began their expedition to expand our country to the West. It was also known as the Gateway to the West. The area was designated as a national memorial in 1935. In 2018, President Donald Trump designated Gateway Arch as a National Park.
I decided to publish the five verses that I have posted, that received the most interest from my viewers/followers. So start your day off with five verses that I have posted before, but deserve to be appreciated again. They are in no particular order.
September seems like it was a short month, with grandkids visiting, doctor appointments (6 plus one for my mom), smoky skies, and high temperatures, and being out of town five days. Even though I made some progress I am looking forward to October. And I hope it doesn’t disappoint. At least the weather should be better and the skies clearer. And maybe no doctor appointments. I guess October 31 will be the day I’ll know.
COMPLETED: We did it! We made it back from our trip yesterday. So I can now mark off Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri off my map. Visit 3 states I haven’t been to before. I desire to visit every state in the United States in my lifetime.
COMPLETED: I have completed 37 books toward the 30 I plan to read this year. This goal will have to increase next year, or I will have to read fatter books. Read 30 books.
COMPLETED: I am continuing physical therapy. However, my physical therapist gave me permission to attempt driving. So on February 19 my husband road along as I drove. We went on the freeway very briefly, mainly driving in town. Since then I have driven several times by myself. This was probably my most important goal since it has given me the freedom that has brightened up my days. Drive by myself.
COMPLETED: I had my BAHA (bone attached hearing aid) surgery on July 22. On August 20 I received the outside portion of my implant. It was with great joy that I realized I could hear my husband speaking to me on the way home from that appointment. I’m still getting used to this, but as time goes on I think I will adapt to it a bit better. I didn’t regain any hearing in my ear, but I have the ability to feel like I am hearing in my left ear. All options have been pursued. To have the hearing in my left ear improved to 30% or all options pursued. Another result of my brain tumor surgery.
PROGRESS: We put the grass in the front yard. Sprinklers are in. I’m waiting for the heat to settle down to work in the yard again. We have looked for bushes a few times but haven’t found the ones we want yet. October is the month. I can just feel it. 🙂Have our front and back yard landscaping completed so we can enjoy them.
PROGRESS: My husband had made a little progress on this. None since then. Clean up/organize our garage so I can park in the garage.
PROGRESS: The weight roller coaster continues. Honestly, if it was a roller coaster it would be bigger changes. I was out of town at the end of the month, with no scale available. I’m roughly down 2.5 pounds. I finally hit 500 miles walked in September. Since my goal has been 1000 miles a year for several years, and I’ve usually come close, this year, with three months left isn’t going to happen. If it did, I’d come closer to my 10 pounds lost. Lose 10 lbs.
COMPLETED: It feels great to no longer have any house or car payments. Pay off all debt. This was on my list for last year and I came close, but not quite.
PROGRESS: I have finished one baby quilt. I went fabric shopping before our governor wanted us to always wear masks, so oops, that was more enjoyable than it could have been. I have purchased more fabric, which does not get a quilt completed on its own. Begin and finish three baby quilts.
PROGRESS: I have been in contact with a second cousin. This is one of my last things on my mind, hence it is not going quickly. I have started typing up my history on one side. Ancestry: Tie at least 10 more people that are my second or third cousins to my family tree.
September was a big month, in that we visited three states, which results in completing another goal. I think October will be very productive. I’m not giving up yet. If you have goals set, don’t give up on yourself either. We have the time to do it if we put in the effort. Three more months to go!
