New Year's Resolutions - I Have a Few

We've been watching a lot of hockey. Mostly the World Juniors. Canada just won in the quarter finals against the USA. We're looking forward to the final on Wednesday against Russia.

Luke left this afternoon. Back to Kentucky. I know he's eager to get on the lacrosse field. Aside from a short period of practices at the end of August and sometimes a fall ball game in September, they don't practice as a team until their first days back in January, leading up to their first season games in February. He's excited. We're excited.

Kevin poured me a glass of wine at dinner. I didn't want a glass of wine but since he poured one, I've had some of it anyway. I probably won't finish it. Wine makes me so tired. I don't want to feel tired.

Yesterday I de-Christmassed the house. Aren't you proud of me, Norma?! As sad as I always feel to take down the sparkle and coziness of the Christmas decorations, I'm glad to have them all packed away and the house tidy and ready for the new year and back to business.

A few days ago I started to feel panic. I was feeling so exhausted and was terrified of starting back to work feeling like that. But I've regrouped the past couple of days. And while I could definitely use some more regrouping time (couldn't we all?!), I do feel rested enough to go back to work. Then again, ask me if I still feel that way tomorrow morning when I have to get up before 10:00 a.m. I might feel differently. I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope I sleep well tonight. I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to start back to work feeling alert and not dragging my butt ... not feeling like I'm going to drop off to sleep at my desk. I guess we could call that a new year wish. Not so much a resolution. Just a wish.

As for resolutions, I have a few. In no particular order ...

1. To lose 20 pounds in 2011. That's nearly 1.5 pounds per month. Sounds do-able. Of course, between you and me, I'm going to try to exceed my goal. It goes without saying that this goal includes getting more exercise as part of the package.
2. Make at least one new recipe per month. That shouldn't be too challenging. I hope to exceed that goal as well. Along with this goes eating more local, more organic, more pulse crops and ancient grains, more vegetables and fruit.
   
3. Finish 5 quilts - emphasis on "Finish". Three of them need starting. Two of them still need planning/designing. I have to finish that yoyo quilt, Hannah's handkerchief quilt, and start and finish Luke's t-shirt quilt. And then I have two more that I really want to make. This will be my most challenging goal.
4. Digitize our 35 mm negatives from pre-digital times. For Christmas Kevin got me a scanner that scans and converts negatives. Next week I hope to try it out and get some sense of how long it might take.
5. Remain cancer-free. I'm very firm on that goal, though I'm not sure what level of control I have over evil cancer. All I can do is eat nutritiously - a cancer prevention diet in particular, take my vitamins and supplements, get my weight down, get more fit, be rested, and avoid stress. And take my &*#@$ Tamoxifen. As much as I hate taking it and don't like the side effects, I'm glad if it's preventing a return to cancer.
6. I will feel more and more like myself. I will either get used to this new me or I will become more like the me I remember. Probably a combination of the two. I will grow more hair. I want bangs. I NEED bangs. I will be able to wear some of my clothes that I've outgrown. I will gain more range of motion in my shoulders. I will worry less about the possibility of my body betraying me again.
7. Come up with a way to express my deep gratitude to all the many people who have kept me in their thoughts and who have helped me get through these very challenging last couple of years. At one time I thought a big party would be the answer and that I would feel ready for that after my last radiation treatment but to say I was a bit naive would be an understatement! And I'm still not in "big party" mode yet. I think that's a long way away. I know that because I'm a little wiser now. In the meantime ... I feel so indebted to so many, I want to at least offer some small token. Expect something. Don't hold your breath. I'm not very quick.
8. I will count my blessings regularly.

There are things I would like to include in my resolution list but I may have already over-extended myself. If my energy improves to such a level, I would like to include ...

1. Spend more time with family and friends. Have more dinner parties. Go to more movies. Take in more events.
   
2. Do more for others. Pay it forward.
   
3. Take a quilting class or go to a quilting retreat or joint the quilter's guild.
   
4. Make things. Make lots of things.