Comments on: Friday miscellany: Long summer + summer fun list update

By: Elisabeth

Elisabeth — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:31:48 +0000

I didn’t do any formal seasonal fun lists this year, but I *do* make a list of annual goals (following along with Gretchen Rubin’s format, this year I’ve done 21 for 2021).

Two things that I add to this process:
1) For every goal I complete a post-mortem. For example: in 2020, I wanted to run 15 km. I didn’t run 15 km but managed to run 7 km routes many times, so I recorded that. Another to-do was to make a compilation of family home videos. I didn’t do this and finally just admitted this is not in my wheelhouse and I am abandoning this as a goal – unless I outsource it at some point. Another 2020 goal was to buy a plant. I bought 4 and was gifted 5 others – so I exceeded my goal! Whether the answer is yes, no, or somewhere in between, I find I always learn/achieve something related to that particular item.

2) I maintain a running ta-da list (also stems from Gretchen Rubin). This doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the goals I set, but they’re fun/interesting/important things that happened along the way. For instance, this year, my husband and I submitted photos to an amateur photography contest…and he won the grand prize. At the start of the year this wasn’t on my radar, but it’s a fun accomplishment I want to keep record of.
I dealt with a challenging warranty issue. That was a ta-da; boring but important. I completed the surveys for Tranquility by Friday and had a follow-up phone call with the wonderful Laura Vanderkam…a very fun TA-DA! I love looking back at this list at the end of the year!

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 12:33:35 +0000

In reply to Sasha Williams. @Sasha - just on its own is really good! It can be a side dish or you could even treat it as dessert because it's pretty sweet.

By: Sasha Williams

Sasha Williams — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 02:11:42 +0000

In reply to Joy. Growing up in Africa I’m not familiar with applesauce but I do have an excess of apples and I wonder how do I eat the applesauce once I’ve made it? On its own, with another food? Help!

By: BethC

BethC — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 02:02:34 +0000

In reply to Laura Vanderkam. Loved my. Cousins Lobster Roll today!

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 14:50:11 +0000

In reply to BethC..

@Beth C- wow, what a great list! Congrats on a great summer. I will have to check out the Lodge at Glendorn – we are always on the hunt for PA options…

By: BethC.

BethC. — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 01:04:28 +0000

Here are the results of my summer fun list:
1. Five-day trip to the Outer Banks for a stay at my sister and BIL’s beach house. Have not seen them in almost a year due to Covid. Results-Went there, sat on the beach, and soaked in the sunshine and the company of my BIL and sister.
2. A three-week swing through the Finger Lakes and Western PA. to see pretty scenery, visit some wineries, hit the Ithaca Farmer’s market and Moosewood, and visit some museums. (Eastman in Rochester and Corning Glass are already on the list). The PA. portion will involve stays at a historic hotel and a historic lodge. I am also dragging my husband to the I Love Lucy Museum, since it is “only” an hour out of the way when we transit from our hotel on Keuka Lake to the Lodge at Glendorn in PA. Results: This was an amazing trip-we hit 28 wineries in 3 weeks and there were a number that were surprisingly great (Fox Run, Forge and Dr. Konstantin Frank come to mind). Paul Hobbs is building a winery there. Beautiful scenery and great people. The Lodge at Glendorn is pricey, but with incredible rooms and services. Look at their off season pricing. They have “cabins” (which are…not exactly rustic) with 4 bedrooms. Managed to hit the Corning Glass, Eastman and I Love Lucy museums, as well as the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester,
3. Grab a lobster roll from the Cousins truck at least once. Results: Thank you for mentioning this, Laura. I am going to do this tomorrow!
4. Do a bike trip along the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Results: Nope. Husband needs a cardiac procedure, so we need to put this on hold until he gets past that.
5. Do a walk/hike through Estell Manor Park in Atlantic County, NJ. Results: Nope. See item 4
6. Do a walk/hike through the Lumberton (NJ) Nature Trail. Results: Done. I continue to find great little places to walk/hike in my area of South Jersey, with more to be discovered.
7. Make plans to meet up with friends for lunch or a beach day twice a month-first one is booked for next week. Results: Had lunch with 2 friends, so an average of once per month. Did not do a friend beach day due to rain.
8. Go to a movie (if any come out that I want to see in person). Results: Another nope. When I felt comfortable doing it, there were no movies that I wanted to see. Now getting Covid anxiety again.
9. Get to the beach at least once every other week, weather permitting. Results: Got to the beach more this summer than last year, but the rain has thwarted my plans more than once.
10. Make a dent in my ever-growing TBR pile on the nightstand. Results: I’ve made a very minor dent, but progress is progress. I Just finished a book called, “The Time in Between,” by Spanish writer Maria Duenas. A great read. I read all 600 pages in 2 days.
11. Read the large pile of Atlantic Monthly magazine that has accumulated. I have over a year’s worth-it will be an interesting historic exercise given the year that we have just had. Results: Does reading one Atlantic count?
12.. Buy a new mattress-not exactly a fun pursuit, but ours is very saggy, so my future self will thank me. Results: Yes! And our sleep is much improved!
13. Visit each of our favorite local ice cream spots at least once: Evergreen Dairy Bar, Maple Shade Custard, Daddy-O’s, Springer’s in Stone Harbor. Results: Mostly. All but the custard stand. Perhaps I will hit the custard stand tomorrow after my lobster roll for a true Day of Decadence.
14. Go back to in-person dining in South Jersey and Philadelphia. Results: Surprisingly, not as much as I would have liked. I was too busy coming up with creative uses for the abundance of produce that we got from our CSA and the bounty which grew in the Earth boxes on our deck. However, we had many amazing meals in the Finger Lakes and at the Lodge at Glendorn (with our meal in their wine cellar a highlight).
Keep in mind that my kids are grown, so I have more adult time available. I could never have pulled off most of this when I was a working mom of 2 young kids.

By: Joy

Joy — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 20:51:29 +0000

Such a fun list. I have a big mass of honeysuckle in my yard and thought of you often when it was in bloom.

Applesauce is easy and isn’t much trouble other than the peeling. My kids bought me an apple-peeler-corer one year, which makes the worst part easy. I throw all of the apple pieces in a stock pan, add a cup of boiling water and cook the apples until soft. Then add sugar to taste (or none at all), some cinnamon, a squirt of lemon juice, and cook until apples are mostly broken down. Then either a potato masher or stick blender finishes the job. I like chunks of apple in mine. Anything we don’t immediately inhale, I tuck in containers and freeze until I want some. I buy extra apples every fall just to make applesauce.

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 19:14:17 +0000

In reply to Elisabeth.

@Elisabeth – I forgot to mention that we never did the live outdoor music, and since the Brad Paisley concert was canceled for late September, we don’t have anything planned. Oh well – maybe something serendipitous will happen.

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 19:12:55 +0000

In reply to Catherine. @Catherine - we might take the peels off, but I think this sounds like a great idea. The no-ironing-blanket applesauce equivalent.

By: Vivi Steinfeld

Vivi Steinfeld — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 19:04:53 +0000

I love the idea of creating a fun list rather than a to-do list. When I cross off my to-dos the list goes in the recycling bin but this would be something to look back on with satisfaction, since I know I did accomplish some things this summer but in another couple of months I could never tell you what all I did! Plus I’m inspired by the length and breadth of items on your list.