I've had a bucket list before that term was mainstream, and yeah, I've always called it a bucket list. I re-affirm it each year and add or delete things I did accomplish, changed my mind about, or forgot to put on the first one. Things on my bucket list to do or have included: Doing the family genealogy (it will be ongoing, to pass on the baton, that is NEVER completely done)but I am pushing three thousand people now. Learning how to read music and actually translating it to an instrument. (done) Make a tumbling blocks quilt (done that and seven more since, lol and found a new passion) Read the new testament cover to cover (done that and now need to finish up on the old one) Jump out of a plane with a parachute (better hurry up on that one, before my bones get any older) Make a batch of home-made scrumpy ( have the apple trees to do it now) Take a cruise around the coast of New England on am old sailing ship (that just might happen soon). Get a tattoo. Done Donate hair to Locks of love. Done and done again. Lots of other bucket list things already done and forgotten. Learn to graft trees. Taking a class next month. This is not to be confused with my long-term, short-term goal list, lol.

I wish I knew then about making sure that the flooring contractor would check on how level the slab was. Midway through laying the ceramic in the kitchen, his guy came upon a hump in the floor and although they made it work, well that was stupid. Don't skimp on the floors if you get tile. Go for something that's nice and flat (no beveling) so the mop will at least touch the grout, and of a high hardness. Mine is chipping where they meet from things being dropped on it. If I had to do it over, I actually think I'd go for the highest quality, cushioned vinyl roll out on the market, or at least a very high quality porcelain tile. I had Kentile (sp) in my old kitchen that was 15 years old and looked like new. Can't get it anymore, but sometimes I wish I'd pulled those tiles up and brought them with me! I didn't want wood because I have an engineered wood, BR1111 Amendiom surrounding the kitchen, and it's entirely too soft and scratches too easily for kitchen use. And, what a nightmare that would have been with them trying to glue down those floors on a big hump in the slab. I'm waiting and gathering before I proceed further, to soak up as much as I can from the experience here.

There were actually several things that we wound up doing before our full remodel...and I'm so glad we did. We moved into a house that had a 1970's kitchen (complete with an avocado stove and non-vented hood). We planned on a kitchen remodel within 2 years of getting into the house. It wound up that it's been a little over 3. We picked up a Craigslist range and got rid of the old one. I don't love the Craigslist range, but it was light-years better than the original. This range is now in our basement hooked up to help us get through our remodel. And it will remain afterward for when I can since I'm getting an induction cooktop for upstairs. We put in a dishwasher. This single thing was the most important thing that we could have done to make the house livable through a terrible kitchen. We are reusing the DW in the new kitchen. We did a bit of rewiring which was completely necessary - so of this will be able to be reused in the new kitchen. Some of it won't. But, the fact that we weren't blowing a circuit every time we used the fridge and the microwave means that it was worth it! I had a rolling cart from our previous house and that was a lifesaver in the current kitchen...the rolling cart is now in our living room serving as a place for the microwave, a few dishes and utensils, and so on to live as a "temporary kitchenette" while our remodel goes on. The cart will go away after we are finished with our renovation...it's a little bittersweet to see it go - it's been such a help through a terrible rental kitchen and another terrible kitchen in the house we bought. But, the few hundred dollars I spent for it has been completely worthwhile.

1) bake 2) buy the turkeys (we're doing two small ones) and a few other things 3) pack up all of my lotion/soap/etc making supplies from the small multi-purpose room that is off of our dining room (we call it the cozy room because it's so small) so that it can be used to set up an extra (small) dining table to seat a few extra people. I did schedule a vacation day on Wednesday next week, so I can have a little prep time. I always find it really difficult to prepare for a holiday that doesn't have a free day ahead of time (meaning a non-Sunday or Monday holiday).