Bucket List

Okay so I’ve seen the movie and I’ve read other people’s bucket list but never really considered my own.  That is until a scrapbooking group I belong brought it up.  For the last few years I’ve been happily creating scrapbooks for Chris and Megan but in September starting working on one for myself.  Thankfully the organizers of our group (called KISS for Keep It Simple Sisters) provide us with a theme every month.  December’s theme was family traditions and this month it’s our own bucket list.  The first thing I did was the google it.  Here’s the website that got my list started .  http://personalexcellence.co/blog/whats-on-your-bucket-list-101-things-to-do-before-you-die/

#1 To finish the book I started back in 2010 when I first got involved with National Novel Writing Month – NaNoWriMo.  Now that was a wild ride  !!  It’s a contest where entrants have to write 50,000 words in 30 days which is about half the word count of a paperback novel.  The thing about completing it in a mere 30 days is that there’s no time for editing.  It’s like writing an essay every day for a month.  The prize by the way is a certificate that you print yourself on their website that proves you’re a “Winner.”  That and the satisfaction of having completed 50,000 words.  I did win and the manuscript has been collecting dust ever since.  This past November I caught the bug…again…and gave the contest another go.  Always the good little rule follower I started a new book instead of working on the first one.  No regrets because it’s great writing experience, a huge lesson in perseverance and another certificate to hang in my office.  Funny though — I just can’t get the first book out of my head.  So now instead of reading about writing and blogging about writing I have to actually bite the bullet and sit down and get the writing done.  Like I should be doing now instead of blogging 🙂

#2 Since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to visit Hawaii.   I remember thinking how cool it was that they serve pineapple at McDonald’s.  Our daughter Megan spent a week in Waikiki and came back with incredible stories and pictures so it’s gone up even higher on my travel list.  What’s not to like about sunshine, sand, surf, trade winds, fresh fruit, and I want to wear crazy Hawaiian shirts.  I want to visit Pearl Harbour, dance at a luau, take a sunset cruise, build sand castles, maybe fly to a few of the small islands and play the ukelele.  Or I should say re-learn since that’s the only instrument I could ever play a song on.  Nothing like a rousing rendition of Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley with the other Grade 7 musicians !!!

#3 The ukele leads me into another item on the list…to re-learn French.  Taking French all through high school and college I may not have been truly bilingual but could read novels and write essays.  And once I started learning French it was an easy step into Spanish for two more years.  Dream big or go home right?  I’d love to speak French, Spanish and Italian.  Now there’s a country with a beautiful language, fantastic food and romantic music.  Hmmm add returning to Italy to the list.

#4 Once upon a time Chris and I traveled by motorcycle.  It was our favourite way to explore and it was a sad day when we sold our touring bike just after opening the b&b.  Now it’s an item on both our lists to buy a Harley.  Not just any Harley but this beauty an Ultra Limited.  Basically a couch on wheels.  It’s comfortable but still has that Harley look and sound.  It took just one test drive back more than 15 years ago for to know that’s the one for us.  Now there are just those few pesky details like where do we store it on a property with no garage and when do we go touring while running a bed & breakfast that’s busy from May to October and how do we justify it costing more than my car did.  Details schmetails it’s time to get this dream fired up !!

#5 I’ve never been the least bit interested in sky diving or bungy jumping but I think I’d like to try ziplining.  I love roller coasters and rides that scare me spitless without just spinning around and around.  Ziplining looks like a huge adrenaline rush.

#6 When we were kids and pretending to be rock stars in our living room playing the hi-fi stereo as loud as it could go (some of you might have to google hi-fi so you know what I’m talking about) I played air drums.  This is a dream that will have to wait until after we’re retired from the b&b business but I’d like to take drum lessons.  I’ve always been fascinated by the huge great drum kits the rock bands use.  Neil Peart from Rush is one of my favourite drummers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHkucr1jJpQ

There are a few other things I’d like to accomplish/experience like reading the whole bible, watch the top 100 movies of all time, overcoming my fear of spiders and becoming a grandmother. For now the list will just be a two page spread in my scrapbook and I won’t spend too much time worrying about crossing items off in any kind of order.   John Lennon said it perfectly, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”  Here’s to getting on with life !!  Hugs from the beach…