the girl turns 31

in January, i made this list
i gave myself 6 months to complete
30 things
before turning 31
i knew it was a stretch,
only giving myself 6 months
it didn’t feel like enough time
but it was worth a try


what is funny is that I completed
15 of the 30 things
half of my list
in half of my 30th year.

that seems about right.

so, here is the recap of the list . . .

things that happened . . .

*take a writing sabbatical
check: we are currently on our way home from orcas island where i spent three weeks writing on a daily basis. it was actually pretty difficult. after the first dozen pages or so, i felt more pressure than anything else. so by the end of week three, i decided to put the writing on hold until we get home; at which time i will begin researching writing groups to join.
*go for a ride in the mini with herb (top down)

check: oh yes. in may we drove from colorado, through wyoming, utah, idaho, and oregon, to washington. we are currently in oregon and are heading home. the top has been down a lot more this time around!
*live on an island for a little while
check: here
*try a new recipe featuring vegetables
check: i made up a new dish; thinly sliced zucchini layered with pureed butternut squash and ricotta cheese. herb loved it. i, on the other hand, was not cured of my lifelong unfortunate aversion to vegetables. no matter how good the nutmeg and cheese tasted!
*go for a hike or snow shoeing
check: i asked herb to take a walk with me and we ended up going for a two hour hike. he remains convinced that i tricked him into a hike!
*take Brittany on a downtown adventure
check: a beautiful weekend downtown with a special 16 year old kiddo! it opened her eyes up to new places and dreams and adventures (plus, since i don't share my risotto cakes with anyone, she got to indulge all by herself).
*lay on a blanket at the park
check: herb and i spent an afternoon under a tree on the east side of wash park that will go down in harjes haus history as the day of the great bikini bet. we don't remember how many there were or who won. all i know is that it is never, ever appropriate to wear your bikini to the park. weird.
*make spedini for dinner
check: i will have to post this recipe soon. it is a favorite. and much more impressive than the picture indicates. just think . . . stuffed beef. yummo!
*ride the light rail downtown
check
*send flowers to a friend for no reason
check
*take herb on a surprise date
check: to took herb to this sexy, creative, homey italian eatery, followed by a city walk to this place, complete with coffee on the coolest rooftop coffee house ever!

things that sort of happened:
*teach leo how to sing the “so good” part of sweet caroline
(see january's post on the topic)
*buy a hot red dress
do you know how difficult it can be to find a sexy, modern, non-trashy, non-clingy red dress??? i can't find a picture, and it is in the mail on its way home to denver, but does hot pink count? it is hot.
*visit Kelly Farrell
i had big plans to visit kelly in april. then i got sick. then i offered to go visit her in may but she came and spent the weekend with me instead. movies, italian food, manis & pedis, and an ill-advised shot of tequila . . . i think that is a girl's weekend!
*learn how to sea kayak
it didn't constitute learning because i really should not go out to sea in a kayak without a pro, but i have officially kayaked in the sea!


thanks to all of you who make my days on this wild, brilliant, horrible, beautiful place we call earth just a little bit sweeter!
i appreciate and love you!
cara