...in the hope of sleeping through the midnight boomstick and 'splosion foolishness... no luck, as there was such a shake-the-windows loud noise just after 11 that I may have levitated up off the bed out of my sound sleep. And now I am awake, and will wait until the intermittent adrenaline junkies get it out of their systems. My tiny festive meal for tomorrow is all prepared, and the black eyed peas are simmering in the crock pot overnight; I've prepared cooked greens, and spiced corn pancakes, and this year I made a saffron cream sauce sweetened with golden syrup to put over the carrot coins.
※※※
~ always ~
~ always ~
"The verses are a roadmap of how to live a good life and be a good person, each of them punctuated with that rousing chorus:
Ring the old year out
Ring the new year in
Bring us all good luck
Let the good guys win "
Ring the new year in
Bring us all good luck
Let the good guys win "
- Charles de Lint
※※※
2025 has been the 11th year of using SMART goals as a tool for personal accountability and well being, and it continues to be helpful. 
I actually do what is more of a slight variation on SMART goals (which are intended to be "Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely"), but I change out the "Achievable" to "Achieved". I only include what I have done, not what I hope/intend to do in the future. This keeps my interaction with record keeping positive, while also encouraging me to continue to act in ways that can be recorded as positive actions.
Training theory says that X-ing out tickey-boxes is a Useful Signal and helps in changing habits. That as certainly proved true over the last decade... For me, the combination of a monthly active chart that I add to with every blog post, and a larger whole year chart that is filled in every month with progress, continues to work well to encourage my efforts to move forward over the year, as well as showing me both where I am investing my time, and where I could use a bit more attention.
There is something very satisfying about seeing the actions of a whole year delineated, and to notice all the things that were created, or repaired, or let go of in the last year, despite how little it felt like, and how much still remains undone or unfinished...
SMART goals challenge 2025
| # | THINGS MADE | THINGS FIXED | THINGS GONE |
| 1 | blood orange marmalade | bike headlamp | yard waste bin |
| 2 | heraldic enamel | passport photo | recycle bin |
| 3 | crayon roll | crystal necklace | recycle bin |
| 4 | xp2 undies | passport applied for | recycle bin |
| 5 | pot lid rack | pattern longjanes | recycle bin |
| 6 | aluminum stitch markers | pear tree planted | recycle bin |
| 7 | "wing it" vest | stripe sleeves | squirrel nest |
| 8 | tiny valentines | milliput handles | recycle bin |
| 9 | heartfelt ornament | horse earring | yard waste bin |
| 10 | dragon garland | more broach handles | art exchange |
| 11 | strawberry rhubarb sauce | black keyboard covers | many dead weeds |
| 12 | running horse prints | turtleneck collar | recycle bin |
| 13 | 6 dozen cookies | rainbow fibulae | yard waste bin |
| 14 | lino block carved | bucket handle | recycle bin |
| 15 | tiny faux patchwork quilt | grey pinafore | recycle bin |
| 16 | quince pie | pruned marjoram | yard waste bin |
| 17 | multiple lino proofs | slipper soles | recycle bin |
| 18 | 6 quince breads | bicycle derailleur | yard waste bin |
| 19 | flooring Caer Cardboard | "a-y-a" replaced | recycle bin |
| 20 | mocha cake | worm bin bedding | yard waste bin |
| 21 | 6 button books | cleaned hallway air grilles | recycle bin |
| 22 | blue skirt Opal | hem long janes | 2 arborvitae |
| 23 | 2 pr undies toiles | points on fibulae | plastic trash bin |
| 24 | model for F.L.A.G | pruned baby persimmon | greenwaste bin |
| 25 | heraldic fern painted | weeded half the SWP's | recycle bin |
| 26 | XP2 sun protection | shipova planted | recycle bin |
| 27 | heraldic plaque | smoothed half side gate | greenwaste bin |
| 28 | spicy peanut sauce | got TDaP vaccine | recycle bin |
| 29 | 3 prs undies | persimmon mulched | greenwaste bin |
| 30 | pendant for Cricket | pruned figs | recycle bin |
| 31 | 2 more prs undies | 2024 taxes | danger bug |
| 32 | 2 amanita softies | hip joints for tinyfolk | greenwaste bin |
| 33 | Laeriel enamel | added pea trellis | recycle bin |
| 34 | Laeriel setting | planted Seckel pear | recycle bin |
| 35 | 12 tiny Totoros | Juliet tomato planted | greenwaste bin |
| 36 | Cloud Mountain cowl | marigolds planted | greenwaste bin |
| 37 | Raven scroll | pear branchlets weighted | greenwaste bin |
| 38 | black floral scarf | turtleneck to Eames top | recycle bin |
| 39 | 4 jars strawberry- rhubarb preserves | more trellis for peas | greenwaste bin |
| 40 | sunblock mitts | concrete blocks moved | recycle bin |
| 41 | catch tarp for porch | planted sprouty taters | persimmon prunings |
| 42 | mini 3D plant stand | dyed yarn brown | greenwaste bin |
| 43 | 7 pebble kittens | replace clothesline | recycle bin |
| 44 | 4 jar storage trays | new smoke alarm battery | recycle bin |
| 45 | 4 jar storage lids | repair ropechain clasp | window AC |
| 46 | dried basil | 6 prs Beth pants | apple tree prunings |
| 47 | 3 jars apple/quince rosewater sauce | prune² Wanda plum | greenwaste bin |
| 48 | 3 kitchen towels | mulch peartrees | recycle bin |
| 49 | 4 barkcloth tea towels | Eames top | greenwaste bin |
| 50 | yellow triangle pouch | filter box legs | big apple tree prunings |
| 51 | knitted pony | new house roof | greenwaste bin |
| 52 | 8 jars quince apple rosewater sauce | defrost chest freezer | greenwaste bin |
| 53 | 6+ jars fig lemon marmalade | repair garden hose | recycle bin |
| 54 | dried pears | right eyeglass temple | greenwaste bin |
| 55 | 4 jars pickled beets | tiger block | recycle bin |
| 56 | 11 jars salsa verde | bright rayon top width | greenwaste bin |
| 57 | 5 jars strawberry rhubarb | indigotiger popover hem extension | recycle bin |
| 58 | 5 jars spiced applesauce | bike rear wheel | recycle bin |
| 59 | 6 lunaria pod ornaments | new apron straps | recycle bin |
| 60 | 5 more lunaria ornaments | frame for Pyle cartoon | LFL books |
overflow SMART goals!!!
| # | THINGS MADE | THINGS FIXED | THINGS GONE |
| 61 | 5 golden origami dragons | box fan grille | recycle bin |
| 62 | 5 mini amanitas | needle gauge herb stripper | greenwaste bin |
| 63 | 18 penny luck envelopes | pruning elderberry | greenwaste bin |
| 64 | 10 holly&bells ornaments | pruning nandina | recycle bin |
| 65 | more penny luck envelopes | picked moar figs | greenwaste bin |
| 66 | clothespin bag | picked plums | recycle bin |
| 67 | 5 jars pickled beets | small radiator foot | recycle bin |
| 68 | 1# hand weights | spex temple | fridge science experiments |
| 69 | a dozen owls | got Novavax jab | yard waste bin |
| 70 | many jars of Awesome Sauce | wheelbarrow tire | recycle bin |
| 71 | 24 more owls | cardigan cuffs | recycle bin |
| 72 | 7 jars of Awesome Sauce | reattach wheel to wheelbarrow | recycle bin |
| 73 | 8 dishcloths | vegetable steamer leg replacement | - |
| 74 | mat for angels print | leather scissors sheath | - |
| 75 | 2 pairs undies | chopshop cardigan mended | - |
| 76 | knitted shrew | horse kerchief dots | - |
| 77 | 1 pair undies | more chopshop repair | - |
| 78 | 2 alphabeast drawings | printer connection | - |
| 79 | 1 alphabeast drawing | black knit slip | - |
| 80 | phone pouch | 15 origami giftwrap | - |
| 81 | transit pass case | case for phone | - |
| 82 | - | horse kerchief details | - |
| 83 | - | much pruning | - |
| 84 | - | angels print framed | - |
| 85 | - | vegetable steamer legs | - |
| 86 | - | shrew eyes | - |
| 88 | - | Gamma bucket lid | - |
| 89 | - | one page of the embroidery transfer | - |
| 90 | - | daypack mended | - |
| 91 | - | cleaned keyboard | - |
| 92 | - | undie waistband | - |
| 93 | - | Otterbox case | - |
today's gratitudes -
1. good folks near and far
2. all the blessings the bright world still offers
3. hope, the gem at the very bottom of the box
Time of Isolation - Day 2013
