Things ... 101 & 52

About 101 ... 

[scroll down to read about 52 Things]

... or to be more accurate - 101 things in 1001 days

I've seen these bucket lists all over the internet and, of course, have decided to do my own list.  For me this list isn't about completing the big once-in-a-lifetime goals, but is about getting on and doing those little things that I always say I want to do but don't get around to.

Starting on Jan 1st 2015, the completion date will be September 28th 2017.

In no particular order, the list so far is:

Lifestyle

• reach my target weight
• start 5 new annual traditions [1. Homemade Advent Calendar, 2.  Celebrate on 12th May, 3.  ]
• retire, or considerably reduce my working hours [Friday, 13/11/15]
• finish sorting Ced's things started
• make contact with 5 people I've lost contact with over the years [J & T 11/1/15, C 18/1/16, S 17/4/16,  ]
• walk regularly with the ramblers/walking group
• create a capsule wardrobe
• follow the Slimming World eating plan for 6 months, at least
• update my Will
• be active daily

Personal achievements

• reach grade 5 standard on the piano
• complete the first module of the photography degree
• learn to play an accordion, concertina or melodeon
• complete the family trees
• record the gravestones in one cemetery for the Gravestone Photographic Resource
• learn to use Photoshop [May 2015]
• learn how to use chopsticks
• have a course of singing lessons
• complete the first stage of planting in the garden [summer 2015]
• grow my own fruit and veg [tomatoes, courgettes, strawberries, raspberries]
• learn how to rebuild my laptop, and do it!
• play with the Monday music sessions

Photography

• attend a photography workshop [23/5/15 - 24/5/15]
• finish sorting my photographs started
• create a photo book of my childhood
• complete all of the projects in '52 Weekend Digital Photo Projects'
• photograph the sunrise and sunset on the same day
• photograph the moon [19/8/16]
• try time lapse photography
• complete the Nos 1 to 100 photo challenge set by Ced started
• photograph the shop signs in Camden
• photograph an animal in its natural environment
• photograph the sign at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch [22/5/15]

Things to do

• see War Horse [4/2/15]
• visit Buckingham Palace [29/8/15]
• do the dome tour at St Pauls Cathedral
• complete the London food walk
• visit London for a city break holiday [19/7/16 - 21/7/16]
• visit the Houses of Parliament [23/7/16]
• see the Metropolitan Police's Black Museum [13/2/16]
• see Les Miserables [19/7/16]
• see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, parts 1 & 2 [20/7/16]
• see a play at the Globe Theatre in London
• see the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition [20/7/16]
• visit the Harry Potter Studio Tour [17/10/15]
• visit Coventry Cathedral
• visit Stratford Upon Avon [7/8/16]
• see the statues on the beach at Crosby
• complete 10 treasure trails
• watch Bridgewater Carnival
• see 5 comedians live [1. Alan Davies 27/3/15, 2. Rich Hall 5/6/15, 3. Alan Carr 24/7/15, 4. Sean Lock 29/4/16, 5. Gary Delaney 3/6/16]
• crochet a blanket
• make a quilt
• complete an Indian cookery course [29/7/15]
• make jams & pickles
• make fresh pasta
• join in with the 'big knit' @ innocent smoothies
• make 5 pillowcase dresses
• make some Christmas embroideries
• visit 10 new to me National Trust/Heritage properties [1. Great Chalfield Manor 8/2/15, 2. Chepstow Castle 3/4/15, 3. Plas Newydd 24/5/15, 4. Nunney Castle, 5. The Courts Garden]
• listen to the Harry Potter audio books narrated by Stephen Fry
• go book hunting in Hay on Wye 
• read the Septimus Heap books [Magyk 11/2/15, Flyte 15/2/15, Physik 24/2/15, Queste 14/3/15, Syren 23/3/15, Darke 27/3/15, Fyre 29/3/15]
• read 5 biographies [1. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard, 2. Lion's Head, Four Happiness by Xiaomei Martell, 3. Through Thick and Thin - My Autobiography, Gok Wan, 4. Driving Miss Smith: A Memoir of Linda Smith by Warren Lakin, 5.]
• read 5 non fiction books
• read 10 books from the Big Read list [1. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry, 2.]
• visit SS Great Britain
• do the Banksy graffiti tour in Bristol
• go to the Longleat Balloon Fiesta
• have afternoon tea [at The Bridge Tea Rooms, 3/3/16]
• go to a pick your own fruit place
• visit the Lavender farm [17/6/15]
• take an afternoon canal boat ride
• do a Snowdrop walk [Great Chalfield Manor in aid of Dorothy House, 8/2/15]
• complete the Biss Nature Trail
• have my cards read again [13/4/15]
• visit 6 new restaurants or other places to eat [1. Madam Butterfly, Westbury, 28/1/15 with Joy, 2. The Bay Tree Café, Trowbridge Garden Centre 22/4/15, 3. The King's Arms, Trowbridge, 23/4/15 with Joyce, 4. The Café at Somerset Lavender 17/6/15, 5. The Farmhouse Inn, Southwick, 23/7/15 with Joyce, 6. The Glove Factory, Holt, 28/7/15 with Penny and Sara.]
• complete a watercolour course [June - August 2015]
• draw some zentangles [12/4/16]
• try bookbinding/bookmaking
• grow sunflowers
• learn to fold some papercrafts
• see the Severn bore
• go on an open-top tourist bus in Bristol
• be in the audience when a TV programme is being recorded
• go 10 pin bowling
• go on a mystery coach trip [3/4/15 - to Gloucester, then on to Chepstow Castle]
• follow a tree for a year [2015]
• replace the decking with a stone patio
• take part in a singing workshop [17/4/16 - Radstock with Suzy]
• take part in the Bath escape game, or something similar [Salisbury Escape Room 15/8/15]
• watch the entire series of Friends
• make myself a skirt
• make myself a top
• try 12 new recipes
• create a printer tray/memory box
• visit the coast once a month for a year [2015: May - Anglesey, ]

About 52 Things

This is an idea copied from Ellen at ellens52 but it's such a good idea I couldn't pass it by.  So thanks Ellen!  It is about doing 52 things in 2012 that I have never done before.

52 Things - Started in 2012

 1/52: Donate 20 Trees Via Answer4Earth (15/1/12)
 2/52: Participate in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (28/1/12)
 3/52: Replace All My Undies (17/2/12)
 4/52: Join a Book Club (19/2/12)
 5/52: Try Postcrossing (13/3/12)
 6/52: Go to a Book Signing (31/3/12)
 7/52: Try Geocaching (3/4/12)
 8/52: Give Up Something For Lent (8/4/12)
 9/52: Participate in a Read-a-Thon (21/4/12 -22/4/12)
10/52: Complete a Scarecrow Hunt (19/5/12)
11/52: See the Olympic Torch (22/5/12)
12/52: Visit the Peto Gardens at Iford Manor (23/5/12)
13/52: Go Behind the Scenes in Stourhead House (29/5/12)
14/52: Meet a Blogging Friend (13/6/12)
15/52: Make 12 Microloans (18/6/12)
16/52: Try Bookcrossing (20/6/12)
17/52: Enrol on a Distance Learning Degree Course (29/6/12)
18/52: Make some Dorset Buttons (23/7/12)
19/52: Take Part in an Online Swap (24/7/12)
20/52: Make Ice Cream in a Bag (9/8/12)
21/52: Learn 12 New Card Making Techniques (7/8/12)
22/52: Visit the Church at Coulston (10/8/12)
23/52: Touch a Gold Post Box (16/8/12)
24/52: Paint a Pot (23/7/12)
25/52: Write a Blog Post Every Day for One Month (31/8/12)
26/52: Go on a Dog Walk (31/8/12)

March 2014: I gave up on my aim to complete 52 things in a year when my partner reached the end stages of life.  It's now a year since his death and I have decided to take up the challenge again, although this time I'm not setting a time limit for completion.  I simply plan to list all the new experiences.  

27/52: Have my Cards Read (17/3/14)
28/52: Go On Holiday Alone (10/5/14 - 17/5/14)
29/52: Sell at a Car Boot Sale (8/6/14)
30/52: Ride on an Open-Topped Tourist Bus (11/7/14)