Looking back at 2010, looking forward at 2011

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and what I have planned for the next year.

Last year, in January, I was presented with a "Building Lives" Award from Habitat for Humanity for my work with the local Family Selection Committee. This year, I will be featured in the CSI - Springfield Chapter (Construction Specification Institute) newsletter, in the "Member Spotlight" section. As this only happens to 12 people a year, I find this a great honor. I have to submit my bio tomorrow, and a photo.. eek- I have to find a photo!

Also, in January, I started taking my architectural exams. There are seven total. I've taken and passed five. I have two left; I'm dreading Structures because of the amount of content, but Schematic Design should be relatively easy. The second hardest part of taking these exams (after studying) is the money to take them; each one is $210.

The Hubs and I started building my greenhouse last Spring. As of now, it still needs:
1. Windows with automatic vent openers
2. Rain barrels for thermal retention
3. Insulation
4. Clear film on the inside (I'm not sure if we're still doing this.)
5. Shelves and "accessories" such as the rack for my garden tools.

Last year, I started most of my seeds myself. I ended up buying a few peppers, tomatoes and eggplant, but they weren't necessary. This year, I need to reduce the amount of plants that I put in my garden. Last year I kind of crammed them in and their productivity suffered. This year I'll start my own seeds again.

Since I have a new phone (HTC Evo from Sprint), I have a Kindle app. I would like to read at least one book a month. I used to read a lot, but when I was in college I had so much reading to do for assignments that I didn't have time (or the desire) to read for pleasure.

Lastly, I need to work on my weight. The Hubs and I had a health assessment for our insurance a couple weeks ago. I don't even want to discuss my BMI; it was high and embarrassing and I'm classified as obese. My blood pressure was perfect. My cholesterol (the bad kind) was high, but the good kind and triglycerides were good.
When I was laid off last year, I went to the gym 4 times a week and lost 15 pounds. Since I was rehired in July I've gained back the 15 plus an extra 5. Not too proud of that. It happened because at the end of workday I was so mentally and physically exhausted that I didn't want to go to the gym. I started back up again in December, but I still have a long way to go.
I could stand to lose 50 pounds, which is doable by September or so of this year. No reason for that month, but doctors say losing more than 2 pounds a week is not healthy and usually leads to failure (re-gaining of the weight) so I want to lose it steadily.
Additionally, I would like to eat more vegetarian meals. This would help my cholesterol and weight. I track the food I eat, and half a cup of ground pork has more fat and calories than several cups of vegetables. I could eat more vegetables, feel more "filled" and be healthier. It seems like no-brainer.

I'd like to post at least once a week. I slacked off a bit the second half of last year, but I think it's important to keep a record of accomplishments. It gives me something to look back on and be proud of. I'd also like more people to respond to my posts. *hint hint* Which I guess means I need to ask a question at the end of each post to get a response to.

So, looking back at your 2010 and looking forward on your 2011, what kind of accomplishments do you see and what kind of goals do you have?

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Garden 2011 Plan

I broke down this morning and sketched out my garden for next summer. I've already received four seed catalogs (two of them came before Thanksgiving). Seed catalogs are kind of like Christmas decorations at Hobby Lobby: they come earlier every year!

When I say I "sketched" my garden, it really means I drew it in AutoCAD. I'm a nerd. But it's easier than drawing it on graph paper. I already have my 2009 and 2010 garden in CAD so it's just a matter of copying over the bed layouts and rearranging the plant spread circles.

According to the drawing, next year I will have:
8 tomatoes (so hard to only have 8!)
18 peppers and eggplant (This is difficult too!)

So now I have to decide which varieties to plant.... I have leftover seed from last year that I will re-use. Black Cherry, Amish Paste, Thessaloniki and Cour di Bue tomatoes. Several types of peppers and eggplant. Before I know it I will need to start my seeds!

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Christmas Cookie Baking

I thought I should make some notes about cookie baking as I think this is what I will do for the menfolk presents unless I hear they dislike cookies.
This year I bought cookie boxes instead of the bags I used last year and decided to give everyone an assortment instead of all one type of cookie.
I made one batch each of chocolate toffee shortbread (from Farmgirl Fare's blog), chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin (both from Grandma Ettling) and chocolate crinkles. This was for six boxes of cookies (Gabe, Dad, Daniel, Troylee, Collin, Tom).

I used:
butter (2 boxes)
leftover bag of powdered sugar
flour (about half a bag)
white sugar (about half a bag)
brown sugar (about half a bag)
quick oats (about half a canister)
eggs (a dozen)
vanilla (about 1 oz.)
bag of toffee bits
baking chocolate (half a box)
raisins (about half a bag)
Plus the other odds and ends necessary for baking such as baking powder, baking soda and salt, but I always have those on hand and didn't feel the need to count them.
I was prepared to make white chocolate chip/pecan and peanut butter cookies but had enough.

For future reference,
Chocolate chip 6 dozen
shortbread 2 dozen
oatmeal raisin 3 dozen
chocolate crinkles 3 dozen
It should also be noted that I use a cookie scooper that is 1 1/2 Tbsp so I have consistently sized cookies.

There are about 2 dozen cookies in each box.

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Heaven and Hell

I went to a lecture today, given by one of my professors from Greece. He spent the last three years in Dubai teaching at the University there, and also on sabbatical. At one point he was speaking about the desert and about the gardens that are in the desert, that are like mirages. He compared the desert to hell.
His lecture got me thinking about whether Heaven and Hell are literal. The Tigris-Euphrates is often referred to as the cradle of civilization, one of the few places where life began on this earth. Some historians believe this area is where the biblical Garden of Eden was located. The area around the Tigris-Euphrates region is desert, current day Iraq.
Gardens in the desert have a paradise quality. I experienced first hand some beautiful gardens located in Alexandria, Egypt, also a desert area. They did seem to come out of nothing, and were miraculous in the fact that they could even grow in such an extreme environment.
This website gives the origin of the word "eden" as meaning luxurious or pleasure: http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Eden.html
Essentially, the Garden of Eden was a place where a person would not suffer. In the desert a person suffers.

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Poet

I wrote a poem last Saturday while shivering in the deer stand. The Hubs and I were up before the crack of dawn to trek through the field to our deer stand. Not long after dawn there was a gun shot very close and then I caught glimpse of a hunter up the hill, running. Turned out it was Bucky's step-dad.
Anywho, the poem is only a four liner, and the first poem I've written since high school (7 years ago).

I saw another hunter
through the trees,
Hunter safety orange
against the autumn leaves.

And yes, the explanation of the poem was longer than the poem.

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Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

This is another recipe from the "Fix it and Forget it" cookbook.

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

6 cups sliced potatoes (I used new potatoes, red and yukon gold, that I purchased from the farmer's market)
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup, mixed with 1-1/2 c. milk
1 lb ham, cooked and cubed

Layer the potatoes in the crockpot, salting and peppering each layer. Pour the soup/milk mixture over the potatoes, and place the ham on top. Cook for 3-1/2 to 4 hours on high, until potatoes are tender.

Note:
I used cured ham steak and could have cut back on the salt.
There doesn't appear to be much liquid in the crockpot, but the soup doesn't really soak in to the potatoes.
I stirred the mixture a couple times, probably at the 1 and 2 hour cooking mark.

I ate this for breakfast this morning. It would have been good paired with over medium eggs.

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Bucket List

I decided it was time I wrote down my bucket list, so I could start crossing places off of it.

Requiring passport:
Paris
London (and the surrounding area: old castles)
Dubai
Italy (Vatican City, Rome, Venice)
Spain (Barcelona, Grenada)
China (Beijing, Great Wall)
India (New Delhi, Taj Mahal)
Turkey (Istanbul)
Cuzco, Peru (Machu Picchu)
Australia (Great Barrier Reef)

Not requiring passport:
Hawaii
New York City
Colorado - skiing with the hubs
Washington DC
North Carolina (Biltmore Estate)
Grand Canyon
Yosemite
Yellowstone
Sequoia National Park

I'm sure there are more places; I'll update the list as I think of them.

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