I recently read a blog entry (http://asliceofmylife.com/) by Susie, who had the idea of making a list of things to do before her next birthday. She put one item on the list for each year of her life. Since my next birthday is a big one, and is not until February, 2011, I thought that I would make a list of items that I can work on over the next few months. Maybe, that way, the big 5 – 0 will not be so traumatic. This will also give me a chance to think about things I want to do and see before my vision deteriorates too much more. So, here goes:

1. Visit the Thousand Islands.

2. Go through my craft materials and donate the things I will never use. ✔

3. Tour a public garden. ✔ Read about my visit to Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens in Going To Niagara Falls

4. Make a list of area parks and take a walk in each one.

5. Ride in a convertible. ✔ Oh Yeah! Wish Come True

6. Improve my photography / editing skills. ✔ Working on this through my photoblog – PhotoInsights (please look through and “Like” your favorites)

7. Pet a lamb. ✔ Little Lambs Eat Ivy

8. Bake something extravagant. ✔ Chocolate Eclair Cake

9. Pick strawberries and/or blueberries. ✔ Blueberries! The Taste of Joy

10. Plant a patch of daffodils or tulips somewhere unexpected. ✔

11. Rent a limo and take a winery tour with friends.

12. Paint the living room.

13. Choose an audio book and listen to it. ✔ Roses by Leila Meacham (plus, I learned how to download audio books from the library)

14. Have lunch with an old friend.

15. Plan an inexpensive date (or maybe even two!) with my husband. ✔ Fun Date #1 ✔ Fun Date #2

16. Sort projects into two piles – “worth finishing” and “hopeless”.

17. Throw away the “hopeless” pile.

18. Visit each of my siblings. ✔Frank ✔ Marge ✔ Melissa

19. Go to a casino. ✔ Going To Niagara Falls

20. See a play. ✔ Five Course Love at Geva

21. Organize our CDs. ✔

22. Visit Niagara Falls. ✔ Going To Niagara Falls

23. Sell something on etsy. ✔

24. Watch an old movie. . ✔ Special Events – How To Marry A Millionaire

25. Tour Mt. Hope Cemetery. ✔ Wonderful tour! I highly recommend it.

Oh, my goodness. Fifty things make a long list. This is not intended to be my “bucket list,” just some fun things I can do before my birthday. I have already borrowed some of Susie’s ideas. Hmmm… maybe if I look around online…

26. Learn a new skill. ✔

27. Go to a concert. ✔ Smash mouth at the Jazz Fest! (Not what I was expecting when I made this list.) Outdoor Concert

28. Donate blood.

29. Ride a horse. ✔Visiting Family ♥

30. Make a (small) nice herb garden. ✔ Teeny Tiny Herb Garden

31. Go to a baseball game. ✔Rochester Redwings v. Syracuse Baseball Game

32. Take a self portrait that I like. ✔ Self-Portrait

33. Write a fan letter to someone famous.

34. Stand under a waterfall.

35. Plan one “special time” with each of my children. ✔Emily

36. Enter a contest.✔ entered Swan photo in Blinkie Photography contest and WON!

37. Spend time star gazing. ✔ The stars are gorgeous at Camp Koinonia.

38. Write an article and submit it to a publication. ✔ Published in the December issue of Rochester Woman magazine.

39. Clean closets and donate to Goodwill. ✔

40. Go canoeing.

41. Spend time birdwatching.

42. Clean the basement.

43. Have a picnic.

44. Visit the zoo. ✔

45. Tour a brewery. . ✔ Special Events

46. Roast marshmallows and make s’mores. ✔ Yummy National S’More Day

47. Make jelly or jam. ✔

48. Go on a hike in the woods.✔ Ellison Park

49. Take a yoga class. ✔

50. “Waste” a day. ✔ It’s not exactly what I had in mind, but I’ve wasted about two weeks worth of days since my surgery.

Whew! I am going to start checking things off, so wish me luck! Feel free to leave comments (ideas for your own list, maybe?) and encouragement. I hope that my list inspires you as much as Susie’s list did me.