50 Before 50 - Thoughts On My Birthday

Today I turn 48. Which has me thinking about what I have done these last 48 years – and what I would like to accomplish by the time I turn 50.

Of course there are the ‘dream’ things – travel to Scotland, Australia, and Greece. Own a new car of my own. And so on. But without that little ole lottery ticket coming in…

I know those are not realistic.

But there are things I can do if I put my mind and heart to the task. Things for me.

Here they are, in no particular order (except for the first two):

Get organized
Get fit
Create a signature dish
Come up with my own chili
Come up with my own pasta salad
Come up with my own hamburger
Come up with my own cheesecake
Develop my own BBQ sauce
Show one of my own bonsai
Finish my quilt (hand quilting)
Own a Clan Hanna tartan cape
Make a water garden
Learn to write good haiku
Learn to play pool
Do an acceptable water color painting
Fly in a biplane
Learn to roll my own sushi
Win a photography contest
Get a magazine article published
Write a child's book for my niece & nephew
Create my own personal stationary
Hang a tire swing from a tree
Travel to New Orleans
Travel to Shiloh National Battlefield
Read the Bible all the way thru and make note cards
Learn to throw darts
Learn to build simple furniture
Memorize a poem
Raise my own vegetables
Make a compost pile
Put in a shooting range
Learn to do ikebana flower arranging
Learn to make jewelry chain
Go on a spiritual retreat
Take Hanna and Owen for their first pony ride
Go to the races at Churchill Downs
Bake a soufflé
Have dinner at Tony's in St Louis
Go on a 20 mile bike ride
Go on a "dinner train" ride
Rent a convertible and go on a weekend road trip
Tour the Frank Lloyd Wright home in St. Louis
Learn to make a coil basket
Finish my NOW book
Learn to play one song on the piano
Learn to play chess
Learn to knit
Go to a hot springs spa
Get a massage
Make batik print