Back in January, I drafted a list of 20 things I wanted to do/see/eat/think about/read in 2020. At the end of each month, I’ve shared an update with you about what I have (or have not) been doing. Here’s the original post, and here are my updates for January, February, March, April, May, June., and July. Here are the updates of what I have been doing during the month of August, if you’d like to know.

***

1.Complete the challenges that my family and friends set for me for my 40th birthday.
Although my birthday has come and gone, I am still working on my list. This month, I crossed two more movies off my “must watch” list: Fargo and Gosford Park.

2. Travel.
July was quite a busy month of travel-during-a-pandemic (Ottawa and Langdon Hall), so I stayed close to home in August. I love my home, and the weather was amazing in August, so no complaints on my end about the lack of travel!

3. Learn more about the Waterloo region.
No progress.

4. Experience more art.
I went to campus a couple of weeks ago, and I was so pleased to see some outdoor art by Jemima Wyman.

5. Play more board games.
No progress.

6. Master my mom’s signature cake.

Done!

7. Wear more dresses.
Yes! Done!

8. Consider adding more colour to my wardrobe.
Yes, I’m trying! And this reminds me that I haven’t posted an outfit photo on Instagram since June!

9. Save money.
I created a budget for August and updated my spreadsheet regularly. It’s accurate, and I liked seeing where my money was flowing. I’m going to do this again in September.

10. Plan a major bathroom reno.
Completely on hold.

11. Eat more vegetables.
Yes. With summer veggie season here, it’s been easy! My favourites are grilled zucchini and caprese salad (or any variation of tomato and chesee).

12. Buy more fun socks.
I bought fun socks for other people this month. Does this count? Honestly, my sock drawer is full, and I’ve gone sockless for months. I don’t think I need any more!

13. Connect people.
No progress this month.

14. Clean closets regularly.
No progress. I think my closets are in decent shape at the moment. That said, my shoe closet could always use some work. Who wears shoes anymore?

15. Trust my gut.
Yes. Yes.

16. Get a facial.
No progress.

17. Embrace soup.
No progress.

18. Clean up my shoes.
I did this in previous months, but I think I could do it again now that I know I won’t be wearing so many shoes this fall (#WorkingFromHome).

19. Pass on my magazines.
Yes. I’ve been passing on magazines (and books) as I finish them.

20. Have fun.
Yes. Yes. I’m still at it!

***

And there you have it – my August update. Thanks for reading! Have a great week, everyone! Here’s to a happy September!

Is it too early to think about a second lockdown during this pandemic? With numbers rising in places around the world, and the return back to school closer to home, I don’t think it’s too early to have “wave 2” on our minds.

Although living in a pandemic at any time is just plain terrible, living through it in the summer has been mostly manageable for me. Sunny days mean that I can spend time walking and biking outside. I have a little garden to tend to. I can talk to neighbours and friends at a distance on my driveway. There’s some normalcy. (And, yes, I have sad days, too. Those are the perfect days for Netflix binges.)

The arrival of cold months and another potential lockdown, however, is making me think about how the heck I’m going to get through it. I hate winter to begin with. Socializing with friends outside is going to be non-existent. No more backyard meet-ups at a distance. Considering the arrival of colder temperatures and another lockdown, I’m now thinking about what I’m going to do to stay busy and mentally (and physically) healthy.

Here are things that I’m considering:

1. Work. Work will keep me busy. Yes. Very. Maybe I’ll write more.
2. Quilting. I’m thinking about trying something new. I regularly try new things (last year I took flamenco dance lessons, remember?). If I’m not able to leave my house, I thought I’d have to try something new at home. Quilting has been on my mind for many years ever since I saw the work of Toronto quilter Lindsay Stead. Her quilts are graphic and modern and lovely! I’ve been reading up on quilting and Purl Soho has been a useful resource.
3. Puzzling. I think I’ll continue to puzzle. A new one is on its way from Ravensburger. I’ve seen some modern puzzle designs at HomeSense and Indigo.
4. Cooking. Yes, I guess I’ll continue on the cooking train. Might as well continue to carbo load and make some comfort food.
5. Cross-country skiing. Last year, I took cross-country ski lessons. I went out 3-5 times in total. I have all the gear. If lockdown part 2 comes, I can get in some more cross-country ski practice. I might even be able to do this with friends at a distance. It could be an ideal way to socialize and exercise simultaneously. Maybe.
6. Reading. This is always a good option. Although I have a ton of unread books in my house already, I may use time now to look out for good books to add to my collection. Audio books (and e-books) from the library are always a great option, too, if libraries and bookstores shut down again.

Things that I might consider investing in:

1. A deep freezer. Hey, why not?
2. A Kindle or Kobo or some other reading device. This would make e-book borrowing from the library a breeze!
3. Toilet paper. You can never have too much!
4. Shelving for my storage room. This would make stocking up on food much more organized!
5. Flour & yeast. We all remember what happened in March 2020, right?
6. Cleaning supplies. Being at home 24/7 means that my house gets messier than ever before. More at-home time means more cleaning time!

I really, really, really hope a second lockdown doesn’t come our way. But since we’ve been through one, the second time around should be easier. Right?!