Here We Go Again!

Well, one year gone and another one started. Reviewing my plans vs. accomplishments for the year past, there are some pluses and some minuses.





My first goal was to ride my bicycle at least 50 miles per week (that would have resulted in a total of about 2500 miles). I actually rode a little over 1000 miles, or about 20 miles per week. I'll be mounting a new set of tires and changing the battery on my cyclometer this week to start a new quest. My goal is at least 30 miles per week.




The second goal was to learn to play the guitar. I dropped that early in February. I just could not get my finger tips hard enough to play the steel strings. Not a total loss, however, as I gave my guitar to my grandson, James, who took it with him to his new duty station at Ft. Riley, Kansas.



Learning Spanish was a smashing success. While I did not get a chance to attend a full-immersion Spanish School, I did get a chance to travel to Mexico and use my new skills with natives. Watching telenovelas on TV and listening to Spanish radio for a full year was very beneficial. I hope to travel to Costa Rica on another Rotary humanitarian mission this summer. And I still plan to attend a full immersion school in Mexico, but probably not this year.




The last goal related to success in my fishing ventures. We started out pretty strong, but I got sidelined in May through July when one of our cats became seriously ill requiring full time nursing. You can see the results of some of our trips in my postings for last year. The most successful outing was the last one, to the Kennedy Meadows area of the Sierras. I brought home 5 good size rainbow trout that currently reside in my freezer. This year I hope not only to get out more often, but to also try some fishing for stripers in the Sacramento Delta.

I have a few additional goals for this year related to our house. I hope to finally get the house painted (outside) and to clear the garage out enough to be able to park at least one car inside. That will require some serious de-crapping and the elimination of 20 years of accumulated clutter. Also want to install a gas burning insert in our woodburning fireplace.

Let the games begin!