Since we’re going to be in one place over the entire summer, I’ve decided that it’s the perfect time to work on some things that I’ve either let go or have been thinking about during the past several months, as well as get myself in shape for this fall and the following months. Some of the seven goals I’ve set are more serious than others, but all are doable and I want to take advantage of our long stretch in Portland to be in the best shape all around when we leave for England in September.
- Lose 15 pounds. I ate w-a-y too much ever since we started traveling last August. I paid no attention to calories, carbs or any other part of how or what I ate, whether it was gelato every day in Florence or noodles, rice, and bakery goods in Japan. While we walked a great deal, I still managed to put on a few extra pounds, to the point that I’m uncomfortable with my size now and some of my clothes are a bit too snug. So, I have dropped all bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. for the summer, am back to only having a glass of wine on Friday and Saturday evenings, and am drinking eight glasses of water a day for the duration of the summer. Brett and I plan to walk/hike at least five days a week which should help as well.
- Get myself in tip-top shape health-wise. Besides losing weight, I have the whole summer to get my medications set up for next fall and also get all testing caught-up and done. My general health is excellent, thank goodness, but my right shin is still slightly swollen from the fall I took back in Auckland, and the Dr. recommended compression socks to help with that, so I need to get those ordered. I’m also going to get the permanent crown put on that tooth I broke last December, and get a new bridge made for my lower front teeth (the old one is 30 years old, and crumbling).
- Read, read, read. This will the perfect summer for getting lots of reading done and getting ahead on my reading goal. I found it hard to read at times when we were on the road and moving around, so this is my chance to catch up. I have about 10 books on hold with the library right now, but any and all suggestions for good books are welcome!
- Improve my Japanese. Our three months in Tokyo really showed me how little Japanese I understand and can use these days, so I will be spending 20 minutes/day studying the language. I was looking forward to a classroom experience this time but the courses offered at the community college are still lower than my current proficiency level, so I will be instead working with Memrise and a text book. Brett will be attending the beginning class though and working on learning the kana for his calligraphy.
- Shape up my travel wardrobe. After nine months with same clothes and shoes I have a better sense of what works and what doesn’t when traveling, and what I am comfortable in and what’s not easy to wear or maintain. Plus, I am just plain sick of some of the things I’ve been carrying along and don’t think they flatter me so I’m going to be putting them away (meaning not taking them along again but not getting rid of them). I’m also adding a few new pieces to update my travel wardrobe. This includes replacing shoes, which got worn out – I have already bought new trail shoes, and a pair of red (!) slip-ons, but I also need to replace my navy blue Skechers and then I’m good to go.
- Grow out my hair. Short hair worked well for a while, but the problem with short hair is that it requires maintenance which I discovered can be difficult when traveling. I also always felt a bit frumpy with my hair short, especially as it grew out and I ended up with my “old lady pouf.” However, I have been using Aveda’s Be Curly – it helps enhance the curls and makes it easy for me to maintain them without my hair getting frizzy, so my goal is to end the summer with a more stylish (but easy to maintain) chin-length bob for my curly gray hair.
- Replace some earrings. I lost several earrings on this trip (grrr) and want to replace them with two or three of pairs so I have a little variety. I only wear silver these days, and my favorite place to buy silver earrings is from Novica – they have many stylish pairs that don’t cost very much.
All of these goals are doable, and will hopefully help keep me out of mischief. And of course, Brett and I will be working on plans for our time in England and getting those pulled together!
The Occasional Nomads 
Very sensible and doable!
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I think so! The jet lag sort of had me feeling unmotivated for a few days, but that’s thankfully fading and I’m ready to go.
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All meaningful goals. Good luck! I have been wearing New Balance 990s as sneakers for the last few years and now they are my every day shoes. They are not stylish but they are very well made and durable besides being extremely comfortable. I used to have tendon problems and general orthopedic issues since childhood. Thanks to this shoe, they are all gone. Mom loves Skechers but they do not fit me well enough.
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I used to wear New Balance – they make a great wide sneaker. These days though I like to have shoes I can slip in and out of easily (especially when we were in Japan), and the Skechers were great and very comfortable until the memory foam gave out. My new red shoes are a different brand, but made for walking – we’ll see how I like them and may get them in navy, if possible.
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Good to have goals! I have lived in the same New Balance style for years, but the latest iteration doesn’t work for me. So I’ve been trying others from Zappos and have settled on a pair of ASICS that seem to be working with my orthotic inserts. My feet have given me trouble off and on in the past year and I’m determined to avoid surgery or further pain. Good hikers and sneakers are my best bet unless I’m dressed up, which isn’t often lately. I also have several pair of Eccos that are comfy and fairly cute. 🙂
I have also gotten religion on the weight front. Our weekend trip included a few food choices that were not the healthiest but I’m serious this time, so we’ll see how well I do. I admire your ability to stop eating carbs. A couple different health issues make my choices more challenging than they were when I was younger (more foods to avoid for various reasons), but I’m determined.
Will be interested in what you’re reading. I just finished Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and really liked it. The author is a therapist and was also in therapy herself in this memoir, and I really appreciated the insights she gained and shared.
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I have a wide foot, so finding trail shoes with a wide foot bed was critical (and which is why I used to exclusively wear New Balance). The ones I purchased are wide plus they have a very cushioned sole – there were two designs, one with more cushioning and one with less and I was happy to pay the little bit extra for more cushioning. We hiked a bit for the first time yesterday and they were very comfortable, although I am going to have to get some better socks.
I am disappointed in myself that I gained as much as I did, but on the other side I did get to eat some fabulous food! I found earlier though that giving up starches was the way for me to lose, so that’s why I’ve gone back to it. I do have carbs on Friday and Saturday evenings when I have a glass of wine, and I allow myself one dish with a starch on Friday evening (like a slice of pizza). But otherwise I’m indulging in lots of fruits and vegetables, and proteins, and enjoying good cheeses (although not overdoing those). I don’t have access to a scale, so will just wait and see how I’m doing when I see the doctor at the end of July. My clothes will let me know as well if I am getting back into shape.
Thank you for the book recommendation! I’ve put it on hold at the library. I’m not big on self-help books, but this sounds like a different approach and interesting reading.
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I fully support the hair-growth project! Too many women cut our hair off as we get older – and I get it: it’s convenient in some ways, but it’s also higher maintenance, as you noted. And I always think short hair prematurely ages us! You are so energetic and youthful – a curly bob will be so flattering and will better reflect your spirit! (Plus, Brett’s hair is fabulous and deserves some competition).
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Thanks for the support! I think I will be happier not just for having less maintenance, but also because I’ll be able to do more with it, like wear headbands and such to change things up once in a while.
Brett did hit the jackpot with his hair (and eyelashes, nails, etc.) – so did our son. And, they are both aging very slowly too, whereas I had gray hair in my 30s. So unfair!
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