It’s the first Friday in March, so I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. Note the snazzy new mug (gift from my husband on our anniversary). It holds an extra large amount of Earl Grey tea! Let’s get started…
If we were having coffee together, I would tell you that my big, goal race is two weeks and one day away!!! As a reminder, on March 21st I turn 60, and I will celebrate (as one does) by running 60 miles. I’ll be talking more about the race in upcoming posts, so all I’ll say is, I’m excited! I mean… what better way to spend my birthday than to run all day?
At the end of the month we have another exciting event, which is a visit from my son and his fiancee. This will be her first time here, and the house needs some… attention, ahem. My project is named “Make the House Great Again” and I’m starting off by cleaning one thing every day. By that, I don’t mean doing the dishes or sweeping the kitchen floor. I mean something that I wouldn’t normally be cleaning, and there’s a long list of nagging chores that can be taken care of this way.
I’ve already cleaned up several mysterious and baffling messes, like a pile of clothes that’s been sitting in the living room for several months, a basket in the corner that’s been there since my daughter’s birthday (not the last one- two birthdays ago) which somehow had filled up with cat toys and fake flowers (???) and, well, you can imagine the rest. I have my work cut out for me, but with my “clean one thing every day” schedule, I’ll get there.
The last thing I would share over coffee is, my reading life has been stellar lately!
At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about Project Hail Mary, but I ended up loving it. I’m only about halfway through The Appeal, and I’m really enjoying that one as well. More on both of these coming up in a “reading” post.
Do you have anything exciting coming up this month?
Have you read either of these books?
42 Responses
Congratulations on your anniversary, and good luck with your upcoming race. That’s the one thing with having people stay over, it kind of requires a different level of clean than just having people over for dinner or something. You can’t exactly throw everything in a cupboard. We had a friend stay at our house to look after Riley while we were at the E’s wedding, and since she was going to be sleeping in our room, I had to do some emergency tidying in there. I read Hail Mary recently and had mixed feelings about it. I don’t love his writing style, but thought the alien part and plot was brilliantly done.
Yes, I felt the same way about the book- the writing style irritated me at first, but then I got drawn into the plot and really enjoyed it.
ACK. The thought of someone actually sleeping in my bedroom is giving me palpitations- the bedroom is nowhere near ready for visitors. Luckily no one else will be sleeping in there.
Good stuff is coming your way in March!
I’m starting the month with a road trip, and I’m getting home in time for a big family party. My Texas SIL is here for wedding prep for my nephew. Not only do we have a family wedding this summer, but we’re getting lots of extra visits from out of town family because of it. Then I have a “money nerd” event in a few weeks plus a ton of stuff to do at home.
Wow, you have a big month as well. What is this “money nerd” event??? I hope we’ll hear about it on the blog.
Two weeks to go!! Yep, you’ve got this, Jenny!
It’s actually great timing for a house deep-clean, that way, you will be distracted from the taper crazies. And it’s a great feeling to have a clean house!
Yes to both of those- it will be good for mentally to have something to do, and also, having a clean house feels amazing.
“Make the house great again” is a great project! I’ve been thinking something similar recently. That cleaning doesn’t have to be so overwhelming if we just take one little spot at a time. I haven’t started working on it yet though!
Only 2 weeks left to the race!!! That’s insane! I love your attitude about it – enjoying spending a full day running. Stay fit and in one piece until then!
That is my big goal- to stay in one piece!!!
I’m enjoying doing little tasks every day. The week before they come I’ll probably have to kick it into high gear though- but at least I’ll have a lot of cleaning done ahead of time.
I love that approach! It seems very do-able which is key. I know too well how easy it is to just look past certain “piles” or weird things that you kind of just stop seeing after a while…. It’s a strange but very real thing! Good luck with your endeavor. You’ll be so happy when you’re done!
Thank you Kae! Yes, it is really weird how you stop seeing things. But then when I finally clean them it’s SO NICE to have them gone.
I can’t wait to hear more about your big race! And I can’t believe it’s already just two weeks away! January felt like it went on forever but February flew by.
I don’t have anything super exciting this month, but at the end of the month, I’ll be volunteering at a trail race by sweeping the course! It’ll be a fun way to get in a long run (15 miles) and get some race credits. I’ll just continue building my mileage this month as I’m now less than 9 weeks out from my big race!
That sounds like a fun volunteer job! And… what is your next race?
Sedona Canyons 125! My first 100 mile attempt, and part of the Cocodona 250.
Tackling one thing each day is a good wash to approach making the house great again! You can do it!
I read and loved Project Hail Mary. I hope to see the movie but probably not while it’s in the theaters since I never go to movies. I haven’t read the other book but have considered it as Meredith raved about it!
I am looking forward to my spring break trip to visit my sister in DC with Paul! I love visiting that area of the country and the cherry blossoms might be blooming by then!
Yes, I’m reading The Appeal because Meredith raved about it so much. I’ll let you know what I think when I get to the end (with no spoilers, of course!)
Oh that trip sounds fun! I hope you guys get cherry blossoms (although Paul probably won’t care one way or the other).
Oooh it’s coming up fast, both your big run and your big visit! So exciting!
I know Nicole!!! Time is flying by, gulp.
I can think of no better way to celebrate a milestone birthday than with a milestone run! Haha!
I love the intent to clean one thing. Divide and conquer as they say. I’ve been using this medical leave from work as a time to go though and purge old papers that have been sitting way too long. I also discovered a stack of boxes in the basement that haven’t been touched since we moved in 25 years ago! The first one was labeled “Marcia’s office” and contained a Rolodex. I’m sure the kids have no clue as to what that even is.
Hahaha…. I’ll bet you’ve got some hidden treasures in those boxes. That’s the problem with a basement (we don’t have them here)- you can put things down there and never, ever look at them again.
I’ve been in a house organizing and sprucing up phase myself. It’s kind of fun actually. When it’s finished anyway! Running 60 miles on your birthday is the perfect idea for you! Looking forward to following along
Thanks Deborah! I would say the decluttering is more “satisfying” than “fun,” but either way, it’s nice when it’s done.
Great well to celebrate a milestone birthday!
I have some spring cleaning to do and like your “clean one thing a day” approach – may have to borrow that one!
I’ll let you know how it goes- when I get closer to the visit, I may have to clean 20 things a day, lol…
I’ve not read either book but I’m guessing the Project Hail Mary is the one they just made a movie out of? Ryan Gosling?
Over coffee- which would be water for me, I would share that we think we have a great school solution for Kay. Transportation has not been solved yet but one thing at a time.
Ooh, that’s great news! Hope the transportation piece falls into place soon. And yes- this book is now a movie, which I doubt I’ll see.
Woot!!! Race day is almost here, as is your milestone birthday 🙂 I’m having a Naughty N.O.T.H.Y. Party on my birthday (NOTHY stands for Not Over The Hill Yet because my next milestone bday is next year, LOL).
Ha ha, I want to hear more details about this party!!!
I read Project Hail Mary. I thought The Martian was better, but I like Andy Weir’s writing style.
Not much exciting planned for this month, but I am helping my nephew with ACT prep, so get excited to hear about that!
I actually am interested in that- my daughter just took the SATs. Should she take the ACT? I want to hear about the differences.
Oh, your race and your birthday are so close! I think it’s a great way to celebrate your birthday and get special treatment for days after too. I mean, after you ran all those miles you can’t possible do any chores!
I have been reading the same book forever and must finish it this weekend.
Great point, Coco!!! I will be exempt from cleaning for several days= my husband and daughter (hahahaha, that’s funny) will have to take over.
I’m excited for your 60 mile run! I cannot imagine walking, running, or riding a bike 60 miles. I could drive 60 miles. There is no better way for YOU to celebrate, though.
I did a big declutter last year, where I got rid of one thing a day for the second half of the year. It felt so manageable, so I think this is going to work great for you. It’s amazing the things that start out horrible and become invisible after a while.
Yes, this is definitely not something that everyone would want to do! But it is the perfect birthday for me.
I remember your decluttering project! You did a good job with it.
What a fun rest of the month you have to look forward to! I’m really looking forward to reading all about your 60-mile ultra birthday celebration – I’ll be cheering you on from afar the day of the race!
As you know I’ve been decluttering since my mom passed away and we started cleaning out her house. I’ve tried to toss items in my own home anytime I brought something in from her house (my childhood home). Well, except houseplants, there’s always room for more houseplants! 😉
Yes, houseplants are not clutter! Well- I guess they could be, but I doubt you’ll let them take over your house.
I’ll be thinking about my friends cheering me on from afar on the day of my race- it really does make a difference!
Yes! Artemis by Andy Weir. I did not think I would like it but… I did! Never read the Martian, which is his famous novel.
I am looking forward to quite a few things… Riverdance- today! St. Patrick’s day! Albeit I’m not Irish… and, of course, our road trip to South Carolina by way of Virginia. I need the sea, sand, and sun. I’m so over winter :/
I’ve heard mussed reviews on Hail Mart. But I do want to read it.
Can’t believe it’s almost race time.
I’m good with shoving things in closets. And drawers. Need to start de cluttering them too.
sixty miles!!!! it’s going to be epic Jenny!!!!
you know my philosophy on cleaning is in any case ‘one thing a day’ or the alternative is a 10-min room reset. it actually helps me not become overwhelmed with all that needs to be done. so I really think you are tackling this in the right way. And trust me, I have plenty of piles of stuff that have needed sorting for … a while. AND, I sorted out my workout space last summer only to remodel another room and move a bunch of stuff “temporarily” to that same space. And it’s still there…
I thought The Appeal was hilarious – it has all my cat nip type things – epistolatory novel, set in a theatre – of course I had to read it.
I loved Hail Mary – it’s one of those books that I liked so much that I don’t think I even want to see the movie.
There are so many exciting things coming up for you!
When I was in high school, my mother replaced all the carpet my senior year because she was nervous that I had friends coming over to work on senior year class projects and wanted the house to look nice. I thought that was sooooo overboard of her (*teenage eye roll*) But now I TOTALLY get it.
I need to read Project Hail Mary, but I’ve got three books I’m reading all at once and need to finish those first.
OMG… you are living my life. We are getting the house painted, so that means…. we need new lights. And a new front door handle and deadbolt. And what about refinishing the table and chairs? And redoing the pantry? It just spirals so quickly!
My next exciting thing is my solo reading retreat but that’s still over a month away. WAH! But I did give myself a 4-day weekend next week because work has been Stressy McStresserson, so I’m looking forward to relaxing!
I read and loved Project Hail Mary, and I believe I bought a copy of The Appeal when I was in London! I need to read it!
The “clean one thing a day” goal is such a great one. Low stakes but high impact!
Ooo, hope you have a wonderful time on your upcoming race! 60 miles is beyond impressive!
I like the idea of cleaning 1 thing a day — that definitely makes it feel a lot more manageable! I’m working on decluttering and decorating my hobby room right now. It invariably ends up in various states of chaos, haha.
I listened to Project Hail Mary as an audiobook and the narrator was awesome! Will be watching it with a couple friends next week! :]