January, 2024, was a really productive month.

• Put away Christmas decorations.
• Got started on gathering tax return information.
• Resumed 2 Bible classes, tai chi, and tap dancing.

Here’s what I did in January:

1. Throw a party.   With Sug’s help Charlie and I had a few people over to celebrate Coptic Christmas Eve and our trip to Egypt.
   

   Charlie in the clothing he bought at Abu Simbel.

   Unfortunately due to weather and illness we were fewer than we had hoped but we traded travel stories and ate up a storm.

   

   Both the Egyptian and non-Egyptian food were a hit at the party.

2. Do something new and different.  On New Year’s Day Charlie and I traveled to Philadelphia to watch the 124th Annual Mummers Parade.  Although we have previously been to Philly, the Mummers Parade was a unique and unusual experience.
   

   The string bands feature brass, reeds, and percussion along with the strings.

   I recommend adding it to your Bucket List.

3. Burn then discard all red candles.  I got rid of 5 red candles and 2 mosaic glass globes.
   

   A few more items to NOT put away this winter.

4. Get living room ready to paint and assemble supplies.  I’ve chosen a new lighter color.  We’ll get started very soon.
   

   New color “Alabaster” on the left — old color “Revere Pewter” on the right.

5.  See a movie.  I saw The Boys in the Boat about the USA crew team that won the 1936 Olympics in Germany.  I plan to read the book.  I also watched Groundhog Day at home for a class about making good decisions.
6. Empty 2 shelves in master bedroom.  A real challenge.
   

   From this . . .

   

   to this.

   

   The real challenge — my travel shelf.

7.  Read a book or play.  I read Dubliners by James Joyce which is very Irish and a challenge to read but warm with relationships. I also read The Boys in the Boat after seeing the movie (#5 above) which was rich in facts and details of the world in the 1930s.
8. Wash living room curtains. I took down the curtains after the party but before starting to paint the living room.
   

   Freshly laundered curtains on a newly painted wall.

   They are pure linen so I washed and ironed them myself.

9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: STEADFAST.
10.  Write a goal list for February, 2024.

Jo

I have been hinting that sometime in the not to distant future Charlie and I will be moving from our home of over 2 decades.

I have enjoyed living here over the past 27 years.

It’s time to seriously start getting rid of things we would not want to pack up and move. (See #3 below.)  I’m hoping that each month this year I can accomplish a task that will lend itself to that philosophy.

I love a good fireworks display to welcome the New Year.

Now for my January Do-it list:

1. Throw a party.   I have sent invitations for a Coptic Christmas Eve Party.
   

   I’ll be going with an Egyptian theme.

2. Do something new and different.
3. Burn then discard all red candles.  They are really my least favorite. Gotta start somewhere.
   

   The last time I used red candles was the Casablanca screening of 2019.

4. Get living room ready to paint and assemble supplies.  I’ve chosen a new lighter color.
5.  See a movie.
6. Empty 2 shelves in master bedroom.  A real challenge.
   

   We have too many tchotchkes and books on display.

7.  Read a book or play.
8. Wash living room curtains. A tedious job that will help with #4 above.
   

   The curtains in the living room have to be taken down for painting anyway.

9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: STEADFAST.
10.  Write a goal list for February, 2024.

Jo

The very end of 2023 — hard to believe.  What a year!  Egypt, Florida, Vieques, parties, theatre, concerts, day trips — awesome.

Camels, pyramids, and the Sahara Desert were included in our Egypt experience.

In addition to the numbered list below:

• with Charlie’s help I cleaned our self-clean oven.  It’s more difficult than it would seem.
• My passport that I applied for last month arrived.  Mailed application 11/9/2023 and received passport 12/4/2023 without any expedited services.
  

  My new biometric passport.

• attended my Bible study holiday social.
  

  It was all about the Christmas socks.

I didn’t try to challenge myself too much in December.  I just wanted to enjoy the season so here’s how I progressed on my typical list.

1.  Celebrate Christmas. We decorated this year with multiple small trees and an Egyptian theme.
   

   Camels on the mantel, O my!

2. Work on an inside project from my 101 in 1001 list.  I chose #84 which is  to unplug completely for a full day (no phone, internet, camera, TV). I didn’t miss much but I would not do it again.
3.  Donate books to the library Book Swap.
   

   Lots of people brought really nice books to the library’s swap including me.

   I donated the books I have recently read to the library swap and added another group to a local charity. 10 altogether which brings my 101 in 1001 total to 31 (#14).

4. Get rid of a pile of clutter from the master bedroom.  Seriously this was one of my most exigent tasks.  I attacked it early in the month and cleared up loads of papers, notes, and general clutter.
5.  See a movie.  Wonka To prepare me for this new film I read the book (see #7 below), and watched the movies Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factor at home.
   

   I enjoyed this musical film about dreaming.

   The newest movie, Wonka, is filled with British actors I’ve come to know from imported PBS dramas. It was totally different from the previous 2 chocolate factory movies.  I enjoyed the message that life is better when shared with others.

   I also saw Napoleon — 2 hours and 38 minutes — I liked it but I think any movie over 2 hours needs more editing.

6.  Plan a January party.  I sent out invitations for a Coptic Christmas Eve party (January 6) so we could enjoy some of the best foods and hospitality of Egypt.
   

   We’ll try to make Turkish coffee like we enjoyed in Egypt.

7.  Read a book. I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.  It only took a couple of days because: 1) it’s a children’s book; 2) it was truly engaging.
   

   Chocolate is always good!

   I tried not to focus on the yummy candy descriptions.

   I also read Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra which I watched online in 2020.

8. Attend a concert.  Early in the month the Columbia Orchestra presented Tales from the Woods,  a diverse music program which the audience and I very much enjoyed.
   

   We live in The Glade at the edge of the woods so I’m familiar with the scenery expressed in music.

   We concert-goers are being treated this season to conductor candidates of which we will help to choose one as the future maestro.

9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: WONDER.
10.  Write a Do-it list for January, 2024.

Jo

December seems to arrive sooner every year; I must be getting old.

I’m not putting tags on my gifts this year to reduce the rummaging.

I had a productive November buying and wrapping gifts so I can more or less relax and enjoy the holidays.

Now for my December list of objectives:

1.  Celebrate Christmas.
   

   Always love the house at Christmas time.

2. Work on an inside project from my 101 in 1001 list.  Could be  the dollhouse, mudroom closet, basement, Mommie photos — so many choices, so little time.
3.  Donate books to the library Book Swap.
   

   These books must be in excellent condition to be donated to the swap.

4. Get rid of a pile of clutter from the master bedroom.
5.  See a movie.  Wonka 
   

   A prequel of sorts to the other movies about Willie and his chocolate factory.

6.  Plan a January party.  I’m thinking a Coptic Christmas Eve with an Egyptian theme.
   

   A plaque on the wall of the Coptic Christian Hanging Church in Cairo details the movement of the Holy Family in Egypt in the first century.

7.  Read a book. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.
   

   Roald Dahl has long been one of my favorite authors.

8. Attend a concert.
9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: WONDER.
10.  Write a Do-it list for January, 2024.

Jo

We arrived home from our trip to Egypt after long flights from Cairo to London then to our local airport BWI (Baltimore).  We really had a grand time and met some interesting and congenial people.

We saw the ancient wonders and met the amiable people — we’ll never forget our time in Egypt.

As always I had a couple of other projects and activities that I worked on:

• spray painted a picture frame.
  

  This is before the makeover.

• rearranged the outdoor welcome mats.
  

  I repainted my old blue mats green.

• the Cottage has been cleaned out and is ready for a new tenant.
  

  Such a pretty place.

• small claims court hearing is finished.  I prevailed but now I have to pursue the collection.

Now for my November list of objectives:

1.  Apply for new passport.  I have duly prepared my application and mailed it to be processed.
   

   I had to submit my old passport in order to be issued a new one.

   I have been alerted that the Department of State has received my application and supporting materials.

2.  Celebrated Thanksgiving.  Charlie and I had a quiet day alone eating our favorite foods including crab cakes (no turkey for us). We also did a little Christmas decorating.
   

   One small tree is dedicated to our puppy Dash.

3.  Christmas gifts are wrapped, packed up, and readied for mail. I have everyone’s gifts purchased and wrapped.
   

   Wrapped and packed!

   Those that are to be shipped are ready for the journey.

4. Get rid of a box of clutter from the basement.  I emptied one box and threw away most of its contents.
   

   A very useful tool.

   I consolidated all my art supplies including my beloved paint sprayer and all its myriad pieces which means one of the bins on the back of the kitchen island is now empty.  I’m on a roll.

5.  See a movie.  I saw The Holdovers and Journey to Bethlehem at a local movie theatre.
   

   The Magi in the movie Journey to Bethlehem rode camels, but I believe the original Wise Men rode Arabian horses.

   Each film was very different from the other but I enjoyed them both.

6. Bring down Christmas decorations that will go with this year’s theme.
   

   I added a little embellishment to the lead camel — his follower will be treated likewise.

   Charlie and I carried down loads of boxes and bins. My goal is to get rid of some things we never use — for example, string lights that don’t work.

7.  Read a book.  I enjoyed Sharpe’s Prey by Bernard Cornwell, a Napoleonic era adventure tale about a British soldier who was raised from the ranks and commissioned an officer, a rare and thankless honor.
   

   I was first introduced to the Sharpe series by a British TV drama starring Sean Bean.

   Odd that 2 of my favorite authors have the last name Cornwell but are unrelated as far as I know.

8. Bring down and shred old papers from the attic.  I shredded a huge pile of bank statements from accounts I no longer own.  Thankfully, now there is nothing to show — it’s history.
9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: DREAM.
10.  Write a goal list for December, 2023.

Jo

We don’t return home from our trip to Egypt until the end of the first week of November.  I’m sure to have lots to report.

My camel’s name was Casanova — he loved posing for his closeup.

Looking at my list below, clearly my theme for November is “Get rid of it!”  And I’ll try.

The Red Wing stag usually shows up at this time of year.

Now for my November list of objectives:

1.  Apply for new passport.
   

   A passport must be reapplied for every 10 years — a buffer of 6 months is generally advised for international travel.

2.  Celebrate Thanksgiving.
   

   Crab cakes usually grace our Thanksgiving table.

3.  Wrap, pack up, and mail Christmas gifts.
   

   Some of our gifts are mailed to the recipients.

4. Get rid of a box of clutter from the basement.
   

   Our tiny basement has very little free floor space.

5.  See a movie. Looks like a few good ones to try.
6. Bring down Christmas decorations that will go with this year’s theme, Egypt.
   

   This year I’ll feature my crèche collection since it is a focus of Egyptian Christmas celebrations.

   (Last Christmas’ theme was Hawaii.)

7.  Read a book.  Sharpe’s Prey by Bernard Cornwell.
8.  Bring a box of old papers from attic and shred it.
   

   I always have a pile of papers to shred; I plan to focus on outdated items as well.

9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: DREAM.
10.  Write a goal list for December, 2023.

Jo