“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

–Winston Churchill

I have had a handful of people ask me how I am coming along with my goals that I blogged about in January.  Thank you for keeping me honest and my feet to the fire.  It is definitely a motivating factor knowing that I will be questioned.  I figured the best way to truly continue forward and not just let those goals die slowly on the side of the road of life (because really there is not a whole heck of a lot of things that is as nasty as road-kill) was to be accountable and report.  So sincerely . . . thanks for asking!

Here we go down the short road of the last two months . . . at least as it pertains to a few of my goals.  I shot out of the gate full of enthusiasm and have gotten quite a bit done.

I have to say that one thing that I am quite proud of myself is that I now have one full year supply of food.  The really bad thing is that I have no water supply minus what my water heater holds.  I am not sure how to store water.  Any suggestions?

I have been to the temple every week and I have even done one session each month.  I still have yet to do a session in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple since it opened so I think that I need to add that to my list so that I have done a session in every Temple in Utah.  I have also had the opportunity to teach five lessons with one more to go this month.

My Will, Trust and General Power of Attorney are drawn up, signed and put away for safe keeping.  My taxes for the year have also been completed.

I have read one-third of the Book of Mormon.  I have read Jane Eyre.  I have also already read seven new books and I am in the middle of number eight.

There have been doctor visits galore.  I have seen the dentist, the ophthalmologist and general family doctor . . . I still have to see the girl doctor.  I have had three of the five shots done that needed to be completed for my trip in October.  I have also had a mammogram completed.  For anyone that hasn’t ever had one of these done (this is my second one that I have had – thank you family history for giving me the “opportunity” to have to start early) let’s just say that there is nothing like having a delicate body part pulled, stretched and squished all while having to distort your body position and then to top it off them saying “now don’t breathe.”  I must have gotten a look of wanting to punch the doctor in the face because she said, “I’m so sorry that this hurts so much, but it wouldn’t if they weren’t so firm.”  I looked her straight in the face and said, “So what you are telling me is that I need to get fat and flabby before my next visit?”  At least we both laughed.

My trip to Jordan, Israel and Egypt is booked and paid for.  I am still looking for a few small trips to take within the States.  Not sure what those will be yet.  Been anywhere fun and exciting that I should visit?

I am also registered for the 60-mile bike ride.  After a 10-mile bike ride up in Logan a couple of weekends ago that was beyond embarrassing, I am more than a little anxious about this ride.  Never in my life have I had a full asthma attack in front of anyone.  It was personally mortifying, not the attack, but that someone else witnessed it.  I figure that I have a way out at the 12.5 mile marker if I am struggling since that is where they turn the 25-mile bikers around.  We shall see.  

Surprise!  I did something that wasn’t on the list but something which I have been looking at doing for a couple of years now.  I now own property in St. George and officially I am a slumlord.  My brother-in-law and I purchased a bank owned duplex.  I now just need to put my hair up in curlers, gain 500 pounds and dangle a cigarette out of my mouth to collect the rent each month. 

Now what hasn’t been going that great?  Well I have only managed to lose 3 of the 20 pounds that I am shooting for.  I think this will be my most difficult and frustrating goal.  It would be helpful if I could stop eating sugar and bread, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it will probably not happen.  I suppose I need to raise my workout time from 45 minutes to an hour and from two days a week to at least three if not four days a week.

Well that is where I am.  A lot accomplished and yet so much more still left to work on . . .