Categories: Living Life

My Autumn 2021 Bucket List

Sweet ones, thank you for stopping by to check out my 2021 autumn 2021 bucket list. Some prefer to call them fun lists or activities lists, I guess because ‘bucket list’ carries the connotation of being a list of things to do before you kick the proverbial bucket. But death doesn’t really enter into the reason why I create these lists. Rather, it’s living a fuller life. I create these lists each season because otherwise every weekend looks about the same. We get stuck in a comfortable rut of eating at the same restaurants. Date nights look the same – a late afternoon movie and popcorn supper. We become, to quote Pink Floyd, “comfortably numb.”

Bucket lists are good for you. A few years ago I made a quick video outlining all the reasons why!! But don’t just take my word for it. Check out this post for some of the ways bucket lists can enrich your life. Then before you grab your paper and pencil or laptop to make your own list, allow me to share mine.

Before I reveal my autumn 2021 bucket list, thought, we have unfinished business…taking just a moment to brag on my progress on my summer list.

Final UPDATE 08.2021: MY SUMMER BUCKET LIST

Here’s what I have accomplished this summer. Some of these check marks were earned and reported in earlier posts, here, here, and here. I am feeling proud as punch over all the green check marks I’ve collected this summer.

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Another new hike – Hueco Tanks or Sitting Bull Falls or maybe we will get to the Tin Mines. This was an activity on my spring list and we did investigate a new hike but not any of the ones I wanted to investigate. So, I am going to try again.
Skin cancer screening – Have had this on my wellness goals for over a year. It is going to happen this season. Had this done a few weeks ago. And had some skin tags removed and biopsied at the same time. Everything came back all clear.
Meet and maintain within 2 pounds lifetime Weight Watchers weight – My lifetime weight is 138. I was 139.8 on Saturday. Need to get to 138 and stay there!! Still working on this. Working out better again and tracking my WW points. But haven’t made it back to 138. Boo!! ❌

HEART

Beach vacation – South Padre Island; we will be vacationing with family and celebrating all the birthdays together. Gimme that big green checkmark, this is done, son!!
Balloon fest or water park – Would like to do both of these activities. Hoping Brennyn can come in September and go to the Balloon Fest with us. Thinking Lauren and I can let Cia and Cami play hooky and take the girls to the water park one day. Nope. Fail. Hope we can do the water park next year. ❌
Farmer’s market and food truck rodeo in northeast El Paso – If you live in northeast El Paso, you have probably joined me in bemoaning the fact that we have so few activities in our own backyard. The best restaurants and stores are on the east or west sides of town. When I heard we were getting our own farmer’s market out here, I immediately added it to my summer bucket list. Didn’t happen. Maybe this fall? ❌

MIND

Write meaningful blog posts – I have been saying that I want to redirect my blog to my original focus. Life after retirement. And writing. Going to force that to happen by putting it on my bucket list. I was invited to guest post for my blogging friend Leeanne at Cresting the Hill that went live on 08.02.2021. You can read it, here. Then wrote this follow up post on my blog. Now to make this a regular occurrence.
Game night once a month – Over the winter we had several game nights and really enjoyed them. Want to bring them back. And maybe have a game night in South Padre, too.
Summer twist for reading club – My online reading club has been going for several years now and we are up to almost 100 members. This summer, I want to jazz things up and try something new with the gang. Polled our gang and several are interested in a meet and greet online. So need to make that happen. In the meantime, suggested we all slip a dollar or bookmark into any library book we are returning in the next few weeks. Going to go ahead and give myself a check mark here.

SPIRIT

Write one Thankful Thursday post a month – Want to return to joining my friend Rebecca at Knit By God’s Hand for this series. Rebecca Jo has asked me to help cohost this series and I’ve been honored to oblige. Find my most recent Thankful Thursday post, here.
Start new prayer journal – Bumped from spring. Going to start using the Prayer Journal for Women: 52 Week Scripture, Devotional & Guided Prayer Journal.
Photo scavenger hunt for summer – Blogging friends Mary-Jo, Ruth and Deb all participate in the summer photo scavenger hunt. I am going to join them. Taking photographs is one way to become more aware in the beauty in the world. You can find the prompts, here. I have started participated in 2 scavenger hunt updates; here’s the latest one. The final update will be 10.01.2021, so you still have time to join us!!

STYLE

Share a beach style post – Don’t worry, this won’t be me in a bikini!! But want to share some of the looks I pack for our summer vacation. This didn’t happen exactly like I planned. Had hoped to get some photos of my new summer sundress when we went to eat but things were just too crazy. Bought matching Old Navy tees for everyone, too, thinking we could do a family photo but that wasn’t to be either. Here’s what I wore on the plane, though. Does that count? I think I deserve a check mark for effort. Like my c’est la sea sweatshirt? You can pick up one here, on sale!!
Purge summer clothes not worn in 2 years – Now that I am volunteering some at the Clothes Closet, I want to donate those warm weather clothes I haven’t worn in a long time. I have purged but I need to get back in there to gather things I haven’t worn this summer or last. Made my first Poshmark sale yesterday. Woo hoo!!
Update my pajama game – Poor PC. He will appreciate this one. I really need to do better in the pj department. Time to toss the raggedy pajamas and gowns and replace them with something new. Did some tossing and took advantage of the recent Soma sales (thank you, Kellyann) to purchase these Cool Nights banded bottom pajama set. Haven’t worn them yet as we are still experiencing summer but looking forward to wearing them. Hoping the banding will help keep the legs in place at my ankles while I sleep. This long-sleeve pajama set in a pretty paisley print is on my wish list.

TASTE BUDS

Try new treat – Maybe Teapioca boba tea or Aurora rolling ice cream or Nonotelo gelato. Are any of these nummy things familiar to you?
Find a new breakfast restaurant – No bright ideas for this activity yet. But I am tired of iHop. Yay, we did it!! We tried a new breakfast restaurant. And LOVED it. Good food, excellent service, quaint ambience. A little pricier than we would normally pay for breakfast but hey, I had a her-mosa!! The restaurant is Mamacita’s Downtown. I ordered the salmon and Gruyere grilled cheese and my Prince had the churro waffles, then we shared.

Try 3 new recipes – Using my air fryer, follow my Pinterest board Air Fryer Foodie and/or using my bread machine, follow my Pinterest board Baking Bread. I have these fancy appliances and need to use them. Did bake a pretty scrumptious loaf of Hawaiian bread lately in the bread machine. Have used my air fryer for French fries, tater tots, butterfly shrimp, etc. Made these Skinnytaste shrimp egg rolls and fried them in my air fryer. Yum. Have all the ingredients to make this air fryer cajun shrimp. So…

By my count that’s 15 pretty green s and 3 ugly red ❌s. I’ll take it!! Not a bit bad. And with that, summer 2021 is a wrap. On to the main event…

My Autumn 2021 Bucket List

My daughter Brennyn and granddaughter Cady will be visiting the second week of October so I have included some of our plans for their visit in my bucket list activities. Kept a few things purposely vague…ha!! That will allow me a little wiggle room. If Covid has taught us anything, it is to be flexible in our planning. Am I right?

Using the same 6 categories that I have used for past bucket lists. That way I can put together activities and experiences for all of me, the inside and the out. The physical and the spiritual. Kind of cool how our weather turned off downright fall-ish today. Coincidence? I think not!! It is the first day of fall after all.

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Fall hike or moonlight walk: we have wanted to take the tin mine hike for several years, would love to do that, or enjoy a moonlight walk on a walking path in the city.
Reach lifetime Weight Watchers weight of 138: really need to make this happen before hibernation weather sets in.
Facial and develop skin care routine: need a facial as summer ends and to find and stick to a skin care routine.