At the beginning of January, I sketched out what felt like perfectly reasonable goals. One month. Totally doable, right?
Here’s what I learned: Life doesn’t care about your perfectly reasonable plans.
What I Planned vs. What Happened
House Goals: Deep clean the bedroom, declutter my dresser, file paperwork, wash bedroom windows and then buy new curtains, frame a finished cross-stitch.
Reality: One drawer cleaned. 75% of paperwork filed. Everything else? Nope. Too cold for window washing. Didn’t want to spend money on curtains. Haven’t touched my stitching.
Blog Goals: Keep up my genealogy posts (done!), revive Thimble & Tansy.
Reality: Moving the blog took days of “do this and wait 48 hours” technical nonsense. By the time I could post, I… didn’t. But I did get all my genealogy blog posts done on Stories Gathered & Remembered, and well, here’s this post!
Garden Goals: Finish backyard cleanup, plant those seeds waiting in Zone 10A.
Reality: Record cold. Possible SNOW this weekend in tropical Florida. When winds hit 40 mph bringing arctic air down, this thin-blooded Florida girl stays inside.
Income Goal: My January goal was $500.
Reality: Through eBay sales ($117) and disciplined meal planning that kept $351 in my pocket instead of spent on impulse purchases, I’m at $468. Not bad for a month that threw everything at me. And I still have a few days.
Life Goals: Finish a cross-stitch WIP, take monthly day trip with Tony.
Reality: No stitching. BUT—we had a wonderful day in Sarasota! I found fabric at a quilt shop that’s no longer available anywhere else. Tony discovered an Amish furniture store and surprised me with my dream chair (being custom-made now!). We ate at Yoder’s—generous portions and fascinating to see the thriving Amish community there. We’re planning to go back.
The Truth About January
Between unusual cold, getting sick for five days, and my body still recovering from last year’s medical journey, January didn’t go according to plan. My energy levels are lower than I want them to be. Some days were postcard-perfect weather that I couldn’t take advantage of.
But here’s what matters: February gets a fresh start. That’s the whole point of monthly goals instead of yearly resolutions.
Moving Forward
Thimble & Tansy is back. I’ll be sharing what I’m actually doing—gardening, cross-stitching, quilting, baking. The real stuff, not content created for some imaginary audience.
Honestly? I miss being me. I want 2026 to be the year I rediscover myself.
One month at a time.