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Writer’s Life: Weekly Progress Update
This time last year, I wrote over 5,000 words in January. Right now, I’m barely at 3,000. At first, I thought my writing was off to a wonderful start, and now I think I’m potentially doing worse than I was last year.
This week I badly needed to write and so far, I’ve had a ton of difficulty finding the time to make it happen. Or even just setting aside the time to make it happen. And when I say terrible, I mean, TERRIBLE. However, I have to look at the little successes I’ve been able to have which, so far, have been pretty good. So far, I’ve finished reading my first book of the new year, started on my 2nd, I’ve worked out steadily, and I’ve cooked a new meal. I was even able to knock Restaurant Week and Hockey Game off my Winter list.
Go ice skating
Drink Hot Chocolate
Celebrate Valentine’s Day <3
Restaurant Week with Friends
Drink Tea
Go to a Hockey Game
So I only have 2 experiences left.
2020 Word Count: 2,757 Novella Progress: 3,784 WIP 2nd Draft Progress: 35,607
Winter Checklist
While it’s not my favorite season, there’s a lot to love about winter.
Here’s what I want to do this winter:
Go ice skating
Drink Hot Chocolate
Celebrate Valentine’s Day <3
Restaurant Week with Friends
Drink Tea
Go to a Hockey Game
I think that’s do-able.
Taking care of your furnace each winter can be as easy as following a checklist, so read on for recommendations for this winter’s heating maintenance. The Filter Clean it, change it, and generally make sure it is ready to go for a long winter of heating your home. Filters should be cleaned regularly throughout the…
Have you done these things to prepare for winter?
Winter Checklist
Print this checklist and prep your home for the winter weather.
Check and clean or replace furnace air filters each month during the heating season. Ventilation system, such as heat recovery ventilator, filters should be checked every two months.
After consulting your hot water tank owner’s manual, drain off a dishpan full of water from the clean-out valve at the bottom of your hot water tank to control sediment and maintain efficiency.
Clean humidifier two or three times during the winter season.
Vacuum bathroom fan grille.
Vacuum fire and smoke detectors, as dust or spider webs can prevent them from functioning.
Vacuum radiator grilles on back of refrigerators and freezers, and empty and clean drip trays.
Check pressure gauge on all fire extinguishers; recharge or replace if necessary.
Check fire escape routes, door and window locks and hardware, and lighting around outside of house; ensure family has good security habits.
Check the basement floor drain to ensure the trap contains water; refill with water if necessary.
Monitor your home for excessive moisture levels — for example, condensation on your windows, which can cause significant damage over time and pose serious health problems — and take corrective action if necessary.
Check all faucets for signs of dripping and change washers as needed. Faucets requiring frequent replacement of washers may be in need of repair.
If you have a plumbing fixture that is not used frequently, such as a laundry tub or spare bathroom sink, tub or shower stall, run some water briefly to keep water in the trap.
Clean drains in dishwasher, sinks, bathtubs and shower stalls.
Test plumbing shut-off valves to ensure they are working and to prevent them from seizing.
Examine windows and doors for ice accumulation or cold air leaks. If found, make a note to repair or replace in the spring.
Examine attic for frost accumulation. Check roof for ice dams or icicles. If there is excessive frost or staining of the underside of the roof, or ice dams on the roof surface.
Keep snow clear of gas meters, gas appliance vents, exhaust vents and basement windows.
Monitor outdoor vents, gas meters and chimneys for ice and snow buildup. Consult with an appropriate contractor or your gas utility for information on how to safely deal with any ice problems you may discover.
Check electrical cords, plugs and outlets for all indoor and outdoor seasonal lights to ensure fire safety; if worn, or if plugs or cords feel warm to the touch, replace immediately.
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A Warm Welcome For "Old Man" Winter
While much of the country is still enjoying temperatures in the 70s and 80s, the rest of us must face the eventually reality of “old-man” winter. It may be time to say goodbye to warmer weather for the rest of 2011, and many of us know that we have some tasks to do to get ready for winter, so why not make them fun? Here are 12 get-ready-for-winter activities and great ways to enjoy doing them.
Feeding the birds. Help the birds with a snack during the colder months with these easy bird feeders made from pinecones. Simply find a pinecone, attach a string or wire for hanging, spread it with peanut butter, and roll it in bird seed. Be sure to push the peanut butter down into the nooks and crannies. You can also make a feeder using a toilet paper or paper towel roll. Spread with peanut butter and roll in bird seed. Hang it from a tree by running a piece of yarn through the roll. And, if you'd like to make a feeder out of a milk carton, don't forget this great craft!
Final harvest. Be sure to gather up every last tomato, leaf of basil, and any other vegetables you've grown. Treat yourself to a little feast. If you have lots left, you can use them for your fall festival or a freeze, wash, chop tomatoes for addition to soups and stews and make a batch of pesto for a taste of summer in the cold winter days. You can also try bringing the containers indoors at night and putting them back out during the day to extend your growing season for a few weeks.
Store containers from your container gardens. When you're finally ready to say goodbye to the container garden, be sure to clean up your pots so they'll be ready for next year. Dump the dirt into other flowerbeds and clean out the pots with mild soap and water. Many containers will crack if they get too cold, so it's a good idea to store them indoors. Of course, you can use them to hold hoses, potting soil, small garden tools, and other items.
Prepare your garden for the winter. Your flower and vegetable gardens need a little care before winter sets in. Clean out the spent vegetable plants. Deadhead spent flowers on flowering shrubs to improve blooms next year. Provide winter protection for fragile plants and perennials by mulching.
Put your garden tools away. To prevent rust and keep your gardening tools in good working order, be sure to clean, dry, and oil all your garden tools before you put them away for the winter.
Plant bulbs. Now is also the time to plant bulbs, so your spring garden will burst into bloom. Enlist the kids to help drop the bulbs in the holes.
Empty the birdbath. Unless it's heated, it's best to empty your birdbath. This is especially true for birdbaths that might crack if the water that collects in them freezes. Use mild soap and hose it out. Store it by turning upside down or putting it in a garage or shed.
Rake the leaves. Remember when you used to love jumping into piles of raked leaves? It's that time of year again. Everyone gets to help and everyone gets to roll in the leaves. Be sure to pick up those fun pumpkin leaf bags at your local store. Kids love them.
A time to mow. Before you put the lawnmower away for the season, cut your grass one last time, squirt down your lawnmower with the garden hose, remove and recycle the oil, remove the blade and take it to the shop to be sharpened, or just schedule your mower for a winter tune-up.
Clean your grill. Next year, wouldn't it be nice to pull your grill out of storage and know that it's clean and ready to go? Use our simple tips to clean your grill, but before you do, have a fall festival!
Put your things away. Sounds like what you tell the kids! Put your furniture away for the winter, empty hoses and store them, and turn off the outside water faucets to prevent freezing and cracking.
Memories. . . Take pictures of your house or apartment before frost hits. It's nice to have a yearly record of changes you have made in plantings and decorations. Add friends and family to the pictures for a yearly "time capsule" of remember when….
Hibernate inside. Bonus tip. Tell your kids that you're going to act like the bears and take a nap. If that doesn't work, pop some popcorn and pop in a family movie. Pile up blankets and pillows, and reward yourself for a job well done.
