20 in 20 February Update

1. Fill out weekly/daily planner
This is definitely working for me now.  It helps me be more focused.
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2. Garden projects: Get window boxes for front garden plus big planters. Stepping stones for rear garden.
Well this might need to be reviewed now we have decided to move but we do have window boxes in the front garden.
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3. Plan a lunch date/date night with Nick once a month (theatre/cinema/meal/outing)
Hmm not sure we achieved this in February.  The month seems to have flown by and been dominated by our decision to move.  But then a trip out to explore a potential area for moving to counts right?  We did at least spend some time together away from the house lol

4. Eat at 6 new-to-me restaurants
No increase on this during February - see above!

5. Complete the A – Z blogging challenge
This happens during April - watch this space!

6. Plan Family weekend for my birthday
Not thinking to far ahead at the moment.  Who decided to move?!

7. Take up an exercise class
No progress here.  I seem to be blaming all my failures on our decision to move but it has put other things on the back burner.

8. Plan a road trip/holiday with hubby.
Perhaps after we manage to move! lol

9. Visit the beach
At some point!

10. Complete my reading challenge (52 books for the year)
Somehow I've managed to keep on track with this despite starting 2 books in February which I've given up on.  I did manage to finish 3 though so I'm still ahead of schedule. Full details can be found on my Goodreads page here.
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11. Keep a gratitude diary
I've started to include this in my "Daily Planner" book and I'm finding it easier to do. 
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12. Blog at least once per week (plus regular memes)
February was never going to be as good as January where I was following a challenge but it wasn't too bad.  One advantage of deciding to move is that it's given me something else to blog about! ✅

13. Take a photo each week and blog about it.
Going to plan.
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14. Read 12 books on my TBR pile.
I managed one this month (Secrets She Left Behind - Diane Chamberlain) which I enjoyed.  I also started 2 more (Italian Matchmaker by Sante Montefiore and Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien) but gave up on both of them.  I also managed not to add to the TBR pile.
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15. Finish knitting WIP (blanket of squares)
Still not started this!

16. Try out a new recipe or do a bake each month 
Managed to slip one in just before the end of the month.  We had a liver dish with Lyonnaise potatoes. Yes I know not everyone likes liver but we do and I did look up a recipe so a ✅

17. Visit/see Noah every month
We just managed this - we were there on 29th February.  Thank goodness this is a leap year or we'd have missed a month and that would not do.
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18. Get damp treatment done in house
Hopefully this will be a non-starter now that we've decided to move but if we have to wait too long for a buyer we may just have to get this done anyway.

19. Maintain weight
Moving is stressful.  Being stressed makes me eat.  Enough said?

20. Be kind to myself. Whilst I think it's good to set myself challenges sometimes life gets in the way or I just have days where I really can't be bothered. I need to accept this and not be hard on myself when things don't go to plan.

I think this one is going to be very important over the next few months.
 
I expected February would not be as great as January and of course this list was written before we'd taken the decision to move.  I'll probably have to cut myself some slack over the next few months but I will also have to try not to use moving as an excuse for not bothering.  

✅ 9/20 Not bad considering all the upheaval.