My Bucket List

 Since I asked what others have on their bucket lists, I thought I would share mine!

One thing that I want to do, but I don't know if it's really a bucket list thing, is to reform or rebuild this house. 

The longer I live here, the more I realise that this house just isn't really livable!

It's too cold in the winter. I went into the kitchen/dining area to make lunch, about 11am, and I could see my breath. I can understand it being that cold first thing in the morning, but not that late! In the summer, it's too hot, there is little ventilation, and even though there is a lot of vegetation around, it is still uncomfortable.

The bathroom is hell to keep clean; mould grows so quickly. Even in the winter!

The shower area is freezing, and there are ice crystals in the shampoo! 

I want to make this place livable; this is where I'm going to grow old. I want a place that is easy to take care of so I can live as independently as possible! 

Another thing is to travel.

I would love to go back to the UK one more time, but the reality is that unless I come into a lot of money, that won't be possible. Flights are really expensive. The cheap ones are too long for me to endure. I was looking the other day. One flight that I could just about afford would take 36 hours! I don't think I could do that now!

There are many places in Japan that I would like to visit. Hokkaido in the summer, and Okinawa in the winter. I know that is the opposite way, but I don't think I could deal with the extreme weather in each place. Also, I heard that Hokkaido in the summer is nice because the humidity is low. Okinawa in the summer would be too hot for me; I have a hard time here!

I would like to visit the big cities, Tokyo and Osaka. I'm not sure that I can deal with crowds, though. There are lots of places that aren't that crowded or touristy that I want to go to as well. Hannah finds a lot of interesting places to visit; she has her list as well!

Then I have a list of things I want to study. Of course, Japanese is at the top of the list! I need it to communicate, but I'm also hoping that by constantly studying, I can stave off dementia and other related brain problems that seem to accompany ageing! I really don't want to be the old lady who sits and drools all day with no idea of what is happening around her; that really scares me! When Hannah was in junior high school, the students did a week of work experience. She went to a care home. On the last day, she came home in tears. She said that the residents were making a poster for some event, but most of them didn't know how to hold a pencil or use scissors. I don't want to be like that!

Another thing I want to study is Japanese history, especially in this local area. There isn't a lot in English, so I'll need some help with that. My kids like history and are willing to help me with that. Also, I want to understand what makes the Japanese Japanese, what is so unique to these people, and where that comes from. 

There are other things that I want to study, but those are still ideas swirling around my brain at the moment!

The last thing on this list is to develop some kind of crafting skills. I can knit, but only very basic things; anything that involves shaping is beyond me. I can read a pattern, but I always mess up. I think it's just a case of practice. I like to knit as it stops me from snacking, it's hard to eat when your hands are busy!

Another crafty, arty thing I would like to develop is to be able to draw! Just to be able to put something on paper that looks like something and not just a mess of lines would be great!

That's my bucket list! I'm sure I'll add to it or change things. 

The only one that is really a priority is the house.

On a totally different note, I made an interesting breakfast this morning! I'm always looking for healthy meals without breaking the bank. This morning I made oatmeal and topped it with a poached egg, a couple of small sauasages and spinach with a sesame/soy dressing! I didn't think I would enjoy it as I usually have oatmeal with honey and a banana. But this was actually very nice. I paired it with a soy smoothie, tofu, yoghurt, frozen strawberries, and I added a banana as the strawberries are a bit sour. Very nice and filling!

Breakfast