Five on Friday

Do you have a bucket list of things you really want to do? I don't really but over the years dreams and ideas have blossomed and waned. For a long time I really really wanted to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. It was something I wanted to do ever since I flew over this majestic mountain when I was 18, traveling back from a trip to Tanzania with my grandfather and his friend Tutilo, a Franciscan monk (yes, it was quite an adventure). Now it seems that half the world is climbing Mt Kilimanjaro for charity and the idea is less appealing. It can't be good for the mountain ecology. I am sure it is not.

These days, I have more realistic dreams. Mostly anyway. Here are five things I would like to do or achieve (subject to random change):


:: I want to sew my own winter coat. I have seen a pattern in the Great British Sewing Bee book (last year's edition) that I copied a picture of the coat and glued into my notebook. What is holding me back is that I am currently too big for this particular pattern and I don't trust my skills enough to adapt it to my size. I want it to be as yellow as the one in the book. I do love yellow and a bit of sunshine in the darkest winter must be a good thing.

:: Sewing a coat brings me smoothly to my second dream. Actually it is more of a goal. I have been piling on weight over the last few years. Never much at the time but the flab has been sneakily building up around my now no longer discernible waist line. So, over the next two years, I am hoping to gradually loose some of that weight. Not much at the time for I am no good at suffering. This year I have lost about 3 kg. It always struck me that 'loosing' weight is a completely wrong way of saying it. I loose things at random and without any effort on my behalf. Shedding the pounds is also wrong, it is too passive. Loosing weight (for loss of another word) is hard work.


:: I would like to be able to travel the world again. Having a big family and a limited budget makes it difficult to explore the world. I do love our family holidays in Britain, and sometimes Switzerland, don't get me wrong, but there is something special about traveling further afield. In particular, I would like explore Zanzibar, re-visit Tasmania and Thailand. I also fancy some city breaks: Kopenhagen, New York, Melbourne and Tokyo.

:: I fancy changing our living space. We used to live in a tenement flat in the Westend of Glasgow where we had a large kitchen with an alcove for a sofa. I really liked the open space. I would like to recreate this living space but on a bigger scale by extending our house into the back along the entire width and breaking some internal walls down to create one large kitchen/family room. We have dead space just outside the back because the house is built on a steep hill. About two metres away from the house is a tall wall that contributes to the relative darkness in the back rooms. Building out to this wall, single story with a slanted roof, glass if possible to have lots of light is a dream.

:: Lastly, I really would like to have a cleaner, or somebody who does my laundry. Never ending chores both. It is hard to keep up with it all with a full time job and four kids. I am not complaining, it is just sometimes more than I can handle. Despite my slap dash attitude to housework during the holidays I do actually like it clean (leaning during the holidays is like swimming against the flow). When I have a well paid job again (note my positive attitude, 'when' as opposed to 'if'), finding help will be one of the first things I'll do. 

There you go, five dreams, some probably not fulfilled for a long while but you just never know. Do you want to share your dreams with me? 

I am linking up with Amy's Five on Friday today.


Have a great weekend! Cx


Comments

  1. What wonderful dreams, don't give up on them. Mine is to move to the Western Isles, I will one day...

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  2. I want to knock down the wall between our kitchen and the dining room (that we never ever use and just is a room of stuff).
    I don't have any desire to climb a large mountain for the same reason as you, I hate to think of all the litter and damage caused.
    I know exactly what you mean about weight, I lose stuff all the time except the spare tyre that hangs over my jeans....

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  3. Hey Christina,
    A Franciscan monk called Tutilo? Sorry that's a story right there!! I share some of your dreams. I am not at all well travelled. I was never a very adventurous soul, and then the children came along. However there are a few places I'd really like to visit. Marc, Sam and I are going to New York in September, and I am very excited about that. But I'd love to go to Italy, see the Northern Lights, New Zealand and Greece. I also want to change our living space,a nd have been quietly working on Marc for about a year. I want to knock through into our conservatory to make the downstairs totally open plan. And then I'd like a wood burner installed. I have been slowly losing weight since Olly started school. I have lost a stone and a half by swimming a few times a week, walking loads and keeping half an eye on what I eat. I also changed some medication which has had positive effects and I think that has helped with the comfort eating. I love the sound of a yellow coat very, very much. I'm rather in love with yellow things at the moment.
    Have a wonderful weekend,
    Leanne xx

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  4. Hi Christina, I've called in via Amy's Five On Friday. I think it's good to have dreams, a life without hope and dreams is very bleak indeed. Thank you for reminding me of that. x

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  5. It's great to have dreams isn't it. I also want to travel, I've barely been anywhere but would love to do France, Italy and America. We're tentatively planning road trips when the kids are a bit older, if it works it will be amazing. I'm a big yellow fan, 'mustard' is my favourite colour right now. A coat in that colour during the winter months would be a wonderful thing. Have a great weekend x

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  6. I can relate to so much of this post. I used to have a bucket list and it seemed important but once I had children , it was pushed to one side and now I have more every day wishes and wants. who knows maybe the bucket list will resurface in later years, but I have no need or real want for it now. Love a sofa in a kitchen, its my dream too

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  7. What a good list, you need to have dreams or goals to keep going in life, I think. My dreams involve travelling round the world and having my own holiday cottage business. I know the two aren't compatible at all but never mind! Have a lovely weekend, Christina xx

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  8. Ache Aye (spelling?) lass. Happy Friday. Nessie

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  9. Great list and all sound achievable. Good luck.

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  10. Lovely dreams Christina, we all have to have dreams, I have my 60 things to do before I'm 60 list I am very slowly working through. I would like to have a cleaner, I don't work full time or have kids at home but just hate housework :)

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  11. Love your list Christina. A few goals I have are - to travel, especially all around the British Isles, buy a little cottage in Wales with some land around it, write a book, get married. Trouble is I spend far too much time with my head in the clouds dreaming about these things when I should be taking action. Though my children are getting older now, so I should have a bit more time to spare.

    Good luck with your list!

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  12. One of my dreams is for our family to visit the Philippines. Hopefully this will come true next year. My other dream is to have a bigger house. Not too big, just enough space for a nice kitchen and it would be lovely to have a back garden too. I don't know when or if this one will come true, but we can all dream, can't we? Have a great weekend!

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  13. They are five great ambitions to have. I hope that you achieve them all and more if you wish to. I am with you on the weight thing, it is easy to lose keys and things, but not at all easy to lose weight so good on you. I hope that you get the cleaner too, that would be lovely wouldn't it! It sounds as though your travels were amazing and were no doubt the fulfilment of another set of dreams for you, I hope so anyway. Thank you so much as always for joining in. I hope that you have a great weekend! xx

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  14. I think sewing your own winter coat is a good doable dream - you seem to be pretty handy with a sewing machine. It is good to dream, as long as you appreciate your current life also. (Which I know you do, by the lovely pictures and words you share.) Oh, and the "I am no good at suffering" line made be laugh. Give yourself a bit more credit - you bike to work in all kinds of dreary weather - some would count that as suffering just a bit.

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  15. You have written such a lovely post today with things from your heart. I always have dreams and wishes. If we don't then there's not much to look forward to. Your coat sounds amazing as does your house plans and travels. The British sewing bee wasn't shown here but I did see all the episodes of the British bake off which was an amazing show. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hugs, Pat

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  16. I would love to see you make a coat. How are you trying to loose weight? I did it by just having a smaller plate! and that worked over time for me, stopping myself having things didn't. Jo x

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  17. Sewing is not a skill I ever learned. 10 years ago I changed my eating habits and lost 30 lbs. So happy I did that. My goal then was to be fit and 40, not fat and 40, and I achieved it. I'm fortunate that we have been able to travel a lot over the years. Really is so wonderful to visit new places. One of my desires for the past couple of year was to quit my soul sucking nowhere job and that will happen come June. Peace of mind, freedom and joy are my every day goals. Best wishes, Tammy

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  18. Ah yes, the disappearance of a little weight would be a very good thing. I'm being good-ish at the moment (post Lent), but it's a strain. I'd love to travel a little too, Venice and Florence, Machu Picchu, Bermuda, that sort of thing. And I dream of an extension here. There's plenty of room to do it, but zero budget. In my head I know exactly how I'd like it, but really, it's all okay as it is really so I'm not complaining. Loved your list, dreams are happy things indeed. CJ xx

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  19. A life without dreams is a life without hope. I do not know who that is attributed too but its so true we all need dreams be they big or small. My big dream is to live long enough, and with good enough eye sight to reach the end of all my stitching I have the stash for. My smaller dream is for my hubby and I to stay healthy enough to continue travelling for a few more years as despite lots of travel since the children left home, there is still lots of this earth I have never set foot on and would really like to.

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  20. A think you list is terrific. I am trying hard to get in shape, I have gained weight this year and have really not had the time to exercise. I am trying to do something everyday to help. I would love to travel, Italy being my first priority for a big trip. I would love to be able to sew a bit better, but a coat is far, far away from my basic sewing skills. Hope you have a great weekend,
    Meredith

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  21. What a great list, entirely achievable goals :). Have fun working towards them, if you can't have fun what can you do?

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  22. Hi Christina, these are a great five. We have recently moved house and suddenly have some room in the kitchen and lots of natural light, I didn't miss it before because I had never had it before but now, I would really miss it if it was taken away. Your last one I share entirely even the when, not if, part. Have a good weekend lovely xx

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  23. Lovely to read your five dreams. I always wanted to climb Kilimanjaro too but have gone off the idea. Walking the coast to coast in one go is my current dream.

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  24. That was so fun! I dream of raising two angora rabbits in the country...for knitting

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  25. hello Christina, I enjoyed your fives. You have some ambitious dreams... making a coat, traveling the world etc. I say, go for all you can do. And, yes, be sure to get a cleaning lady as soon after you get your job. That's a must.

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  26. Wonderful photo!
    Oh yeah, our dreams change in the course of life.
    Decrease with increasing age sometimes.
    I dream to see again better and then see something of the world. Or at least surrounding area ( that succeed very rare and only with a car). And I dream to travel to the Cote d'Azur, in Menton visit the garden of Vicento Bloasco Ibanez. I never traveled for 25 years ...
    But I do not complain. I make my living as best it can. And that is working.
    Would make your laundry. Have the time, I'm retired.
    The expansion of the house sounds exiting. Wish you good luck and the money, that it can be successful.

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  27. Lovely dreams and ideas, Christina. I hope you will fulfill them!
    I share your worry for the mountain ecology.
    The tulip photo and your header are gorgeous. Happy weekend!

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  28. I love this post, it gave me so much food for thought. I too have a bit of a bucket list. In terms of travel, I've always fancied New York and Copenhagen too. And Canada.
    I completely understand about weight loss. It seems to be creeping on despite my eating healthy food, cutting out gluten and not snacking. I'm also a pretty active person (although the thought of going to a gym horrifies me). Having said that, I'm currently in the process of dealing with an endocrinologist to explore possible issues with my hormones/thyroid.
    I hope you get to make your home how you want it to be. And that you manage to get some domestic help in the future - that would be bliss!
    S x

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  29. A lovely dream list, I share your having a cleaner dream, how lovely not have to do any housework. My son has been to Tokyo and now says he would love to go back he loved it. You are doing very well with your weight loss the best way to do it is slowly it's more likely to stay off then so I have experienced. My dream would be to have a yarn / tea shop, where people could come sit crochet knit, drink tea, coffee eat cakes, natter, chill and buy yarn. Maybe in the next life, enjoy your weekend. :) xx

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  30. You have a very nice list of things that you would like to accomplish and I wish you luck with your list and hope it happens. Thanks for your lovely visit today. Enjoy your weekend.
    Julie xo

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  31. I enjoyed your list of dreams Christina and share several of them ( cleaner, city breaks), though sewing anything never mind a winter coat, is beyond me. By the way I meant to congratulate your Annie on her skirt - it's fab. I'm hoping to achieve one of the dreams later this year. We have actually booked a trip to New York in the autumn so I'm very excited about that having never been to the US before. Found a discount airline, Norwegian Airlines, with good fares though they only go from Gatwick which isn't much good for you.

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  32. This is a really interesting post and certainly struck a chord with many things that I feel about the whole work/life balance. As far as practical advice goes, I've lost quite a bit of weight since Christmas but it has been very hard work. However, if you are committed it's worth it. Have a look at my recent post (JudySometimes/Juicing) for some inspiration - I was 14stone 9 lbs and I've lost 2stone now. Mostly I've done it through walking every day for about half an hour and eating lots more vegetables and fruits in their raw state. It's so hard to lose weight - I really sympathise - and it's also hard not to sound patronising when giving advice about losing weight, so apologies if I have done so. Just hang on in there and don't give up! Get in touch if you want to talk more: judyhamid@gmail.com

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  33. One of the things that I've learned over the years is that timing is everything. Like you, I longed to travel, but there was no way we were doing anything more than camping at local provincial parks when my five children were young. But now that they have grown I am able to put away enough money to have an adventure abroad somewhere every year or two. It seems to me that the item on your list that is just right for this time of your life is hiring someone to come in and clean for you on a weekly basis. You could even try it out for just a month. I think you would find it worth the money it would cost in terms of your stress and energy levels.

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  34. May all your dreams come true, and when you get to Melbourne I'ill show you around ! Although don't win the lottery & come too quickly as I'm in the UK at the moment... Hmmm thinking about it, if you win the lottery you can afford to have a cleaner and someone to do the ironing and fly me back to Oz as your tour guide!
    Wren x

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  35. Since my daughter fell ill I have discovered the enormous importance of having dreams, and something to look forwards to. I, too, dream of travel, but to places nearer by: the Isle of Iona, a retreat on Lindisfarne, maybe the Alps in the springtime. I long to have more time to call my own, and perhaps be able to work again. My biggest dream is for my daughter to be well again! I keep that before my inner vision at all times, and I try to notice when reality lines up with the vision. Well done on achieving your weight loss. You're right, it should be called something else. The gain of one's healthy true self? I'm quite sure you will be able to make that yellow coat. I would advise doing a practice run with some inexpensive fabric.

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  36. I am trying to remember that Michaelangelo quote, 'I saw the angel in the marble and set it free' (very badly paraphrased), perhaps that is a more positive way to look at weight loss? I empathise, as my adult life has been a constant cycle of weight loss and gain, loss and regain, and it does creep up unless you are constantly vigilant,which I am not! Sounds like you are taking the right approach, of losing it sensibly over time. Your dreams are all very positive and I hope they come true X

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  37. What a wonderful post Christina! I so enjoyed this. Some of these are achievable now, others will take time and money but that makes them no less achievable. I found slimming world good for losing weight - not because I don't understand dieting, I do of course, but I need the threat of being weighed by someone else to motivate me. I have no will power apparently!

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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