2025 Challenges - June

 

My challenges for this month are to write every day, and to take my medication morning and evening. 

Last month I was incredibly rebellious and my medication taking was 'less than optimal', or more accurately, 'piss poor'. The only person this really hurts is me. So, this month I decide to practise a little 'self-care'. 

The goal was to take my medication properly, each and every morning, and each and every evening. After four days, I felt so much better. This has been as important as push ups, walking and cycling.

I had been writing most days, but it felt like I was trying to squeeze and already squeezed orange, and I was hoping for more juice. A drop or two might come, but it was hard and very unrewarding.

A chat with a local author has changed my mindset. There was a realisation stories morph and change over time. I finally understood the phrase, 'Don't be afraid to kill your darlings.'  My novel was born out of lockdown when I tried to find way around money laundering (intellectual exercise). Over time it has morphed into a love story, and I've been struggling to maintain the money laundering aspects.  I don't have to! I can ditch that part of the story.

Now, things are flowing again. It has become so much easier to write. It makes more sense.  And I'm writing more each day.

The Case of the Missing Maid

A LGBTQ author I follow asked his reaers to join a Pride Challenge - read a book either written by a LGBTQ author, or whose protagonist is LBGTQ. There was a list of about 30 suggestions. Figuring that people normally worked from the top down, I started at the bottom. "The Case of the Missing Maid" by Rob Osler sparked my interest.

The book was set in 1890s Chicago, USA - a time when people were careful about disclosing their sexuality if they weren't straight. In this time period, it would have been far easier for women to set up home with another woman than it would be for two men. 

It felt like the author was hitting me over the head with the protagonist's (Harriet Morrow) sexuality. At one point, I wanted to shout, "I get it. She'd a lesbian!" I understand the importance of representation... hmm, new thought coming through... The author repeated numerous times about the restrictions placed on women, and the work they were allowed to do.  Did he really 'go on' about the lesbian aspect any more than he did about the restrictions on women? Am I so used to hearing about this that it slipped in under the radar and I didn't even give it a thought?

In many ways, it felt this was the set up book. The characters in the subsequent books will already have been introduced and have a back story. 

Did I enjoy the book? Yeah, it was okay.

Will I re-listen to it? Probably.

Do I want to listen to the next one in the series? If I don't get distracted, then yes.

Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients

50g  butter

120g brown sugar

120ml double cream

Method 

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and cream. Stir until  well blended.

Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping down the sides occasionally. Boil  for 4 to 5 minutes.

When the sauce has cooled, transfer to a glass jar, and store in the fridge until needed. The sauce will keep for 3-4 weeks.

2025 Challenges - May

I was back to counter push ups again. The starting point was five push ups. On the 6th, it started increasing by one push up per day. Very late in the day, on the 26th, I realised my hands were in the wrong place. I had been trying to do this with my hands on the edge of the counter top. This meant my whole weight was on a 2cm wide strip on my hands. It was incredibly difficult, not in the arms and body, but in my hands.

Next month, I'm going to give this challenge another go, but get my hands in the right place, and see what happens. In addition, the Offspring was looking at my 'form' and asked if I was locking my arms on the upright position. This can cause elbow to hyper extend, and is discouraged. I'll be working on that too.

The other goal was to write every day again, and to use the writing prompt from WIP Snips. This has worked well, for the days when I've not had a migraine.

The writing book I started at the turn of the year has now been finished, as in every single page has been used. This might be the first time I have able to do it, ever. It feels like a new level has been opened - wonder what will be the 'boss' at the end.

Other challenges trickling along in the background are: listen to 52 audiobooks, finish 52 craft projects and try 12 new recipes.

Cheesecake Flling

Ingredients
300g cream cheese

2Tsp lemon juice

2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tsp of castor sugar

Method
Cream the cream cheese until soft and free from lumps. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well. Incorporate the sugar. 

Spoon on top of a biscuit base, smooth the top. For a large cheesecake, bake at 180C for 30 minutes, for individual cheesecakes, bake for 20 minutes. Add the topping of your choice.

2025 Challenges - April

This month, the goals were to work up to 30 push ups against the kitchen work top, and to walk each day. 

After hurting my foot doing squats lasts month, I decided to be flexible. With this in mind, I've been walking, cycling and garden - anything to get me moving and elevate my heart rate counts. In spite of, or because of, the movement, by back is feeling rather happy.  It really likes the gentle wiggling of cycling and walking. Sadly, I was not able to keep it up all month long. Neither was I able to do the slightly harder push ups.

It feels bad to have fail at on both goals. However, despite not reaching the bar set, I have done more exercise than I have managed in previous months. This is a good thing. I need to keep reminding myself the goals are there to stretch me, and if/when I don't reach them it's not the end of the world. This really is a situation where it is better to try, and get part way, than not try at all.

More new recipes have been tried. Some were almost failures, at least by my standards. Others have been good, and will enter into our rotation of meals. A lovely new recipe (to me) was chicken breasts in a lemon, pepper and herb crust.

2025 Challenges - March

March was the month for movement, for stabilising shoulders, and improving my core. On the 1st of the month, it was one push up against the wall, and one squat. each day, one was added. There were a couple of days when sickness prevented exercising.

My shoulders and back really loved the exercises. I'm feeling stronger and more capable. A few days ago, I saw a video saying if you can do 20 push ups against a wall, you can do five against a bench. Turns out I can do 10 against a bench. I'll definitely be continuing with push ups next month.

Squatting is a different matter. My left foot has not enjoyed the experience. It was broken when the Elde Offspring was a baby, and it's re-asserting its 'I'm damaged' credentials now.

New month, more pushups, and also daily walks. 

2025 Challenges - February

 include the challenges for the month

2025 Challenges - January

Staying away from Bored Panda for a month was tricky for the first week, and then it became easier and easier. By the end of the month, there was no decisions to be made, it was just something I don't do anymore. If only all time sucky things were so easy to ditch!

Writing every day was also surprisingly easy.  It felt really good putting pen to paper and allowing the Honey Hill story to flow. I had thought all of the research had been done, but no, there's more happening almost every time I write. Thankfully, I've learned to mark my writing, and edit in the researched information.

2025 Challenges

No New Year's Resolutions for me. Instead, I'm planning on completing 25 challenges this year. The idea is to make small, but meaningful changes in my life, even if they just last a month.

I'd also love to read/listen to 52 books, make 52 items, and try 12 new recipes.