My Winter 2026 Bucket List: Am I Back?

Hello?  Hello?  Anyone out there?  It has been so long since I have written a blog post - maybe 9 months - that I have forgotten how to do this.  Apparently, I am still as wordy as I ever was.  Guess some things never change.  

I am trying my hand at using this free blog hosting site on Blogger.  Had used Blogger for my elementary school library blog before I retired but have forgotten all the ins and outs of it.  Can't remember what all the little icons mean that I see running across the rough draft edition of my post.  I can't remember how to attach a photo or upload a graphic image so these posts could be real bland until I get all of that figured out again.  Not too sure I have the energy for deciphering a new blog format after years of using and fighting with WordPress.  But I keep telling myself it will be good for my brain.

Making Lists and Checking Them Twice

If we have been buds for any length of time, you know that I am a huge fan of seasonal bucket lists.  And having goals to accomplish each season.  I shared them for years on my original blog, Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After, and they were some of my most popular posts.  

Today I am breaking back into blogging in order to put together my winter 2026 bucket list.  By sharing it here, I hope to be more accountable for making things happen.  It's so easy to just ignore my bucket list when it is just hanging on the refrigerator.  Sometimes I think PC is glad when I do forget about it.

I did create summer and autumn bucket lists that I tacked to the fridge with a magnet for which we did earn a few of the coveted checkmarks that indicate completion or success.  But I have bumped a couple of items from those lists onto this season's list.  My plan is to return a time or two between now and 03.21.2026, the first day of spring, to update our progress.  However, I am not entirely sure how much time and energy I am willing to commit to blogging again.  It is so time consuming.

Without further adieu or any additional prattle, here are my hopeful activities and goals for winter 2026.

Winter 2026 Bucket List

• Attend one public library activity (plant swapping, Spanish, crochet): pretty self explanatory, our library branch has some wonderful, free classes and I would like to try one
• Brainstorm and implement ideas for my online book club for 2026:  for this new year, I would like to shake things up a bit for Come Read with Me.  Interested in a no-pressure online book club?  Give me a ring!!

• Buy googly eyes and put them on products in stores:  is this illegal?  PC and I saw it somewhere for a quirky date night idea and thought it could be fun.  But hopefully not land us in the pokey.
• Complete scrapbooking our Alaskan Cruise, use CVS mini-photos:  I have begun Day 3 of our 7-day adventure.  Need to finish.

• Durango New Year’s trip with the Buendias:  we will be spending a week in this beautiful winter wonderland...except their temps have been almost as unseasonably warm as ours.
• Eagles tribute band at the Plaza 02.16.26, 7:30 PM for PC’s birthday:  this activity will be a few weeks shy of the official birth-day but this will be a fun way to celebrate my Prince Charming.

• Enjoy game night with the Buendias: we have done this once before and the girls loved it.  Hope to make it an annual event.
• Hike: somewhere!!
• Paint mini-nativity “Love Came Down” workshop: with Tricia Robinson:  didn't get to this before Christmas but want to make this happen before I pack away my holiday decorations.  

•  Put together new garland:  girls, I think I am losing it!!  A few years ago, I made a lighted rag garland for our banister.  This season when I got all of our decorations out, I couldn't find the garland or a very old stocking my great aunt made for me or a Santa my sister gave me.  Have looked all over but they are nowhere to be found.  Want to make a new garland while I mourn the loss of my stocking and Santa.
• Register for the Goodreads book challenge:  I have done this for several years.  This year, along about October, when I tried to delete one title from my list of books 'currently reading,' I wound up deleting everything I had read all of 2025.  Grrrr.  After fuming for a few weeks, I went back through my Audible and Kindle libraries, and my orders on Amazon and reentered all of the titles I could.  Everything is always an adventure with me!!
• Treat high school kids to a breakfast bar or cocoa on first day back:  we have over a dozen high school kids who wait for the bus on the corner of our yard.  They are so sweet and polite and friendly.  Would like to make their first day back to school in January a little brighter.
• Try at least 2 new restaurants:  maybe in Durango!!

Winter 2026 Goals

• Clean out photos through March 2019-March 2024: this has been an ongoing project.  I am deleting them from Google photos.
• Clean, organize and purge all closets:  somehow they are all stuffed to the gills.  Time to get a grip!!
• Complete 100% of my memoir course on Daily Om:  started this last January.  I am 65% finished with the course.  Need to wind it up this winter.
• Complete first draft of “Dots and Crinkles”:  this is my latest story or children's book idea (that will never be published).  I have the outline down on paper and the story started.  Now to finish.
• Donate blood:  need to do this every season
• Finish scanning all our family pictures to Photomyne, begin work on anything Paul wants scanned, Mom’s recipes:  Caramba, this has been a big undertaking.  Need to just get everything scanned, then worry about labeling and dating each photo.  Wish me luck.
• Hang bathroom hand mirrors:  I have several hand mirrors in different sizes that I would like to hang in our little WC - toilet room.  Something like this.

• Implement Japanese Walking Wednesdays at the gym or on treadmill at home:  read about this today and it sounds like an alternative to running for this grandma.  Hope to do it once a week starting in January.
• Lose weight to 138 pounds, track Weight Watchers:  always ongoing.  Need to get more serious about tracking my points.  Haven't weighed in weeks.  Will get on this next year!! Ha!! First thing in 2026.
• Pay off Amazon to $500:  one step forward, three steps back.  Christmas.  Birthdays.  Christmas.  Got to get this paid off once and for all.
• Purge 26 things from my closet:  a few weeks ago, I rid my closet of 47 items.  Check me out!!  But there are still plenty of things to examine and reconsider.  Want to get this done before spring.

 So, what do you think?  Should keep me busy and off the streets for awhile, huh?  At least until spring.

Your Turn

Tell me true, what plans do you have for the winter season?  Do you make bucket lists and set goals to accomplish?  There is quite a bit of research that outlines the benefits of having a bucket list, life list, dream list, life intentions - whatever name you want to use.  To read more, check out this article written by Haven Psychology Group.  They make a strong case for these lists. 

I have written this posts in fits and starts over 2 days.  Not sure where we go from here.  But maybe I will try another post in a few days to see how it feels.  For tonight, I haven't encountered any technical issues using Blogger - refreshing!! And because this is a subject I've always enjoyed writing about, it was easy to put on 'paper.' Win-win.

Thank you for taking a few minutes of your day to visit.  Wishing you a quiet, joy-filled Christmas.

Big hugs,

Leslie