thirty six

thirty-six

Originally written in 2015

All around me, people are turning 36. Last week was Mike’s birthday, and he’s not the first to roll over this hump. Do you have a scary age? The age you dreaded turning? For me, it was 26. I think it was because it meant I was closer to 30 than 20, which seemed old, but now that 36 is approaching, I am feeling the same uneasiness again. But really, what is old? For me, right now, I feel old when… I am at the gym, and I realize I could be the mother of some of the girls in the class; my child can turn on Netflix without my help, and high school ended eighteen years ago (which is more years than the age I was when high school ended)!

So this is depressing… but I’d like to blame February for the mood funk. To get myself feeling better about 36, I am creating a list of 36 things to do before I turn 36. It’s going to be hard because my birthday is less than four months away, and I am not great at having fun in the winter, but I am going to work hard and make this time suck less. Feel free to hop on board any of these adventures. (in no particular order):

thirty-six things to do before I turn thirty-six

  1. Paint a room

  2. Wallpaper a room

  3. Go to the art gallery (for real)I was down to the wire on this one. Last week I had to run downtown to pick something up at the printer and had an hour to kill before school ended. I could of gone home and worked but I went to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia instead. I love the Maud Lewis room.

  4. Get a pedicureAmanda and I went to Princess Nails on a cold, wet, dreary night. It was not as blissful as a spa but I love the neon pink toes. 

  5. Relax on the beach with a magazineThis would of been less enjoyable had I done it this spring on a beach in Nova Scotia however, I was lucky to vacation at Anna Maria Island in April.

  6. Run in a raceBluenose and the Cabot Trail Relay! 

  7. Go snowshoeingI crossed this off the list on day one (did I mention we were snowbound?) but I went out again for our Storm the Mountain eco-challenge. 

  8. Go on an airplaneWe made Anne Murray proud and snowbirded the hell out of here to Florida.

  9. Ski mogulsI’m no Jean-Luc Brassard but I made it down the mountain in one piece. 

  10. Sell five items on Kijiji1. A sweater 2. Push bike 3. A DVD 4. Tent 5. Washer & Dryer flood victims

  11. Finish 4 books1. I’ll Give You The Sun 2. When Everything Feels Like the Movies 3. We Were Liars 4. The Sky is Everywhere

  12. Brunch at Edna RestaurantSo good. Sooooo good! When Jane’s closed I never thought I’d find another good vegetarian Eggs Benedict but then I went to Edna’s.

  13. Visit the oceanI saw the ocean in Nova Scotia but my hands were too numb to snap a pic. Florida was a lot warmer. 

  14. Learn how to rug hookI did and now I’m hooked (wink). I can’t wait to show you my finished project.

  15. SwimI even boogie boarded. 

  16. Walk in point pleasant parkSeveral times – I walked around with David and Henry, ran it, raced in it, cursed the hills, and even assisted a photoshoot in the park.

  17. Hike in the Cape Breton HighlandsI ran it, which I think is cooler. However, I did hike up the damn steep hill at the end of my leg. 

  18. Choose a signature drinkI’m so fancy… Basically, I fill a glass with gin, some tonic, a splash of grapefruit juice, and a lemon (if I have one). It's best consumed from a beach-friendly sippy cup with a straw. 

  19. Make homemade rollsI think Karen is holding back on sharing her actual roll recipe because mine were nowhere near as good as hers, but I really enjoyed making them. 

  20. Go to Field Guide for a drinkX 2! If you haven’t gone, go. I love Field Guide and I especially enjoyed reuniting with an old friends over drinks. 

  21. Make a chocolate cheesecakeMy aunt Joanne made the most amazing chocolate cheesecake and I always felt like she was making it especially for me because I loved it so much. I thought I had her recipe but I can’t find it. I still made a chocolate cheesecake but it tasted horrible and it made me miss her even more. 

  22. Build a sand castleAnother victory thanks to our trip to Florida.

  23. Host an outdoor Friday Night Pizza NightSarah helped me with this one. We had a Friday Night Pizza Night at the Park Avenue Community Oven. Everything was delicious, especially the s’more pizza. Jealous? 

  24. Take a kickboxing classTo say I was good and/or graceful would be a total lie but I did it.

  25. Take a carload to Value Village

  26. Go for a bike rideWe’ve done a bit of local biking but one of my favourite days in Florida was our bike adventure. We had so much fun exploring the island… Didn’t we Jodie? 

  27. Explore a new park / beach or trail in Nova ScotiaOn Mother’s Day we went to Crowbar Lake Hiking Trail and it was awesome. You’d be surprised how far kids can walk when you dangle a granola bar in front of them. 

  28. Visit a new store in HalifaxI’ve now been to the Independent Mercantile twice and it’s a great store.

  29. Barbecue

  30. Buy stain to paint the patio

  31. Go for a run with a friendRunning a half-marathon with a friend is so much more enjoyable than running alone. Thanks Jenna. 

  32. Ride the yellow slide at the Canada Games CentreAnd the blue one too!

  33. Skate at the Oval at least once more – I don’t think this fail is my fault. Because of the extreme weather conditions we faced this winter, the Oval closed early and without much warning. I only made it there once and didn’t get back after I wrote this list. I did however ski a boardercross course and nearly killed myself. My friend suggested that it made up for the lack of skating.

  34. Print and frame a photoYes!

  35. Open the windows and put out the patio furnitureYes! However we’ve also turned the heat back on in June. Oh my…

  36. Go dancingTechnically I didn’t actually get gussied up and go dancing but I have danced. Mostly alone or with David but I am still counting this as complete. 

I am happy with the results = 32/36 = 89%. Most of them were fun, and it was an excuse to spend time with great people. My theory: Make a list, and they will come.

I am thirty-six. What the hell? There is no time for a pity party; I have a summer list to tackle. Bring it.

xomeg