2017 Hits

Last Sunday New Year's Eve morning, I wrote about my annual goals in my journal.

I had seven categories of goals: I succeeded in three and failed in four.

I'll start with the successes.

* Stop drinking for six weeks--roughly from just after New Year's Day to Valentine's Day

* Read 12 books. Not particularly ambitious, but I found that I usually over-estimate the number of books that I read. This year I read 15:

1. The Boleyn King
2. Outlander
3. V is for Vengeance
4. Hardball
5. Body Work
6. Women of Wonder
7. W is for Wasted
8. Fall Out 
9. Deep Pockets
10. A Dog's Life
11. Brushback
12. X
13. Breakdown
14. Critical Mass
15. Walden, or Life in the Woods (Selections from the American Classic)

I read about half of Kinsey and Me--the short stories. I didn't care to read about Sue Grafton's alcoholic mother.

I started Backwoods & along the Seashore (Selections from The Maine Woods and Cape Cod). I think I read two selections.

I re-read The Handmaid's Tale and Game of Thrones

I don't care that 10 of the books were mysteries. I enjoyed them.

* Explore 10 new hiking spots. I explored 12.

The first seven are in Wilton, Numbers 1 through 4 are different legs of the Wilton portion of the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT.)  2. portion of NRVT has become one of our favorite spots. Schenck's and Bradley are now part of our normal walk/hike location rotation. I won't return to 5. until it's developed--too ticky. Wilton Woods is a great spot for a long, challenging hike. We had planned to return in the fall, but didn't get many nice fall days this year. 9. and 10. are in Norwalk. We had been to Oak Hills before with Spike, but the trails are new--it's okay for a short walk, as is Farm Creek. Irene's Woods is located at White Silo Farm & Winery in Sherman Connecticut; Still River Greenway is in Brookfield. These will be rare hiking/walking locations.

1. NRVT Route 7 to Sharp Hill Road
2. NRVT Sharp Hill Road to Twin Oak Lane  (recently extended to Skunk Lane)
3. NRVT Wilton Center through Merwin Meadows Park to Upper School Loop
4. NRVT Wilton Center through Merwin Meadows Park to High School Loop
5. NRVT Apparent to-be-developed loop from Route 7 west
6. Schenck's Island
7. Bradley Park
8. Wilton Woods
9. Oak Hills Park
10. Farm Creek Nature Preserve
11. Irene's Woods
12. Still River Greenway

2017 misses will follow.