237. Make something out of air dry clay

 

After completing a pottery course nearby, I decided to use my new skills to create something cheaply and at home. The result was a hodge-podge of lumpy, slightly cracked pieces, but having now sold one I feel that they could've been a lot worse.

Illustrated here is a candle holder which I use as a vase for dried lavender. It's actually quite pretty with the two paired.

220. Make 3 Recipes from My Recipe Book

 

I now have almost all my maternal recipes memorized. 

The 3 that stand out are:

1. Peanut Chicken Curry

2. Mussels with tomato sauce

3. Matapa

239. Read 20 Books this Year

 

I never considered audio books really reading a book, but that all changed this year. I actually finished this task way earlier than expected so now I've extended it to 25 for myself. 

Here's the list

1. Tender is the Flesh

2. Homesick for another world

3. Grid Systems

4. Mary John

5. Cuba My Revolution

6. A Chosen Exile

7. Lapvona

8. The Bell Jar

9. My Year of Rest and Relaxation

10. Who's Loving You

11. Kafka by the Shore

12. Dune

13. Martin Eden

14. Harry Potter e a camara do segredos

15. Bordados

16. My Brilliant Friend

17. Money 

18. Crying in H Mart

19. MY Sister the Serial Killer

20. So You've been Publicly Shamed

21.A Darker Shade of Magic

147. Find a Portuguese programme to watch

 

Causa Propria - is a murder mystery detective program on HBOmax. I noticed it immediately when I logged on, thanks to the Portuguese name.

So far I've only watched two episodes. It's quite intense in the sense that the language is spoken quite fast and I have to pause to translate every now and again, but ultimately the show is very calming, autumnal, and of course dark and murderous. 

130. Cycle in Another Country

 

Of course where did I complete this resolution but in Amsterdam of all places - the capital of biking. 

Cycling around Amsterdam is a fantastic experience but it's not for the faint-hearted. You need to be confident on a bike - which I was. What I didn't count on was being slow. I went with a friend who powered through the streets. At one point we even lost each other, but only for a few minutes. 

I think now having done it I wouldn't mind a solo trip again to Amsterdam or another, flat, cycling Dutch city. Just so I can see the city at my own pace. Plus Amsterdam, despite being I'm sure full of human trafficking, is still fairly doable alone. 

97. Get some artwork and frame and hang it up

My house is filled with artwork now. It didn't just take me renting a house. I began in my rented room, but now I have a living room I can fill it with all the artwork I like - and with the power of command hooks, I do!

120. Go to Porto

 

This is actually a resolution I completed a long time ago but never got round to posting. 

Now I'm an alfacinha Porto seems a world away, but as someone said to me, it almost has that Britishness or in particular Scottishness which appeals to my own British heart.

22. Complete Times crossword

 I don't know if this counts, but since starting this blog I've completed the New York Times crossword various times - and not just the Monday one!