The first quarter of my 60^th year is coming to a close this week. Although I’ve shared some progress in my monthly goals posts, it’s time for my first official 60 before 60 update.

About my 60 before 60 list

In July, I celebrated my 59^th birthday. As yet another milestone approached, I decided to do something a little fun and different in my 60^th year. I made a list of 60 things I wanted to do before my 60^th birthday and shared it here to keep myself accountable.

Three months into the year, here’s how I’m doing…

Michelle’s 60 before 60 update – Q1

Everyday life

#1 – Watch a sunrise. Completed in July on our vacation to Vancouver Island.

Food and drink

#5 – Make a new soup recipe. In July, I made broccoli cauliflower soup with the leftover veggies from my daughter Laura’s going away party. It was delicious.

#7 – Try a new food. During my visit to Boston in late September, I had a naked lobster roll at The Barking Crab.

#8 – Try a new cocktail. This is another item I ticked off the list during our July vacation. I enjoyed a blackberry mimosa.

#10 – Make a new vegetarian dish. We had some friends over for dinner in September and I made a vegetarian lasagna using a recipe I found on Pinterest. It turned out great.

Giving

#12 – Volunteer. My daughter Colleen and I volunteered in the warehouse at Send ‘Em Off Smiling—packing backpacks of school supplies and clothing for children in need in our community.

#13 – Do a charity event. In September, I participated in the planting of a memorial microforest. It was a fundraiser for Bereaved Families of Ontario. If you missed it, read about my experience in this post.

Green living

#16 – Plant a tree. After work on our new deck and patio wrapped up at the end of August, we planted two hydrangea shrubs, and a lilac tree.

#17 – Visit a microforest. In addition to the one I was involved in planting; I visited a microforest while researching my September Climate Change Collective post.

#18 – Try a new zero-waste DIY. In the summer I made homemade bug spray. It seemed to work pretty well, although the mosquitos haven’t been too bad in our area this summer.

Health and wellness

#22 – Find a new YouTube fitness channel. I’m a big fan of working out at home with YouTube videos. In September, I discovered Olivia Lawson’s main channel, and her new channel Lift With Liv.

Home

#25 – Furnish our new deck and patio. Our new patio furniture arrived at the end of August. We bought two chairs and a love seat made locally by CR Plastic Products, and a fire table. As a bonus, our chairs are made from recycled plastic.

Learning

Although I’m learning every day, I haven’t met any of the specific learning goals I added to the list. Now that fall is here, I’ll have more time to dedicate to that.

Leisure

#32 – See a musical. In July, I saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Then in August, I saw Kinky Boots.

#36 – Go to a museum. While in Boston on a work trip recently, I visited the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum.

#37 – Learn a new card game. My daughter Colleen and I learned to play Gin Rummy in September. She usually beats me at every card game, but I seem to have good luck with this one.

#38 – Plan my costume for Breakthru (Queen convention). My double entendre Brian May in his 70s and in the 70s cosume was good enough for 2^nd place at the Queen convention in Cleveland.

Life goals

Both of my life goals relate to retirement. Although I’ve made progress, I’m not ready to call them done yet.

Music

#42 – Perform at Breakthru’s Got Talent. I dressed up in costume and performed I Want To Break Free at the Breakthru convention.

Personal and spiritual growth

#44 – Guest on a podcast. Last week, I recorded an episode of an upcoming Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast with the wonderful Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon. Stay tuned for more information on that one!

Travel

#47 – Visit Vancouver Island. My husband and I spent 10 days on beautiful Vancouver Island in late July. You can see pictures of this island paradise in this post.

#48 – Go to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the first time when we were in Cleveland for the Queen Convention.

#49 – Dip my toes in the Pacific Ocean. Done during our vacation in Vancouver Island.

#51 – Sail on a boat. I did this twice. We rode the ferry to Salt Spring Island during our summer vacation. Then, I did a harbour tour when I was in Seattle on a work trip at the end of August.

#52 – Ride on a train. Although not the most exciting of train trips, I rode the GO Train to and from Toronto twice in July and August. I’ll be riding trains to more interesting places during my trip to England later this month.

#54 – Visit a new state. In August, I visited Washington state for the first time. That brings the total of US states I’ve visited to 28 out of 50.

Writing and blogging

#56 – Write a poem. The first item on the list (Watch a sunrise) inspired a poem. You can read it in my Campbell River Sunrise post.

Career

#60 – Speak at a conference. In August, I delivered my President’s Report at our ISCEBS Symposium in Seattle.

I’m off to a good start

Just a quarter of the way into my 59^th year, I’ve completed 26 out of the 60 items on my list. Plus, I’m well on my way to achieving several others. With nine months to go until my 60^th birthday, I’m ahead of schedule. May the momentum continue!

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Have you ever made a similar list? What’s on your list of things to accomplish before your next birthday? Drop me a comment below and let me know.