Only one month left...

Wow! I'm down to one month before my 40th birthday and I'm only half done my list. It has been a lot of fun experiencing a number of new things this year. I am not giving up on my list; I am going to continue to work on it over the next year and may even add a few new items! Stay tuned...

The '40 Things' List

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.
36. Play my first solo concert on the bells.
37. Attend an outdoor movie event.
38. Go fly a kite!
39. Play a mini golf course I haven't been on before.
40. Go on dream 40th birthday trip!

Item #40 - Go on Dream 40th Birthday Trip!

I'm ba-ack!

My friend Melinda and I left Canada on September 22 and spent a month in Europe. We visited 9 countries, did 2 tours, and took lots of pictures!

My highlights were Pisa and Venice in Italy and Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Pisa was beautiful and entirely made of marble - wow! Venice was where I had my "pinch me, I'm on a gondola in Venice, Italy" moment. And Ljubljana (pronounced Lube-lee-on-a) was a pleasant surprise - it was the first place we had been that truly felt European and looked just like a miniature replica of Prague.

We saw a lot of great places, met a bunch of wonderful people, and made memories to last a lifetime. I am so glad I made this trip happen - it is not without costs though: I will be paying for this for a while. However, I was encouraged several times by those who were older on our tours - those who said, "Good for you for traveling when you're young."

The message we heard over and over (especially in Italy) was "Carpe Diem - Seize the Day!" In other words, don't put off what you want to do. You don't know how long you have, and we all need to live each day to the fullest! Go to it everyone!

The infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Enjoying Venice's canals by gondola!

Beautiful Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia!