It’s really arbitrary that I chose thirteen as my magic number of routine-busting adventures.  Mostly it just sounded good, and maybe a little wicked.  As I spent more time thinking about it, it felt right that there are 12 months in a year, and that would equal one adventure a month, and one for good luck, like birthday candles or doughnuts.  When I explained my idea to my sister, fully expecting her most honest and candid response and probably one that included mockery of my foolish idea, she quickly responded with, “A baker’s dozen!” How appropriate.  There’s more for you to know about baking, and me and I am sure that will emerge here in my literary travels, but needless to say a baker’s dozen suits me just fine.

 The idea is that I will take on 13 to-dos in an effort not to fall into routine in the same way I do/have after each move our family has made around the world.  While we certainly haven’t been globe-trotters, we have lead a life slightly out of our control following my husband’s career in the United States Coast Guard, and because of this, or maybe because we are who we are we tend to slide as quickly as possible into a comfort zone. That looks a little bit different at each new location, but basically sits on the same skeletal frame –kids, school, work, dishes, laundry, repeat.  And let’s be real, there is nothing wrong with our routine, or anyone’s. As my “Aunty” Nancy pointed out in her most family-therapist voice “routine is good.” She’s right.  What I’m looking for however is the reason behind my routines. I’m worried I have put off a certain number of adventures over the years out of fear.  Buying our first home almost didn’t happen and I would say in great part because of fear my husband and I harbored towards such a big purchase – and a fixer upper at that. Was it hard? Sure, but we quickly learned just what value you can get from owning your own plot.  And that makes me wonder…what else do we fear?  For me it’s travel. I want it in every part of me, to travel, and yet here I am with a 12 year old and a six year old and really not that much exotic in my life as far as world-travel is concerned. Sure, living in Hawaii was exotic sometimes, and I’ve been to Mexico a bit – in a resort sort of sense, but mostly we get so locked into our routine (financially) that we find a reason EVERY DAMN YEAR not to experience the big wider world.  So, that’s going on the list.

 As we drove across the American Southwest in June, the lack of internet, and the countless hours as a passenger in a car let me ponder just what my thirteen adventures might be.  Certainly this camping business had to go on the list, and obviously some kind of inter continental travel. Ok, so those are HUGE undertakings even for really adventurous people, and I need to make sure to maintain some balance.  My hope is to be realistic, while still pushing the edges of my comfort zones. Any thoughts? What eleven other must-dos would you add?? As I explored my options, my mind sort of froze up. In my next blog post I’ll share what’s surfaced so far from the icy and foggy waters of my brain.