#27. Spanish

Finally. A rollover from the List 1.0 was to speak intermediate Spanish, or, this time, speak Spanish to another human. After 9 weeks in central America, this is definitely complete. [spanish school] cabbies, medical words,

#24. Compost something

The little silver bucket-come-compost bin is magical. I've taken a dozen trowels full of soil out of the bottom and it's sitting at about half full. Over the past year though, it's eaten: 350 x 2 tbsps coffee grounds, >100 tea bags, several dozen bunches of flowers, 3 newspapers, dozens of eggshells and many kilos of potato and carrot peel, avocado skins, banana peel, cork husks, apple cores, failed seedlings and jasmine prunings. It's less than 2 feet high.

#12. Frame a picture

Status: Complete



I didn't specify that the frame would have glass in it. $10 at Reverse Garbage bought me a lovely wood-with-lacquered-hessian-trim frame, the perfect size for a wrapping paper map of Paris. Found some black cardboard beside the fridge for border and $3 at Bunnings furnished us with hanging wire. Framed and hung.

#17. Build a day bed

I don't know if it's technically "built" , but it is now a collection of neatly stacked and balanced planks, topped by floor cushions when weather permits. For at least a year, it was a very un-neatly stacked pile of planks, gathering slugs in the corner and looking at me intimidatingly. Then there was a photographer arriving in 25 minutes and "voila". Probably some sort of life lesson there.

Moving house

With a little renewed vigor, I'm bringing everything back over here. Line spacing run amok, and need to update a few things, but otherwise all the little tasks are safe and accounted for.

#4. Visit A-Z

This one's fun. After a Summer of traveling, hopefully I've knocked off a few.

...

And indeed, I've taken a few liberties (cities, countries...) but only 7 left. Any ideas for a town starting with X within a short drive of the Sydney metro area...?



Antigua (Guatemala), Atacoa

Belize, Brisbane

Caye Caulker, Costa Rica Caloundra

DC

El Salvador, 'El Porvenir'

France

Guatemala, Granada

Honduras

Isla de Ometepe

Jaibalito, Juayua, Jiquilillo

K

Lago Atitlan, Liberia, Livingston, Leon

Mexico, Masaya, Moyogalpa

New York City, Nicaragua

O

Playa del Carmen, Paris, Panajachel

Q

Rio Dulce

San Miguel, Santa Cruz, Sonsonate

Tokyo, Tikal, Tulum

U

Volcan Maderas

Washington, D.C.

X

Y

Z

Poor old blogger

A year of neglect and more than half my days gone. Not all is lost though - things have been accomplished!  Updates to follow.

#47. Meet a child

Status: Complete



It turns out that tutoring is quite a convenient part-time job for a friendly med student. I now have 2 x 10 year olds and an 8 year old as students. And amazingly, we're all getting along swimmingly. Must admit to playing favourites already - the one girl I have is a little mini-me perfectionist and we're having a great time with junior algebra and french picture books. The boys have shorter attention spans... Was vaguely worried that I was so out of the loop with small people that it really wouldn't work, but hey, they even seem to find me Cool. Amazing.



Coming up in med is a paediatrics assignment for which I'll have to meet a REALLY little person. More on that soon - can't wait!