Summer bucket list recap

I have the AC on today. It's still summertime. I think the high tomorrow is suppose to be 90. But since it is the middle of September and pinterest is crowded with pumpkin everything, I decided that it was close enough. Time to recap on summer even if we have a couple more weeks of it. I am pretty much over it. I want it to get cold and I want to get a very fuzzy blanket and feel zero guilt about wanting to stay inside on my couch forever. If nothing else, living in Kansas in the summer has given me an appreciation for winter I never thought was possible.

My Summer Bucket List this year was pretty short this year. And turns out, I still did not accomplish all of the things. Oh well. I tried (on some of them).

Here is the recap

1. Have a culinary adventure at least once a month.  I had to think a lot about this one. I think I did this. After all, food is where I pour most of my creative energy. In June, I went to the Wichita Food Truck Rally with Denise and ate all kinds of new, yummy things.  In July, I tried a new Juice Place (86 Juice. Results: it was good but I like Songbird Juice in Wichita a lot better. However, I am just excited that Wichita is getting cool enough to have cold press juice places). In August, Levent and I went to Goshen and at at a new restaurant with our friends. We ate fried guacamole and I had one of the best cocktails I've ever had.  In September, I really started getting into cake baking. (See previous post). I also made baked chicken wings for the first time and my quality of life sky rocketed. This weekend I also made ricotta for the first time as well as ciabatta. Finally, sometime this summer (or maybe spring, I cannot remember, I also made pita bread).

2. Go on a picnic.  Ever since Levent and I went on a picnic date back when we first started dating, I've always wanted to go again. But here is the thing, picnics are maybe the best when they are spontaneous and I love planning things. So that doesn't always mesh together. Also, I need to take this concept off my summer bucket list because I hate being outside in Kansas in the summer time. And this summer it was either really hot or really rainy (or both making everything a big swampy mess). I did, however, eat a lot of lunches on the beach in North Carolina when my family was on vacation. So I think that counts. If that doesn't count, then going to the Food Truck Rally in Wichita with my friend in the middle of July and nearly sweaty to death has to count.

3. Be near water. Check. I did this. I went to the sprinkle park with my friend and her kids. I went lap swimming a lot during my lunch break at the Newton community pool. I went to the ocean with my family. It also has rained a ton here; so maybe that counts too. ha.

4. Go on motorcycle ride with my boyfriend. Check. We did this too. (It's been a lot easier to go on rides now that Levent got me a really sweet helmet for my birthday). Our rides never resulted in ice cream, but one time it resulted in eating burgers at Wendy's in Newton which was equally tasty.

5. Find a chiropractor I like. Ugh. I maybe am at one now that I kind of like. I see a woman chiropractor now, which is nice. She also took the time to really go over my MRI report. I had some doubts about her before (see previous post) but helping me understand my MRI report was her most redeeming quality yet. And because of that report, she is changing how she is adjusting my back. (My previous chiropractor barely glanced at it and treated me like everyone else and thus couldn't understand why I was not getting better). Don't get me wrong, it's for sure not helping yet, but the fact that she is trying to help me (like really trying) and trying to help me understand what is going on in my spine is a nice change of pace.

6. Grow healthy tomatoes. I am thinking about quitting gardening in Kansas. I feel as if it might be more beneficial to not spend any money on gardening things in the spring and just use that money to buy all the things at the farmer's markets. This year, I was heading in a really good direction. But it kept raining and raining and raining. My entire garden never had a chance. At least I have gotten enough to eat on salads and make a couple of servings of pasta sauce.

7. Popsicles. This didn't happen but I am really okay with that because I made homemade ice cream at least twice, made iced chai for the first time and have really gotten into cake baking. And, even though I just listed all those things and fully intend of making a coffee cake today, I am trying to eat less sugar. (As a result, I am trying to make my co-workers eat more sugar since I've started taking my bakes into work for everyone to eat).   

And there we have it. Those where my summer goals. Not too bad, but I am ready for the next season. Let's go, fall. We're so ready for you.