What's It All About?

Many people ask that question about a great deal of things. For me, today, this question is two fold. What's this blog, BUCKET LIST, all about? And, what's life all about?

This blog is where I keep a running record of my bucket list, you know, the "kick the bucket list" of all the things that you want to do before you knock off for that one last time. At a few weeks shy of 26, I know I may be young to start one, those guys in the movie were much older and knew their time was limited. My list isn't about fitting everything in at the last minute. Rather it's about keeping a running record of the experiences that I want to take part in, small or large. Some of the items on this list can be done on a rainy day, others will take time, planning, and money to actually see through to the end.

I've never been any good at keeping journals but want there to be some record of my life of the things I did, what it was like, ect. So I started this list back in March, 2009 and keep an actual journal with me at all times so that when I think of something I want to do I add it to "the list". The plan is that when I complete something on the list I write about it. Because my handwriting is legible to few and because Blogger has a built in spell-check I'll write about my experiences here.

As for the "What's life all about?" question, at this point I have no clue, maybe creating and completing things will help me figure that out. I'll get back to you on that one.

The List

1. Create a LEGO font and use it to create something for myself or Kevin (Here's How) - 3.22.10
2. Participate in a craft show - 3.22.10
3. Take the Maine Beer Trail (Here's How) - 3.22.10
4. Take swing dancing lessons - 3.22.10
5. Do the Trek Across Maine (Here's How) - 3.22.10
6. Learn Irish Step Dancing - 3.22.10
7. Spend a day on a ropes course, including a zip line - 3.22.10
8. Write a letter to my future self (Here's How) - 3.22.10
9. Photograph the alphabet in found objects (no letters!) - 3.22.10
10. Another disposable camera project, this time make it so I can make a book out of the images - 3.22.10
11. Photograph a location determined by flipping a coin at intersections - 3.22.10
12. Drive the entirety of Rt. 1, from Fort Kent, ME to Key West, FL (or vice versa) - 3.22.10
13. Re/Learn how to play the piano - 3.23.10
14. Make collage animals using the insides of business envelopes - 3.23.10
15. Felted stuffed initial magnets - 4.10.10
16. Baby/kids door hangers, ex. Do not disturb, Enter Mess at own risk, Nap time - 4.10.10
17. Paisley cupboard doors - 4.10.10
18. Old door knob hangers - 4.10.10
19. Picture frame room dividers - 4.10.10
20. Paper canvas paintings - 4.10.10
21. 1,000 origami cranes from recycled paper - 4.23.10
  • Updated 5.22.10 - Make a before and after photo book of these cranes, picture of the recycled paper before, and picture of finished crane.
  • Updated 7.26.10 - Before/After pics uploaded. See Post
22. Backpack through Europe - 5.12.10
23. Positive News Source - 5.12.10
24. Photograph letters - make into alphabet poster - themed by color, location, 3-d, 2-d ect. - 5.12.10
25. Bike the Kangamangus - 5.22.10
26. White water rafting - 5.22.10
27. Skydiving - 5.22.10
28. Hot air balloon ride - 5.22.10
29. Trip to Machu Picchu - 6.8.10
30. Alaskan Cruise - 6.8.10
31. Make my own Beer - 6.27.10
32. In the 1st 4 years of the Dempsey Challange, ride each route, 10, 25, 50 & 100 - 6.27.10
33. Read/Re-read all of Kathy Reichs books in order - 7.15.10
34. Read/Re-read all of the Harry Potter books in order - 7.15.10
35. Read/Re-read all of the Redwall books in order - 7.15.10
• Updated 6.29.11 - See Post
36. Learn how to play the Harmonica - 7.29.10
37. Pay off my 7 years (18 year old me to 25 year old me) of debt and from then on stay as debt free as possible - 7.29.10
38. Geocaching - 8.15.10
39. Rent an RV & go cross country - 10.5.10
40. Go to Montana - 10.5.10
41. Make a picture frame from the old window I have from Mom & Dad, like these - 10.26.10
42. Make a bookshelf from old shutters, like these - 10.26.10
43. Make some unique onsies, like this one - 10.26.10
44. Bake through the 12 days of cookies! (dedicated to my dear friend, Jessie Magoon!) - 10.30.10
45. See the Northern Lights - 10.30.10
46. Learn How to Surf - 10.30.10
47. Try 50 Different Cocktails - 10.30.10
48. Eat at, and review, 50 different restaurants - 10.30.10
49. Try 50 different beers - 10.30.10
• Updated 6.29.11 - See Post
50. Go Snorkeling in a Shipwreck - 10.30.10
51. Make 50 different, new recipes - 10.30.10
52. Eat a Garbage Plate - 11.04.10
53. Eat a Krispy Kreme right from the Conveyor - 11.5.10
54. Learn how to Blow Glass - 11.5.10
55. Old Photo/New Photo Project - 6.29.11

31. Make my own Beer

This is something I've wanted to do since I finally started to enjoy beer. My parents got me a Mr. Beer for my birthday and I've been reading up about it. Looking to put my first batch together today! They (Mr.Beer) makes it pretty easy for you, so you can keep it as simple or add different things to make it more complex if you like. I would like to keep track of what I do with each batch and how they come out so that I can repeat a batch if I like without having to rely on my shotty memory. More to come later today with how the first batch is set up! Wish me luck! Cheers!

Updated later in the day, 6.27.10
So the first batch is all made up and in the brewery, other wise known as the closet in the extra bedroom. It'll have to sit for at least 7 days to ferment, then bottled and let to sit at least another 7 days to carbonate then condition for at least 2 days. The longer it sits in each stage the better the outcome will be, or so they say. Went with one of the two beer mixes included in the kit, the Blonde Ale. Wanted to use just the filtered water but that was going too slow for me so a quarter of the water needed came directly out of the tap. Since my trusty brew house dog was at my side the entire time I was brewing the beer I'm going to call this batch "Curl Tail Blond Ale".

7.28.10 Update:
I signed up as a member of the Mr. Beer Fans Forum, which I'm not a regular on, but it's a great place to get information, ideas, and recipes. On there I had found that Mr.Beer sometimes gets a bad name because you can "Brew beer in as little as 14 days" which you can, but the beer isn't what it could be. The forum suggests to go more with the 2-2-2 rule, two weeks fermenting, two weeks priming/carbonating, and two weeks lagering. With that the "Curl Tail Blonde Ale" finished fermenting on July 12th, we (Kevin got involved!) bottled it priming it with cane sugar. It sat in the bedroom for another two weeks until the 26th when we loaded 7 bottles in the fridge. The 8th bottle was brought up to camp the weekend of the 16th-19th, it was passed around the fire and most everyone had a sip. At first I wasn't too thrilled, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. That bottle did not get finished up at camp, but I did finish it off on the 26th and I am happy to report, that other than a little flat (it had been sitting pre-opened for over a week) it was pretty good, not a complex beer, but smooth, lite, and balanced -- right up Kevin's alley. I look forward to trying the rest on or after August 9th.

Last night I brewed up my second batch. This time my recipe was as follows: 1 Can Cowboy Golden Lager HME, 1 Can Golden Wheat UME, 1 Packet Dry Brewing Yeast, 1 Cup Honey. The honey I used is local, Maine honey. It's in the keg and fermenting for at least the next two weeks, looking to bottle on or around August 10th. I am planning to prime this batch with more of the local honey. I am going to have to look up how much to use. I am excited for this one and hoping that it's along the lines of Blue Moon's Honey Moon. (YUM!) This one is called "Bee Sweet Honey Wheat".

8.10.10 Update:
Wait til Aug. 9th to drink the Curl Tail... yeah that didn't happen. We finished off the last bottles last night so that we would have empties to use tonight when we bottle up the Bee Sweet Honey Wheat. I've decided not to prime the Bee Sweet with Honey as I'm pretty sure it would be a bit messy. Also in the forums it mentioned cutting back a little on the amount of primer that the Mr.Beer directions have so as to reduce the soda-like-fizzy-ness that we noticed in the Curl Tail. The Bee Sweet will carb until Aug. 24th, then condition until Sept. 7th and be ready to drink from then on out (that is if we can wait that long). Kevin says that he has a dorm fridge upstairs in the garage. Maybe I'll have him get that down (not an easy task) and set it up in the garage so that the beers condition out there instead of in our regular fridge where every time it is opened there is the temptation to drink all those lovely beers sitting there.

After the Bee Sweet is all bottled and the keg is cleaned we are going to brew up batch #3, this is a caramel apple cider which consists of: 1 Can Archer's Orchard Hard Cider, 1 Can Golden Wheat UME, 1 Packet Dry Cider Yeast, 2 Cups Light Brown Sugar, 1 Cum Granulated White Sugar and 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice. This one will be called 2xK/2xC (2 x K = Kate & Kevin, 2 x C = Caramel Cider). Brewing cider is a little different from brewing beer. Direct sunlight doesn't bother cider as much as it does beer and the priming amounts are a bit different. The schedule for the 2xK/2xC is as follows: Brew Aug. 10 through Aug. 24, Bottle & Carbonate Aug. 24 through Sept. 7, Condition Sept. 7 through Sept. 21, Ready on/after Sept. 21.

Future Beers:
Blueprint
Contents: 2 cans Whispering Wheat Weizenbier HME, 2 packets Dry Brewing Yeast, 2 cans Blueberries in Light Syrup
Schedule: Brew Aug. 24 through Sept. 7, Bottle & Carbonate Sept 7. through Sept. 21, Condition Sept. 21 through Oct.12, Ready on/after Oct. 12

Pilgrim Pumpkin
Contents: 1 can West Coast Pale Ale HME, 1 can Mellow Amber UME, 1 packet Dry Brewing Yeast, 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, 1 can Cooked Pumpkin Puree (16 oz.), 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
Schedule: Brew Sept. 7 through Sept. 21, Bottle & Carbonate Sept. 21 through Oct. 12, Condition Oct. 12 through Oct. 26, Ready on/after Oct. 26

10.26.10 Update:
2xK/2xC, caramel hard cider, was really pretty good! Very potent too as all the sugars lead to a very high alcohol content! The Blueprint has been a great hit! I think it's one of the best we've done so far!

I thought the 2xK/2xC was the best, but then had some of the Blueprint one night and the last 2xK/2xC the next night, and the Blueprint won out.

It wasn't as blueberry-ie as Sea Dogs Blue Paw, but it was still really good. We brought some of this with us to my families first celebration after Kevin & I eloped. Rave reviews! My uncle David doesn't want a christmas present, just wants more Blueprint! And Uncle Buzzy, the family critic, was like, "ugh home brew" but after he tasted it was amazed! I also caught Uncle Bradley finishing one of the bottles off tipping it right back, wonder what he thought of all the trub at the bottom of the bottle. Even Grandma & Grandpa had some! Will definitely have to make this a usual brew!

The Pilgrim Pumpkin hasn't made it into the brewing keg yet, but maybe by the end of this week it'll get there! I wish I had made it the day I was supposed to because I would have some cold ones ready to drink right now, however we will have to settle for store bought until the next batch is ready!
Posted by KaitLavin

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Please save me a taste! Your mom.

June 28, 2010 at 8:05 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)