2008- A Year in Review

2008 - what a year. Thought I would post some of the highlights of the past year. Some were good, some were sad and some were oh so Bad.

January 2008- started a blog, expressly for the purposes of recording and sharing my Ikea Hacks and Furniture Hacks, inspired by the great IKEA Hackers blog. The original blog was on Tripod, which hosts my webpage. Not liking the outlay of tripod blogs- I transferred the whole thing to Blogger, where I have been ever since.
February 2008- transferred to Blogger, on February 10, posting on some of the home improvements I made. I was just finishing putting an addition on to my small house. And that was kind of the focus. Also my cat, Tuffy’s challenge with a liver ailment that he unfortunately lost.
March 2008- I started reading other blogs- and discovered Fake Plastic Fish and Beth’s campaign to stomp out plastic in her life. Focus was still Furniture Hacks.
April 2008- This is where it starts getting interesting- I started to discover other blogs- and people who are in a mind set with me on the environment- this is also where I joined my first two challenges Crunchy’s don’t buy anything challenge and Chile’s Cut the crap challenge. After commiseratingwhining through the challenges- they went pretty smooth. Little did I know I would become a challenge whore!
May 2008- Brought on more challenges, and my desire to make a rechargeable electric lawnmower to replace my gas one.
June 2008- My first ever giveaway- I gave my balls away- now that’s dedication folks!I gave away some of the seed balls I purchased at the flower and garden show.I joined Sharon's Independence days challenge and A couple of more challenges, Chiles peak oil world addiction challenge , GREEN BEAN DREAMS' "I'm Still a Bookworm" Challenge Crunchy Green goddesses 5 minute shower challenge and of course Crunchy chicksters “My ass is melting challenge”. June also brought on Crunchy’s Golden Shower Party, I was only more than willing to take part and piss on my garden and compost!

July 2008- This brought on Melinda’s growing challenge- imagine being encouraged to document growing something new! I grew borage, a weed elsewhere, fun to grow here, and broccoli which I ultimately failed at but am determined more than ever to grow!
August 2008- Continued on- working in the garden, on the house, participating in challenges. Some people would and have said I seemed to be challenged. Just my competitive streak showing when people challenge me. As My dad always said never back down from a challenge. Of course dad never had to put against the Diva Cup Challenge. I could have won that one hands down!
September 2008- Didn’t do much notable this month- joined Jennifer's Stop the Leaks" challenge; Attended the NW Bloggers Picnic and met up with a few of the great folks that I met in Blogland!
October 2008- Started my first challenge The Make Do and Mend challenge, and a few people actually signed up for it! And went through the month with a strike at work, Built a Rocket Stove this month., and joined Melinda’s buy sustainably challenge, Just to make it an interesting month.
November 2008- This was a sad month as I had to have my Yorkie, Dinky Binky put to sleep. He had to have all his teeth extracted and stuck around for about a year. He had finally gotten incontinent, and was starting to have trouble eating the canned dog food. I have always had a yorkie for 20 years or so. Still feeling a tad lost without one.
December 2008- Christmas was coming fast, yet I still managed to make a crap load of gifts! On the sadder not my little pug Spike, had some type of an attack, collapsed outside while taking him to the bathroom, never recovered. So the vet and I decided to put him down. Still have one cat, Sammy, and the Spaz is still around but she belongs to Martin. Am hoping to get/find a new pup soon.Joined up with Beansprout on making gifts, and posted a few gifts for folks to make on the DIY blog.

So that was my year in a nutshell! Hope your year was good and 2009 finds you better than the year before!