December is here! How did this happen? I had so many holiday-related posts planned for you: gift guides, advent calendar ideas, Thanksgiving recipes and stories. But then I had a deadline to meet (the document I’ve been working on is acting like a boomerang – I think I’m done and then it magically re-appears in my inbox a day later with another round of changes), the kids got sick (not at the same time, of course), we went on a short Thanksgiving getaway to Florida (oh how I love these Florida beaches!), and boom, December 1st! Ah well. That’s (my) life. So I’m going to change the topic to something completely non-Christmas related. To a very special list I’ve been working on for a couple of weeks: 99 things I want to do before I move back to Germany!
To answer the most important question first and very officially:
YES, we are planning to move back to Germany in the summer of 2016!
Which means I have about 7-8 months left to check all the things I always wanted to do off my bucket list. Curious? Here it is:
99 Things I Want to Do Before I Move Back to Germany – A Bucket List
Watch a college football game – Roll Tide!Have a latte at Brash Coffee in Atlanta.Go Zip-lining.- Go Rafting on the Ocoee.
- Binge watch all seasons of „The Good Wife“
Stock up on craft supplies. Michael’s, Hobby Lobby and Jo Ann’s – here I come!- Visit my friend in San Diego, California. We met when I was an Erasmus student in York, Great Britain many many years ago.
- Walk 10.000 steps at least 3 days a week (I read somewhere that this is good for you).
Watch the Oscars 2016.-
Throw a Super Bowl party and fine-tune my chocolate-covered strawberry footballs. -
Weekly catch-up of Scandal and Nashville.Watch seasons 4 and 5 of Homeland. -
Go to ALT Summit in Salt Lake City! I have the ticket and the flight and hotel room are booked. Now I only need proper conference and Utah winter attire… -
L.L.Bean boots because my friend says that’s what I need for German winters. They last a life-time but better order them right away to get them delivered before I move back.
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Talking about boots: I also need rain boots, for wet German springs, summers, falls, winters.
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Attend a wedding. Waiting for the official invitation for Memorial Day Weekend. Perfect way to say good-bye to dear friends who have always been our American family. -
Say good-bye to my beloved beaches on Sanibel Island.
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Read „To Kill a Mocking Bird“.
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Stock up on mason jars in all sizes on the planet. -
Have a bouncy house kids‘ birthday party in the backyard. Just because…
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Watch my hydrangeas grow and bloom. -
Meet Local Milk Beth Kirby
and Being Boss Emily Thompson– they both live in Chattanooga and I really admire their work. -
Find the perfect lipstick. And learn how to apply it.
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Find a new owner for my orchids – anyone? -
Visit the MLK Memorial in Atlanta. -
Visit the Knoxville Zoo.
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Swim in the Pacific Ocean. -
Use up all my Delta sky miles. -
Go to a live (country?) concert.
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Find an egg nog recipe that actually tastes good.
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Visit the Mayfly Coffee Bar on Signal Mountain. -
Find a vintage wooden step-ladder. -
Eat at Cafe Roma in Cleveland with my lovely neighbor. -
Sing in or with a gospel choir. Or at least go to a gospel church service.
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Go to a batting cage. -
Watch at least one more Lookouts game – with Friday night fireworks. -
Send my daughter to cheerleading camp. -
Decide whether the kids need a tablet or not. -
Make my husband watch the new Star Wars movie.
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Stock up on snow gear for the harsh German winters.
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Spend every possible second on my back porch. -
Improve my slack lining abilities.
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Go to a line dance class.
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See the Riverbend fireworks. -
Rent a Bike Chattanooga bike and ride across the Walnut Bridge and around downtown.
This list is by far from complete. It is an ongoing project that I check off or add items to on a daily basis. Once I complete an activity, I’ll add a photo as a proof that I actually did it. If you are interested, you can follow along on Instagram. Just look for the hashtag #tinas99things. And if you have any ideas that I could / should / must add to my list, please let me know! Update: I’ve added more things to my 99 things list – just click here to read more.
Liebe Tina, ganz oben auf deine Liste für Deutschland muss bitte ein Konzertbesuch mit mir in München oder Hamburg :-)