Resolutions Revisited

An update on how I am progressing with the New Years Resolutions:

1. Buy a piano.
Today I shopped for carpet to go beneath that piano. I am attracted to a sample called "pumpkin spice," and wondering if the name is the main reason for its charm. Next week the measuring will get done, and then the date will be set for installation. I am getting the whole house re-carpeted (in the places that already had carpet), and abandoning the ideas for laminate flooring for now. Carpet is expensive enough. Laminate floors, and the cost and mess of removing the kitchen tile, make me nauseated. I will have to live with the ugly tile.

So, another month or two and maybe the piano will be here. I guess it's good that I'm not ready to buy right now. It may have to be transported in through the back patio doors, and the yard will be snowy/muddy for much of March. No need to ruin the new carpet immediately.

2. Plant a raspberry bush.
Deferred until spring, although I should begin investigating when the ideal planting time should be.

3. Complete a short story.
Nope. My writing group is having a mini-retreat at the end of March; I plan to rearrange my mess of paper scraps then.

4. Complete the Couch to 5K plan.
I am really off-schedule for this. A new pain appeared, that I suspect is plantar fasciitis. It arrives as soon as I near the completion of the 5-minute walking warm-up period, and doesn't subside until around 45 minutes of determined continuation. Very discouraging. Ibuprofen works OK for the shin splints and knee pain but doesn't touch this. So, I am still treadmilling regularly, but am not increasing the running distances at all.

5. Read Anna Karenina.
I am on page 671 out of 806 total pages. There will be a lot to say once it is finished.