Just like you, we’ve had illness central here at our Napa Valley home.
Sad, sad indeed.

We spent most of the week hugging, holding, wiping and soothing. Thankfully James worked from home this week so I had a partner in help. He’s an expert hugger, holder, wiper and soother. (Part of the reason I married him.)

All the time I spent wiping little girl tears gave me oodles of time to think of what I really want out of life. I’ve had this list, mostly called “What I want to do before I die,” since I was fifteen. I prefer the Mighty Life List moniker, what without oh, the “DIE” part of the name. Maggie’s good. Very good.

This list will grow and change, but here, at this hugging, holding, wiping and soothing part of my life, this is what I want.

Helen Jane’s Mighty Life List

Grow a large flower garden

Pay for a stranger to attend college

Hire an interior decorator

Tour a bourbon distillery

Own a helium tank

Attend the Alt Summit

Make themed Halloween costumes for the family

Write and illustrate a book for children (note to HJ: That does not necessarily mean publish said book.)

Learn to speak Italian

Sew a quilt

Hire a staff

Run a marathon

Knit James a sweater

Teach a college-level class

Write a screenplay

Learn to play guitar

Own a lake house with a canoe and deck

Attend the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

Pay for my kids’ college education in full

Make ravioli

Take singing lessons

Speak at SXSW

Own a vintage Jaguar convertible

Purchase box seats for all my friends at a Packer game

Go on tour paid for by someone else

Take family on an extended (like 6 months or more) cross-country road trip

Own a house with a barn on the property

Publish a cookbook

Get married to a man who would play guitar to our children

Throw an amazing surprise party

Host a baby shower

Give a motivational speech

Own exceptional luggage

Take my family (brothers, nephews, in-laws, the works) on an Alaskan cruise

Visit Ireland

Visit Italy

Host a television show

Take the family to Death Valley

Go back to Tahiti

Live in Napa Valley

Eat food with the following: Ina Gartner, Michael Chiarello, Rachel Ray and Nigella Lawson.

Play craps confidently in Vegas

Make a coloring book

Host a bridal shower

Have at least two children

Take piano lessons

Take an extended canoe trip with my sister

Own an easel

Take my family to Mount Rushmore

Learn to make gnocchi

Tour a winery