What is a Kettle List?
What is ‘Pollys Pad’ all about then? What is a ‘Kettle List’? If you want the long version, check out my post here. It even includes all of the tasks on the list.
If you want the TL;DR, it’s like a Bucket List but less depressing; instead of doing all the things before I die, I want to get them done before March 2027, when I turn … well older.
I am writing up every task, whether completed or not, and I will update them as I go.
And here is task #2
The 40 x 40 List
Before this blog was even thought of, I had a different list; a list of things to do before I hit 40. While I tried hard (ish) to complete it, there are still plenty of things to do, which is why finishing it off now appears on the Kettle List. (Bit meta I know, but it’s kind of how we roll around here)
So what was on the list? Well, the easiest – albeit longest – way to find out is to go look at the 60+ videos on my 40×40 playlist on my Pollyplaits Youtube channel. If you just haven’t got the requisite 10 hours, or indeed value your sanity, then I will give you a quick rundown.
Things that have been completed
The items with the * indicate that they have been completed since the list officially ended in 2017. My aim is to have everything transferred to this list eventually.
#1 Get a Tattoo – Photos are still on my old blog
#2 Find 40 Geocaches
#3 Gain a Degree
#4 See a Music Concert
#5 See a Comedy show
#6 Learn Japanese
#8 Make a Quilt – I can know longer find the picture, but it started and a scarf and grew. I am working on a new one now, so there will be a post about quilting at some point.
# 10 Save £3,000 for Trip
#12 Book Trip to Japan – Check out my Japan 2023 trip – as my 2017 videos have now gone 🙁
#13 Train, Boat, Plane – Must find some pictures though…all part of my Prague trip
#14 Drive a Car
#15 Waist Deep in Sea
#16 Make a You Tube video -Disappointed to announce that You Tube has deleted the 10 years worth of videos I had made and closed my account. Particularly gutted about losing the videos of my first trip to Japan. Considering starting a new channel for the next part of my Bucket List journey in 2027, but will certainly be saving the videos somewhere else.
#17 Spa Day – Had a marvellous day out with my friend Rin, but we couldn’t take photos. I am willing to go again though, just for you guys.
#18 Weekend in Europe – Instead of a post, this item used to link to a video, which was a casualty of the You Tube cancellation. We visited Prague, and have since been to Berlin. Once I start work on the Kettle List task to visit 5 different European capitals, I can link to that post
#19 Do a Charity Run – again, there was a video, but now it is gone. We completed a Bristol colour run on the Downs. It took a while to get the paint out. The link takes you to an old abandoned blog, but there are still photos one there.
#20 Day/Night out with Luke – with Luke being my brother. We have now had a few, including a trip to Birmingham to see Rick Astley, a wild evening out in Bristol, and 2 visits to the cinema to see He-man.
#23 Attend a “Big Conference” – We have been visiting LICAF every year now since 2022. Will have news about this later in the year (2026)
#24 Cook a 3-course meal – once again, You-Tube stole all my proof.
# 25 Hold a Spider – this happened once, unintentionally!
#26 Locked Room Escape Adventure
#27 Indoor Skydiving
#28 Give Away 2016 things – It all went to various charity shops, or donated to raffles.
#29 Whole Family to a Theme Park – We all had a day out to Wookey Hole (the kids are not fans of ‘rides’ so this was their choice for the trip)
#30 Try a Zip-line – I took Ethan to Go Ape in the Forest of Dean. There may be some pictures somewhere…
#31 Posh Afternoon Tea – A birthday treat with Rin. Happy to attend another for the photos…
# 34 40 Years of Movies – Originally there were 2 videos in which I listed a film from every year since 1977 that I had watched. I probably would not even remember them now, but may start taking notes of the dates of films I watch from now to see if I can subconsciously repeat the task.
# 35 Eat Baked Beans – I have Rin as a witness, but the video evidence is now gone
#36 Own a Pair of Jeans – As predicted, they became a wardrobe staple, until they wore out, and I am not back to skirts and dresses. I do own a pair of Chinos though.
#37 Decorate a Cake
#38 Dance to K-Pop in a nightclub – Korean night at Pop World while I was at university, no photos though.
#39 Do an online family Tree – I don’t particularly want to share every detail about my family with the internet, but rest assured, I have made one. There is a great website called Family Echo, that can help you create your own tree.
#40 Sort out New Updated List – That’ll be the Kettle List, which you can find on this website.
The ‘outstanding’ tasks
A number of these are currently being worked on
#7 Crochet a Top
#9 Lose a Stone ~ again! The start weight was 12.5, so getting close!
#11 Visit every Ceremonial County – there are 48, I have 15 left.
#21 Complete Smashbook – I need to find this first.
#22 Sew a Dress
# 32 365 Pictures – A work in progress- I am currently using the PicDiary app to save my pictures.
#33 Cycle To Bath – I don’t currently have bike, so debating whether this is something I can actually do.
So as I complete the tasks, I will be writing them up and linking to the appropriate page. Long term, these will all be finished and I will have a comprehensive list of my 40th adventures – even if they do take a little longer than that to finish.
