4/28/07

When I posted the other day, I forgot to add that the Naga Socks that I test knitted (and loved) has an official pattern now. It is available FREE at
http://akittenknits.blogspot.com/2007/04/free-sock-pattern-naga-socks.html
It really is an easy and good looking pattern. Everyone should have at least one pair of socks made from it!!!!!

I rode my bike to the boy's ballgames today. I was thinking I would get a great workout while going to the game..... WELL I have such silly ideas. I started out, it felt really good. About half way there, the bike started making a funny noise. Very close to the ball field (thankfully) I noticed A LOT of play in the chain. I have a recumbant bike so it has a very long chain. I was thinking that the chain had jumped out of the midpoint restraint, causing the bounce. As I pulled into the parking lot I felt something funny and looked down to see the middle chain restraint FALL OFF!!! So I walked it to my parent's van and called my husband to come pick it up. I rode home in my parent's van!!!! ;-( So only half the workout I had hoped for!!!! Do I get credit for trying?

Chat later
Susan

4/27/07

Where does the time go? I plan to post twice a week and do well to work in once a week.

I have a new nephew. He is an adorable 5 month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. His name is Cody. He is a little doll.

I have made some knitting progress this week. The Civil War Shawl is moving SLOWLY. The border has already taken twice as long as the center, and I still have at least a third of it to go. It is going to be gorgeous, but I am getting bored with the border. 82 repeats of the same 34 rows. Too long to memorize, but not difficult.

I have about a third of the underskirt of Sasha done. It is all stockinette, so it is my ballfield project.

No progress on the crocheted ripple afghan this week. I have been trying to be monogomous to the Civil War Shawl.

I have Dear Jane and Dear Hannah ready to get started, so I can start making the 250+ blocks for that quilt. I need a quilting project. I can't give it up completely.

I signed up for Applique by the Bay at Mares Bears Quilt Shop this morning. This will be the fourth year, it is loads of fun. A very relaxing weekend before the rush of the holidays get started.

I have 21 miles down on my 100 miles for Run-A-Go-Go this quarter. I need to pick up the pace a little so I can get all 100 miles in this time. I can ride my bike some, it adds up mileage faster.

I am reading Ten Circles by Jodi Picoult. Very good. This one took longer to get into than her other books, but now is very good. She doesn't deal with the easy issues, this one is how a father handles his daughter being raped and his wife having an affair, all at the same time.

Had a groomer come to the house yesterday. I have always taken the dogs to the groomer, but didn't like the way Mack was treated last time, so I decided to try the mobile one. I liked her very much. The dogs liked her and she did a good job, so the few extra dollars were certainly worth it. They look so cute. If only they would stay clean.

Back to Civil War Shawl. I am hoping for rain. That always gives me an excuse to sit and knit and not do anything of real value.

Chat later

Susan

4/18/07

When I posted last, I hadn't heard about the Virginia Tech incident. These are always a tragedy, but somehow when they are so close to you, at a place you have been any times, it seems worse. I can't seem to stop watching the coverage, but I am a news-aholic anyway. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families.

I continue you my starting rampage. I decided against Rusted Root. The sleeves are just too short and I have so many patterns I don't have the motivation to write the sleeve pattern. I have started the Sasha Euroflax Skirt AND a crocheted cardigan. The cardigan is going to fast, that I want to wear it this weekend!!! Nothing like high hopes.

I haven't run this week, can't leave VT coverage, but I have been Nordictracking, so at least I am getting my miles in. I don't do but about 1.5 miles at a time on the Nordictrack. When I go run/walk, I go about 2.3 miles.

I cleaned the carpet in my sewing room yesterday AND cut out TWO quilt tops. So maybe I will actually sit down and sew soon. I am looking forward to a little "machine time".

I am going to try to pry myself away from the TV to run this morning.

Chat later
Susan

4/16/07

Two days in a row, don't expect me to keep up this pace. I took full advantage of a nasty rainy day yesterday. I didn't nothing of any real merit. I watched 3 movies and started new knitting and crocheting projects!!!

I watched 11:14, ok Hillary Swank movie. Boys Don't Cry, better, but still not one of my favorite movies. And last, but not least, the first disk of the mini series, Elizabeth the 1st, with Helen Miran. This was the best of the lot, can't wait until I get the second disk. Mailed them all back to Netflix the morning, so by Wedsnesday, I should have disk 2.

I started a crocheted Ripple Afghan. I figure I need lots of mindless work, since I will be at the ball field so much (see yesterday's post for details). But realized how fast this was going to get too big to lug around, SO.... I started the Sasha Euroflax skirt. It has a stockinette underskirt that you knit first, so it will fill a lot of ballfield time. I have also decided to start Rusted Root. It also has a lot of stockinette stitch. These should hold me over for a while. I really like stockinette stitch, I can knit and watch the game all at the same time. Most any other pattern, I have to look, or there are a plethora of dropped stitches.

I have 13.4 miles down for this quarters 100 mile run. I need a little over a mile per day, so I am a little behind, but I hope to get 4 days in this week instead of 3. The gaining of a pound has me more dedicated to this exercise thing. Gaining is not allowed.

Now I am going to watch the Boston Marathon for a little while. They really have got miserable weather for that today. I think I would have stayed in bed, even after all that training. As you know, I am very much a fair weather runner.

Chat later
Susan

4/15/07

Rainy, rainy day. I think I will watch a movie and knit!!! ;-)

I finally finished the Lacy Leaf skirt. I still need to block it. I do hope the hemp gets softer when soaked. It is a little like burlap right now.

I am back on the border of the Civil War Shawl. It seems endless. You have to do 82 repeats of a 34 row pattern. I am finished 18 rows, so have a long way to go.

I need another mindless project. Found out this week that one of my nephews has been "called up to the majors" in little league, so they will be on different teams. This mean FOUR little league games a week. I need a lot of mindless knitting!!! It is great for him that he is good enough that they "drafted" him, but somewhat painful for the watchers!!!

Exercise is still going well. The only downside is that when I weighed for my 16th month anniversary of my surgery, I had GAINED one pound. I am not letting it get me down though, since my measurements have either gone down or stayed the same. I have been weight training the month which I haven't done with any consistancy since surgery. I am assuming that the pound is muscle!!! Right?

I finished Bob Woodruff's book, In An Instant. It is very good. His recovery really is amazing. Makes our military health care look good too. In light of the recent events, this is the other side of the health care story. Next is Jodi Picoult's Ten Circles. I'll let you know how it is once I start. I was too tired to focus on the pages last night (I am sure that glass of wine I had, has nothing to do with it!!).

Off to check which Netflix movies I have.

Chat later
Susan

4/5/07

After several days of Spring/Summer type weather, we are back to normal temperatures. It has been so warm, I have been working on my tan!!! Now I have to put long pants back on ;-(

I have been good on the exercising front. Not running every day, but either running, Nordictracking, or weight training Monday-Friday for 2 and a half weeks so far. I have to keep this up. I do feel better with the exercise. And hopefully doing different things will keep me from doing too much damage while trying to be healthy.

On the knitting front, I am still working on the Lacy Leaf Skirt. There is lace around the bottom then the whole top is stockinette stitch. You start at the hem and work up. So I am in the sleep inducing stockinette stitch in the round portion. I only have about 80 rows left!!!!

Haven't worked on the Civil War Shawl or my socks recently, I have been focusing on the skirt. With the weather getting warm, I think I will wear the skirt before the other two.

I have been cleaning some more too. Wish I could wiggle my nose like Samantha!!!

Finished 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult. Great read. Now I am reading Bob Woodruff's, In an Instant, book. I am only about 30 pages in, but so far it is also great.

I have a thread crochet summer sweater, I want to work on too, but need to finish one of the things piled on my table before there is room for it!!! It will be my first "thread" crochet, but it looks like a fairly easy pattern.

Chat later
Susan

4/1/07

I just tried to upload my new sock picture. I keep making them smaller when I take them but they are just too big. It locks up the whole Blogger on my computer. I guess I am going to have to learn to resize them after taking them.

I finished the Naga sock that I was knitting for Abigail (http://akittenknits.blogspot.com/2007/03/naga-socks.html) They are wonderful. It was a quick knit and an easy pattern to remember so I wasn't so tied to the pattern. Besides they look and feel great on my feet. I didn't have to do one less repeat on the foot since I have small feet, but that was easy enough. She may even use a picture of MY socks on the pattern!!!! Go take a look at them. She hopes to have the pattern ready later in the month.

I started a Lacy Leaf knit skirt out of hemp. I have never knit with hemp before. I hope it softens when it is wet and blocked. Right now it is a little like burlap, only rougher!!!

No real progress on the Civil War Shawl. I am plugging along on the border, but that will take a while.

Also working on Smockin Socks from www.knitspot.com. It is a great mock cable pattern. They are coming along. They are my current ballfield project. Now that little league baseball has started, I will be spending a lot of time there. First game was Saturday, and they won!!!

I did make my goal for 100 miles by April 1st. I did great in January and March and did almost nothing in February. I did 60.5 miles total. We are starting again April 1st through July 1st. This time I am going to do better!!! Really!!!

Have almost finished 19 Minutes by Jody Picoult. It is great. Everyone should read it. It deals with the issue of school shootings and why they happen. But not a documentary type book. It is a very enjoyable read. First pretty day, I will have it finished while working on my tan!!! ;-)

Chat Later
Susan