Goals for 2009

I don't like making resolutions. In my case, they are usually negative in nature. Things I am going to STOP doing. I prefer to set goals. Things I am GOING to do. I seem to do better with the positives. So for 2009, here are my goals.

As some of you may recall, I started this blog to try to keep me in line with a "fiber diet" 2 years ago. Well, we all know how that worked out, NOT!!!

Goals for 2009 (I am trying to be realistic)

Food

Get and keep it under better control. Better, because I know I won't be perfect.

Exercise

Get and keep it more regular and productive. Some things I plan to try are the:

• 100 push-up plan
• walking, possibily back to running
• back to weight training

Quilting

Finish the tops for:

• Charming Leaves - 3 borders left
• Dear Jane borders
• Expressions of Morris
• Baltimore Halloween (this is my new project)

Make friends with the long arm quilting machine again!!!

Beading

Do some, maybe take a class or two

Knitting/Crocheting

Finish the WIP left over from 2008

Do as many projects as I can

Work mostly from my stash!!! Notice I said MOSTLY!!!

Reading

Read at least 52 books again this year. Some of them need to be "worthwhile", not just escapist fiction.

That should keep me busy!!!

I plan to do a monthly update on how the various goals are coming. So that means I have to blog more consistantly too!!!! So I guess that is another goal!! ;-)

Happy New Year

Chat later

Susan

2008 Final Report

Knitting/Crocheting

27 Finished Projects

8 Sweaters
6 Pair of Socks
8 Scarves
3 Afghans
1 Skirt
1 Wash clothe

There are 5 WIP left. 2 are left over from 2007 (maybe I should just frog them!!!)
1 from mid 2008 (there is still hope)
2 from the last week of the year (one is already half done)

Quilting

Expression of Morris - 3 blocks completed
Nature's Chorus - 7 blocks completed
Dear Jane - center blocks completed (84 made in 2008)
Charming Leaves - 25 center blocks and one border completed


Beading/Cross Stitch

1 Peyote Stitch Flag Bracelet
4 Beaded Cross Stitch ornaments


Reading

I had a goal of 52 books. I read 60, really 59, not sure that Franklin Habit's cartoon book really qualifies. They averages 332 pages each.


Exercise/Food

First half of the year I did great. Then life got in the way and it came almost to a halt. Food was not at it's best all year. In spurts I would do well, but overall, I am not pleased.


Overall a very productive year. Goals for 2009 to follow.

Chat Later
Susan

1/2/09

Happy New Year!!!

This is really the final FO post for 2008, but as usual, I am running late.

This is my February Lady's Sweater, I haven't worn it yet, but just trying it on, I love it. Fits well and feels good. The detail doesn't show well, but it is nice.

It is knit in Elsebeth Lavold Angora. No pattern modifications. It is a free internet pattern. I feel sure I will knit this pattern again. It was fun to knit and it fits and feels good.


Here is an attempt at showing the detail of the February's Ladies Sweater.













This is another Interlacements Beaded Scarf. Used Chewy Spaghetti Sock Yarn. This are fun to knit, and as I have said, with all the beads on them, you can use them as a weapon if needed.











This is a Making Waves scarf from Lisa Souza (she didn't do the pattern, but I got it from her website). I used Knit Cinema sock club yarn. It was a quick knit, but not what I wanted. On the Knitmore Girls website, they had a scarf/collar that I loved. It went almost to her waist and was wide and full. I e-mailed and asked what the pattern was. This is what she said, but I don't think this is it. So, of course, I have ordered the other two patterns on the website, to try them. Still very cute, just not what I wanted.

I finished the Monster of Florence. I think I liked the second part of the book more than the first. The first half is about the crimes. The second half is the reporter and writer that were investigating it. They ended up being questioned in the murders. Not a top ten book, but I enjoyed it very much.

I also read The Choice, by Nicolas Sparks. It is classic NS romance, with a twist. I like his light fare after something heavy.

Not even talking about eating and exercise!!! So don't ask.

Family and puppies had a great Christmas. I started getting sick Christmas night. I have had a cold ever since. I am not sure my ears are ever going to be "unclogged" again. ;-(

New Years was quiet. I was sleep by 9:30PM. That is what I do when I am sleep. I try to sleep 24/7.

Chat later
Susan

12/22/08

I want some snow!!! Every blog I read they are talking about snow. All we got was some stupid rain!!! But we got LOTS of stupid rain. I came downstairs and sat at the kitchen table Saturday morning, and GOT RAINED ON!!! ;-( The kitchen table is below a bathroom, so of course, the first thought was the toilet, YUCK!!! But it was the vent in the roof. The water was leaking around it, running down the pipe and dripping out of the light fixture over the kitchen table. We now have a temporary repair on the roof. Of course, this happens right after we buy a new truck and replace the heating system, and preparing for Christmas. Can you spell BROKE!!! We don't think we will have to replace the whole roof, but nothing with a roof is cheap.


I finished my Christmas socks, before Christmas. Amazing!!! Last year I finished my Halloween socks for Christmas. They are my standard toe up K3P1 sock. Knit with Christmas yarn from Yarn Yard in Scotland. Nice knit, nice wear!!!










This is the Prairie Braid scarf, with Karioke from Southwest Trading. Yarn feels yummy!!! Fun knit. No ends to weave in, because it is short rows.










This is my wimple. The pattern and yarn came from www.CaryllDesigns.com. It is 100% Qiviut in Lupine. One skein makes this warm and SOFT wimple. The lacy pattern doesn't show well in this picture, but it is there, really.

I have finished two more books. Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher. It is the story of a teenage girl who commits suicide (before the book starts). She has made tape recording about the 13 reasons (people) she did it. It was very good. Started out great, ended great, dragged a little in the middle. But overall a very good read. Not a cry fest, but why. Most of the reasons, today as an adult seem pretty petty, but if you think back to what jr high and high school were like, they were a big deal.

Then I read The Tales of Beetle the Bard by JK Rowlings. I hesitate to even count this one as a book. It is 5 short fairy tales. It is referenced in the last Harry Potter book. JKR wrote it as a charity project. It was a fun read. Took about an hour.

I am now reading Vampire Academy, another Young Adult book. I have gotten in to these YA books!! This on is about the academy where young vampires and their protectors train. Very different from the Twilight Series. This is also a series. I am about half way through this one, I have decided yet whether this is a "read the whole series book" yet. I feel like we are building to some big climax, but only reading time will tell.

The world's scruffiest Westie dog wanted to say Merry Christmas to everyone!!! Especially his friend Annie!!!

Chat later

Susan

12/10/08

Just a quick report on the stitching weekend. We had a great time as usual. There were many projects underway. Some of us change the project we are working on about every 15 minutes. Don't make much progress that way, but you do not get bored. Our next scheduled gathering is the end of January. Not here then. At a local quilt shop.

I always enjoy these weekends, but feel like I have been hit by a truck afterwards. Not only when it is here, but anywhere it is!!! I just can't seem to adjust to all this sitting down!!! ;-)

I need to take some Christmas decoration pictures for y'all. I'll try to get that done this week.

Chat later
Susan

12/4/08

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!!

Had a great Thanksgiving, so thankful that my whole family is still here and reasonably healthy. What else is really important? Of course, the economy improving wouldn't hurt!!! ;-)

Have gotten some of my WIP or UFO's finished. Of course, then I develop startitis, so I still have a bunch of on going projects.

This is the Cable Pleated Skirt from Lanas Puras. It fits great, has a little flare that makes it flattering. Now I just need something to wear
with it. I used the recommended yarn, Lanas Puras Melosa Fingering. It is a very soft, lightly twisted single ply yarn. I wouldn't use it for socks since it felts, and I am too lazy to hand wash my socks. But I really like the feel of the skirt. The only change I would make if I reknit it, is the cables alternate which way they twist. I don't think soul, who hasn't knit the pattern would know that. I would twist all the cables the same way so I don't have to keep track of which one goes which way.





This is the Interlacements Beaded Scarf, I bought it originally as a kit. This is a second one, with my yarn and beads. The yarn is Scout Swag, don't recall the color (it was part of a sock club, I think), and can't find the label right now. This is a pretty mindless knit, even with the beads, once you get the bottom loopy beads done. It takes one skein of sock yarn and like 2,600 beads.






This is the detail of the bottom of the scarf. With all the beads, if you need a weapon while you have it one, you can just hit your attacker with the end!!!

You knit it in two halves, starting at the looped bead bottom, and then graft it together in the center.





This is the Simple Yet Effective Shawl, it is a free internet pattern. Easy to knit. I used one skein of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn, alternated the end I was using every 4 rows. I was able to run the yarn up the side so there were no ends to weave in (YIPPEEE). By using sock yarn instead of the recommended chunky yarn it is more scarf or accent shawl size. I love the colors!!!






These are my standard toe up, K3P1 gusset heel sock, based on Wendy Knits generic toe up sock pattern. Yarn is Lisa Souza What-A-Melon. They were knit from both ends of the skein at the same time. Notice the difference in color from one end to the other of the same skein.







I have also been working on some secret Christmas present items, that can't be talked about yet!!! So don't even ask!!!

I have read two books. The Great Crash 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith. As I said last time, it was written in the 1950's about the 1920's but so much of it applies to today. It really is a lesson in "if you don't know history, we are destined to repeat it". It isn't a very long book and not a real technical book. The layman can read it with ease.

Then I read one of my nephew's (12 yo) young adult books (I like the YA books!!!). It is Atherton: The House of Power, it is the first book of two, I think. It is a boy in a fantasy world that is in 3 levels. He is the only person on the whole world that can climb from level to level. It has some vague similarities to Gulliver's Travels, without as many underlying lessons. I want to read book 2, but I will get it for my Kindle!!! ;-)

Have I mentioned how much I love my Kindle!?!?! ;-)

I finished up my tax class. I really enjoyed it, but am glad it is over, and I have my life back.

This weekend, I have a bunch of folks coming over to knit and quilt for the weekend. I think we are going to have about 12 folks. It will be loads of fun. I have a HUGE pot of soup cooking for Saturday nights dinner.

Exercise/Weightloss: Don't even ask. January 1st if coming.



Did I mention that I have Siamese Twin Scotty Dogs? Blue collar is Chad, pink collar is Chelsea. They are litter mates and even at 9 years old, they are still "joined at the hip". They have never been separated for more than a couple of hours. When I took them to be "fixed" when they were 6 months old, I asked that they be put in the same cage. And, no, that are not the least bit spoiled!!!

Chat later
Susan

11/13/08

Well, this is a no picture post, since I have finished NOTHING since my last post. Guess I posted too much at one time. I am working on 2 scarves. Guess I am feeling quick and easy!!!

I finished the two books I was reading and started the Great Crash 1929. It was written in the 1950's, but could have been written over the last year. That crash started with a real estate crisis too!!! Scary. We really do need to remember history better.

Tax Prep School is almost over. Just one more week. I have told them I am not working. The teacher is not very happy about that, but they pay so poorly it isn't worth my time. Besides with all that goes on in my life, when is there time for work???

I am off to the Outer Banks today to take my parents, my aunt and uncle (that own the house down there) and my aunt's sister to see the Christmas musical at the theater down there. It gives aunt/uncle a chance to check on the house, since neither of them drives anymore and nobody is going down this time of year. I usually go in October and November, but with school and moving my parent's this year, I haven't had time to go. Maybe after the first of the year.

Puppies are doing good. Chad seems to have a stomach virus, but he has always been my "throw-uppy" puppy. They escaped and went on walk about the other day. Luckily my neighbor saw them and played with them until I could get home and "trap" them back in the yard.

Off to the showers and the Outer Banks.

Chat later
Susan