Nothing new to show, I've been too busy with running, soccer, Matt's birthday BBQ, and cooking in preparation for my brother's college graduation this weekend. Oh, that and realizing I never updated my passport with a name change, and it's now "strongly suggested" for travel to Canada. Grumble, grumble, grumble.
So instead, I found you a contest at: The Land of the Knitsaur You have until the 31st to enter any three measurements and you get a chance to win. Don't forget to mention me!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Vermont City Marathon
My most recent excuse for not knitting:
I had a whole post about the marathon and how it went, but Blogger ate it, and I just don't have the heart to rehash, so the high points:
Beautiful weather, great crowds, great running partners (see photo)
Droopy hands, I don't know why (again, see photo)
Marathon PR now minus one hour (yes, that's huge amount of time to take off, and I won't be able to take another hour off in one race again)
Have recovered enough to run tough hilly trail race 48 hours later.
Thinking on signing up for the Maine Women's Half in September and then I could sign up for the Hartford Marathon in October and do the the half as a training run....
I had a whole post about the marathon and how it went, but Blogger ate it, and I just don't have the heart to rehash, so the high points:
Beautiful weather, great crowds, great running partners (see photo)
Droopy hands, I don't know why (again, see photo)
Marathon PR now minus one hour (yes, that's huge amount of time to take off, and I won't be able to take another hour off in one race again)
Have recovered enough to run tough hilly trail race 48 hours later.
Thinking on signing up for the Maine Women's Half in September and then I could sign up for the Hartford Marathon in October and do the the half as a training run....
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Two weeks of knitting and all I got was this lousy triangle...
I don't really think that. I'm actually quite pleased with the slow progress I'm making. We won't talk about the sock. The sock and I aren't currently getting along, which is all my fault. How did I not figure on stitches not falling off needles if I just threw the knitting in a bag with no dpn holder on?
Le sigh.
It's just that many other things have been going on in the past two weeks.
I ran the Corporate Cup 5K last thursday in Montpelier, which then required going out for dinner and not getting home until 10:30 at night. That's our "Corporate" Team in Training in front of the Statehouse. There were almost 2000 runners and walkers there. It was a ton of fun, and great to see so many people out and active on a weeknight.
I got my bike back with a new chain and it's like a new bike (the husband also got his first ever road bike and we've been spending some time on the bike paths. Yes there are many in the area. I heart Chittenden COunty)
We also changed the landscaping in front of our condo from perenial beds to more traditional landscaping (ie landscaping the condo landscapers will take of, because apparently they get paid to ignore perennial beds). After hearing an estimate for how much it would cost, we decided to do it ourselves. After a week of back and forth it's done, and I'm still uncertain as to whether the landscaper was just poor at the dealing with the people side of his job or whether he was just having a bad week or whether he just thought communication by ESP is acceptable. In any case, much less work, and much more money later, I will say it does look nice. But I can't wait until I own a home where the only gardening approval I need is my husband's.
I am on week two of tapering for my marathon this Sunday, and despite the lack of running, I seem to be managing to fill the time with other physical activities...which I think I'm not supposed to be doing. Training schedules are for people who run fast anyways :)
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Banishment of Yarn Monsters
My swift has arrived. Yarn monsters are henceforth banished.
I might need a life :)
Not only is this swift amazing and functional and completely collapsible, it's also my first Etsy purchase. And, by the way, fairly cheaper than the other swifts I've been looking at online. Bonus.
I have been knitting, I just have no pictures to show. I cast on the Austermann yarn on the birch dpns for my first socks. However, right now it's only a cuff, so it's not very exciting. And because I am such a fast knitter *snort* I also cast on for my first shawl. I decided on the Juno pattern, and I'm just delving into chart 2 of the Juno pattern on Knitty. Matt picked that pattern as his favorite of the ones I'd been looking at....but I think it's because he is uncomfortable with triangular shawls :) So no pictures of that because while I think it's all very pretty and pink and shawl looking, there is also not much lace to look at yet. There will be more knitting in the future because my marathon training is now officially at the "taper" stage. Which means I don't have to run a lot. And I get to eat lots of pasta. But who am I kidding, I always eat lots of pasta...
I might need a life :)
Not only is this swift amazing and functional and completely collapsible, it's also my first Etsy purchase. And, by the way, fairly cheaper than the other swifts I've been looking at online. Bonus.
I have been knitting, I just have no pictures to show. I cast on the Austermann yarn on the birch dpns for my first socks. However, right now it's only a cuff, so it's not very exciting. And because I am such a fast knitter *snort* I also cast on for my first shawl. I decided on the Juno pattern, and I'm just delving into chart 2 of the Juno pattern on Knitty. Matt picked that pattern as his favorite of the ones I'd been looking at....but I think it's because he is uncomfortable with triangular shawls :) So no pictures of that because while I think it's all very pretty and pink and shawl looking, there is also not much lace to look at yet. There will be more knitting in the future because my marathon training is now officially at the "taper" stage. Which means I don't have to run a lot. And I get to eat lots of pasta. But who am I kidding, I always eat lots of pasta...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Cocoa Swap Package
My Cocoa Swap partner dropped off the face of the earth. This was the first time that's happened to me in a swap. As with others who have been ditched, there was the few weeks where I thought it still might be coming, and I would check the package locker to see if they had a key missing...which might be in my mailbox...I was rather disappointed.
But JoAnn became my angel. She has been in regular contact since she became my angel. First, I got an email saying I would be getting some stitch markers from her friend Mary at Blume's Acessories
Aren't the stitch markers gorgeous? The purple ones are a continuous chain that will be awesome for pattern repeats. The stitch marker wallet has room for 30 stitch markers, and is so much classier than the ziplock bag I've been using :)
Then I got an email Monday morning from JoAnn letting me know that the package was coming in 4-5 days. So it was my surprise when I came home later that same day to a box in the mail for me!
That's two different types of Biscotti, two different types of awesome Ghirardelli hot cocoas (one is double chocolate and one is white mocha, yum), and limited edition Cherry M&Ms (already opened in picture, I just had to try them). JoAnn sent me a Ghirardelli chocolate bar to make the iced chocolate drink recipe on the back, since the weather is now so springy. There might have been an audible squeal of delight when I pulled out Stitch'n Bitch Nation, which I've been wanting. My buddy is a butterfly washcloth, isn't it cute? It will definitely brighten the kitchen sink. And the yarn, of course, gets it's own picture:
Still a bit blurry, despite my best non-shaking efforts, the yarn is Austermann Step. It has Aloe Vera and Jojoba in it. I can't wait to knit with it, and did I mention that it's superwash? Such a lazy laundry doer am I that I heart superwash. JoAnn also gave me gorgeous Brittany dpns. Maybe this will help me get over my inability to choose a first sock pattern. It's self-striping, so I can just make a regular sock :)
Thanks JoAnn! I love everything!
But JoAnn became my angel. She has been in regular contact since she became my angel. First, I got an email saying I would be getting some stitch markers from her friend Mary at Blume's Acessories
Aren't the stitch markers gorgeous? The purple ones are a continuous chain that will be awesome for pattern repeats. The stitch marker wallet has room for 30 stitch markers, and is so much classier than the ziplock bag I've been using :)
Then I got an email Monday morning from JoAnn letting me know that the package was coming in 4-5 days. So it was my surprise when I came home later that same day to a box in the mail for me!
That's two different types of Biscotti, two different types of awesome Ghirardelli hot cocoas (one is double chocolate and one is white mocha, yum), and limited edition Cherry M&Ms (already opened in picture, I just had to try them). JoAnn sent me a Ghirardelli chocolate bar to make the iced chocolate drink recipe on the back, since the weather is now so springy. There might have been an audible squeal of delight when I pulled out Stitch'n Bitch Nation, which I've been wanting. My buddy is a butterfly washcloth, isn't it cute? It will definitely brighten the kitchen sink. And the yarn, of course, gets it's own picture: 
Still a bit blurry, despite my best non-shaking efforts, the yarn is Austermann Step. It has Aloe Vera and Jojoba in it. I can't wait to knit with it, and did I mention that it's superwash? Such a lazy laundry doer am I that I heart superwash. JoAnn also gave me gorgeous Brittany dpns. Maybe this will help me get over my inability to choose a first sock pattern. It's self-striping, so I can just make a regular sock :)Thanks JoAnn! I love everything!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Hey look! It's a yarn monster!
Here's what I've been doing for the past week instead of any knitting: 
That's right, I'm now on day 7 of turning this yarn monster slooooooooowly into a ball. Emphasis on slowly. I've even had Matt helping me. It all started out so innocent, looking like a simple skein to unwind, and then 2 hours later I had a little bitty ball and a half-knotted pile 'o' yarn.
I'm in a ravelry group called Dash for Stash. I've ran enough miles to get this. However, 950 meters (that's more than a half a mile of yarn people!) of single ply lace weight merino has been making me crave this.
I have quite a few more miles to run before this reward...but I could get just a swift...
That's right, I'm now on day 7 of turning this yarn monster slooooooooowly into a ball. Emphasis on slowly. I've even had Matt helping me. It all started out so innocent, looking like a simple skein to unwind, and then 2 hours later I had a little bitty ball and a half-knotted pile 'o' yarn. 
I'm in a ravelry group called Dash for Stash. I've ran enough miles to get this. However, 950 meters (that's more than a half a mile of yarn people!) of single ply lace weight merino has been making me crave this.
I have quite a few more miles to run before this reward...but I could get just a swift...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Life's To Do List
I saw this on Yea I Knit and I thought it was interesting.
It makes me wonder two things:
1. I need to make fried green tomatoes this summer.
2. How did I manage to go through 4 years as an animal science major and not milk a cow?????
Life’s To Do List
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 10 provinces
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends (had? still have!)
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow (does milking a rabbit count?...yeah...)
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone’s life
It makes me wonder two things:
1. I need to make fried green tomatoes this summer.
2. How did I manage to go through 4 years as an animal science major and not milk a cow?????
Life’s To Do List
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 10 provinces
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends (had? still have!)
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow (does milking a rabbit count?...yeah...)
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone’s life
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