Best laid plans

I had another great run yesterday at lunchtime, but it's rest today and I think that's probably a good thing since my knees are aching just a little bit.  Of course, the high high heels don't help that but one must suffer for beauty, right?  I had noticed on Monday that my apartment wasn't as far away from the bus transfer spot as I had originally thought.  Using my map on the iPhone I saw that it was only a mile to my apartment, so rather than wait for the bus and since it was a lovely afternoon I walked home yesterday.  This means that it is only 1.4 miles from my apartment to the shore of Green Lake!  That is an easy walk and something that Tink and I can do in less than half an hour on the weekend!  It'll be great.  I don't know why or how I got so confused about distance.  It still doesn't mean that I can bike to work.  Oh the distance isn't bad nor are the hills, but it is all on busy city streets and some of them quite narrow.  It's not safe.  And getting my bike in and out of the apartment and up and down the elevator -- a huge hassle.  I may do it now and again this summer but I am not going to be doing it regularly until I can get moved and into a place near the trail.

My big plans for doing laundry went out the window yesterday.  After I got home and walked Tinkerbell I went into the lobby of the apartment complex to purchase a laundry card.  This is all new to me. How it works is that you purchase a card from one machine and then use the second machine to add value to the card and then in the laundry room you insert it into the machine you want to use and it deducts the cost of the wash or dry.  Fine.  I put in my $20 bill and .... nothing.  Okay, maybe it doesn't like the bill.  I try a second and same thing.  Very frustrating and also the directions are in Spanish, which I don't read very well, so I didn't understand what was going on.  I got one of the managers to come help me (heavy sighs on her part as if I were a moron) and she took my bill, put it in and .... oh what is that?  Won't work for you either??  Supposedly the machine had been serviced and it no longer took any bill larger than a $5.  So no laundry for me and I'll give it another go tonight.

With my apartment all tidy, with the exception of my pictures and mirrors that need to be hung [and that mess is driving me crazy] all I had to do was ... well, nothing.  Slowly I am feeling more and more like I am coming back together.  Still not ready to start my strength training, but that's okay.  I had a nice comfy evening catching up on some shows I missed and just enjoying the quiet and calm.  Tink got another nice long walk before bed and I settled in for a nice long read.  Pretty soon I'm going to have to pick up my knitting or find some other things to do, but frankly I feel like I've been through a war and it is just so nice to just BE.  I'll get bored of it sooner rather than later but truly I am enjoying the feeling of becoming Shelley again, if that makes any sense.

I didn't even get the Cloisonne Jacket blocked.  I don't have any clean towels.  I bought a few new ones, not wanting to take anything but Tink's doggie towel from that house.  I need a couple of towels to pin the parts out on since I don't have an extra bed anymore.  Perhaps I should bite the bullet and order those blocking pads from KnitPicks.  I grabbed the sleeves of the Tepotzlan for noon knitting today.  Might as well wade right into that mess and get it done.

Thankfully the weather has been nice, sunny and not too cold.  It is very springlike here.  As I was walking Tink last night I passed a pond and I could hear the frogs croaking.  Nice.  It is supposed to get raining this weekend.

Good intentions

I have come up with a rather ambitious workout regimen along with diet modification to get rid of this winter weight as soon as possible.  Plus, since I am not riding my bike to work I need to make up for that.  My plan is that I run for an hour each weekday lunch except Wednesday (noon knitting cannot be missed) and then when I get home do 30 minutes or more of strength training.   I did have an awesome run yesterday but I was so tired when I got home that I could barely get Tink walked.  And I still had a few more things to get put away, which I did.   I worked so long and hard from last Wednesday on through Sunday that I think it's going to take me another few days before I will be caught up and ready to add the second component.  Especially if I don't quit having unpacking dreams!  I only woke up once last night and went right back to sleep, but I think that during the second half of the night I must have had the dream.  I kept finding more and more boxes that needed unpacking!  It was a nightmare.

I am so very grateful that my apartment is quiet.  The only bad thing I've found so far is that my front door is next to the hall door so whenever anyone on my floor goes out to do laundry or take the elevator the door slams and it's quite loud.  My bedroom is nice and quiet with the exception of the traffic noise from the freeway.  What I might do is try to mask it with white noise from a humidifier, because it is a little bothersome with the window open except in the middle of the night when there is no traffic.

After doing a final bit of tidying and stowing yesterday evening I quite simply relaxed, watched some TV, took Tinkerbell for a second longer pre-bed walk and then settled in with a book.  Unfortunately I don't know where I put the books I had on my bedside table -- I managed to find one, but not one I had already started.  I have 5 bookcases to go through so rather than do that I just started another. 

I keep forgetting to post this link.  A friend of mine sent this to me and it is just wonderful.  Steven Fry was given the Harvard Humanists Lifetime Achievement Award and this is his acceptance speech. 

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZxe_Y2ZOKQ&feature=related


Big plans tonight.  I am going to try out the laundry and, hopefully, soak and block the pieces of the Cloisonne Jacket. I miss that gorgeous washer and dryer I bought but oh well, small price to pay.  I'll get another soon enough and in the meantime I can make do with the sink for soaking and blocking.

Apartment house living

It was a long, hard weekend.  I  hate clutter and crave order so I had my work cut out for me.  Two days to get the apartment unpacked and comfortable.  Thank goodness a girlfriend came to help me unpack on Saturday.  All I could  manage Friday night was getting my bed made and finding my toothbrush.  I had thought I would be able to go get a shower curtain and a few other necessities after the movers left, but since they took 9 hours to complete the move I had to make do with a bath.  And when I say "make do" ... I didn't realize that the plug in the tub was slowly leaking water for a few minutes.  I couldn't get enough depth for a really satisfying bath, but it worked okay.   And I slept like a log.

It was sunny on Saturday and I woke up early and got moving.  First took Tinkerbell for a nice walk and then started trying to bring order to chaos.  A quick run to Target for a few essentials (shower curtain, etc.) and then started unpacking.  One last (I hope) disservice done to me by Mr. M -- I took a television, my surround sound receiver and two speakers and my Wii and I ordered cable service and had them set to come on Saturday to hook me up.   I don't know a thing about hooking up electronics and as he was trying to tell me what goes where I said, "Oh I'll just have the cable guy do it for me".  And Mr. M told me that they wouldn't do anything but plug in the cable box.  I thought that was BS because I have had them do adjustments for me in the past, but it was enough to make me nervous.  So I was worried about it.   I got all of the components together and all of the cords laid out neatly and sure enough, when he came in he hooked everything up as well as the Wii and showed me that I needed another cord to get the stereo speakers working for the television when it goes through the cable box but the Wii goes through the speakers.  What a sweetie.  I haven't yet tried out the Wii or gotten around to getting the cord, but I can watch TV.

After my friend left I went out for a few little groceries - I was beat.  I watched a little TV, took Tink down for one last potty run and I was out like a light around 10.  Sunday was a repeat - unpack unpack unpack but I am THAT close to having everything done and it's looking like a home.  I have a few more details to handle tonight and then next weekend my friend will come over again and help me hang my art.  Then it will be perfect.

I hate the smell of the place.  It must be a combination of fresh paint and carpet cleaner.  I love the incense from L'Occitaine but they have discontinued it, so I use it very rarely.  Last night I burned one stick trying to get that other smell out of there.  No dice.  It will take time.

I am a little worried about leaving Tink for so long.  I gave her a nice walk before I headed for the bus but still it was 7:10 when I put her in the apartment and even if I leave here a little early and get home around 5, that will be 10 hours for her without a potty break.  I did order a ... well, it's kind of like a cat box for dogs.  But it hasn't arrived yet.  And until it does I think I'm just going to have to leave early so she doesn't suffer or make a mess on the carpet.  Otherwise she's doing fine there.  She already knows her way around and she's good about getting her business done when I take her out.  It's not convenient for me, being on the top floor, but at least I don't have anyone thumping around over me and I only have one wall that is next to another apartment and it's my office, so I don't hear my neighbors.  That's important to me. It's going to be a long time before I get my money back from Mr. M so I had better be comfortable.

And I haven't touched my knitting.  That is going to be another few days.  I did finish the sleeves of the Cloisonne Jacket so next it blocking the sleeves and body, putting them together and then picking up stitches for the collar.  I probably won't get around to it until the weekend.

This is going to be a heck of a week in many ways.  I'd better get on with it.

Wow

I am SO glad this day is nearly over. The movers came at noon and left my new place at 9 pm! I am just now, at 10 o'clock, sitting down with a sandwich. I hadn't eaten all day. I severely under estimated the time it would take. I thought I would have time to do some shopping, put some things away. Nope. At least I have the rest of the weekend to get this place in shape.

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One more day

I ache from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. I have been working solid since 9 this morning. Thankfully a girlfriend came over and helped for a couple hours. I didn't even stop for lunch. But I am done now. Time for a martini!


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Want to feel pathetic?

I have the perfect way. Just spend a day packing and moving by yourself. Guaranteed to make you feel really really bad. Friday night should feel great.


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Talk about detective work!

A few lifetimes ago (and a few name changes ago) I belonged to AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Actors).  I was doing radio and TV commercials and one needs to belong to the union to do that.  Yesterday I got a piece of mail from them, addressed to me using my maiden name!  Incredible.  I last used that name when I was 27.  That just is amazing to me that they were able to track me down after 3 name changes.  It's easier now than it might have been 20 years ago, but still pretty amazing.

When I first started listening to audio books I had downloaded a Flashman book on the advice of a friend and I couldn't finish listening to it because I hated the narration so much.  I wish I had remembered his name because I downloaded a book last week and he's the narrator.  He's not nearly as annoying in this book as he was in the other, but still I really hate how he does the voices of women.  He just comes off sounding like a very gay man.  I am liking the story though so I will finish it.

I woke up at 4 this morning and wasn't able to get back to sleep so I am just dizzy this morning.  I'm taking the rest of the week off to pack and move, so I can sleep in a little bit tomorrow.  I'm going to need all my strength.

No place to go but up

The weekend was just as terrible as I had suspected it was going to be.  I had some news I had to deliver and although I had wanted to wait until Sunday to drop the bomb, I had to do it Saturday morning instead.  Tinkerbell and I are moving this Friday.  This news was received with much wailing and gnashing of teeth.  I felt like a weight had been lifted, but there is still a long week to get through.  And how do I feel?  I feel positive about getting my life back, hopeful that I might once again be happy and not dread getting up every morning or going home every night.  I'm a little scared but I'm sure that will go away soon enough.  I'm proud of myself for finally having the courage to take the steps necessary, and I feel angry that I made such a stupid stupid mistake in the first place.  In high school I had a band teacher that was the first person I heard say, "If you're going to make a mistake, make a big one!"  That has always translated to me as living fearlessly.  Not carelessly or thoughtlessly but .. perhaps with abandon.  If you're afraid to make mistakes you're not going to live a very full life, are you?  So this is me living. 

The apartment is a compromise that I didn't want to make, but it's going to be a while before the entire mess is untangled and I can purchase my own place so, because of budget limitations, I had to chose either proximity or space.  I want all of my things with me - my books and furniture and art., and of course my dog.  All of the apartments I saw near enough to bike to work were just too tiny.  But I found a nice large 2 bedroom apartment, not too far out but too far to bike.  So for the next year or so I will be a bus rider and just suck it up until I can move again.

And through all the commotion I did get a good bit of knitting done on the sleeves.  I am now doing the sleeve cap shaping.  Maybe I can finish it up this week.  It is going to be a challenging week, that is for sure.

Bacon

You know how sometimes when you wake up you are right in the middle of a dream and the last line or two says with you for a while?  I don't know what I was dreaming about but this is what I remember.

Guy 1:  "You better hope they don't get any fingerprints off that bacon"!
Guy 2: "Dude.  You can't get fingerprints off bacon".

What in the world was I dreaming about???  Yes yes, bacon, obviously.  But something else was going on there and I can't put it back together.

Yesterday was a colossal waste of time.  I thought I had an appointment at 10 am.  When that happens I will work from home rather than go in and then turn right around and leave again.  So I got up and did a little work, got ready for my appointment and remembered that it wasn't until 1:45.  Sooooo ... I could have gone into the office after all but oh well.  Then at noon my appointment is canceled.  Mind you, if *I* want to cancel an appointment he needs 48 hours in advance.  I guess it doesn't work both ways.  I suppose it would have been a bigger waste if time if I had driven in to work and left and then come back.  It could have been worse.  But it was rather annoying.   I did get some work done but ... well, truth be told I'm a bit scattered of late so it doesn't make much difference now, does it?  The good news is that by this time next week things should be a million times better.  No, make that a billion times better.  I just have to get through the weekend.

There was no running yesterday either, although I did manage to get Tink walked in between rain storms.  It has finally stopped raining and blowing.  I should be able to get a really good run in this afternoon.

The sleeves of the Cloisonne Jacket are zooming right along.  I am on the decreases then will come the long, boring main part of the sleeve.  This is going to be a very pretty jacket.

That particular system works

I did buy the Adele 21 album on iTunes yesterday and it was directly because I had heard the song on the radio that morning.  I don't like to think I'm that easy, that suggestible.  I guess I shouldn't be broadcasting that type of information.

I got half of the lace portion of the sleeves done last night before I put the knitting down to finish making dinner and watch a little TV.  At noon today I may be able to finish the lace.  I have a meeting downtown at 1:30 so I won't be able to knit for the entire hour.  I should be starting with the main color tonight.  Depending on a number things -- I am not sure how my weekend is going to end up -- I may have lots of time for knitting or none at all.  I would just like to get this thing finished while it's still cool enough to wear.  Well, it is a jacket so I suppose I will be able to wear it in the spring.

I've been thinking about Doug and my band lately.  I know he was involved in getting his son and kids settled in his house but that has been more than two months.  I should give him a call this weekend and see what's up.  All that time we spent rehearsing and doing one gig -- doesn't seem a very effective use of time, does it?

No running today and I think that's fine.  Yesterday my foot started hurting about 45 minutes in so I walked most of the last 15 minutes.  For the second day in a row I have beaten my previous 5K speed and I think that's good.  I don't want to injure myself so even though I wanted to run the whole hour yesterday .....  I am pretty sore today as well.  I like that, although it makes it difficult to walk downstairs.

I need to dig up my diplomatic hat this morning.  I have a tough meeting coming up.  I am not very good at diplomacy.  Not very good at all.

Ahead of schedule

I was sure I was going to have a rough time of it yesterday when I went out for my run.  On the contrary, I had a super awesome hour!  And while I'm still not quite up to speed I did go over 4 miles in that hour.  My average pace was just over an 11 minute mile.  When I race the best I've done is around 10 1/2 minute miles.  This spring/summer I would really like to get it down to 10 minute miles.  But for training and every day purposes, I am quite happy with 11 minute miles.  Of course, as I said, that was just the average because I did walk a couple of times.  Today I'm going to try to run the entire hour with no walk breaks.  It is misty outside and I always run better in the rain for some reason.  Unless it's pouring.  I won't be able to run tomorrow due to meetings and such, but I should be able to do it again on Thursday.

And I was on a roll yesterday.  I got home and sat down to finish up the body of the Cloisonne Jacket.  I did that AND cast on for the sleeves.  Unfortunately I didn't read the directions all the way through and ended up having to re-cast on one sleeve.  So they are cast on and ready to go.  Tonight I'll get at least a portion of the lace done.  I've decided to do them flat.  Hope I don't regret it.

Adele has a new album out and on the radio this morning they played the Cure song that she covers, 'Lovesong'.  It's beautiful.  I haven't purchased an album on iTunes for a long while but I think I'll buy this one.

Maybe next year

It doesn't look like I'm going to be ready for the St. Paddy's Day Dash.  I was very sore on Friday and it didn't get any better as the morning wore on.  I went out at lunchtime for an hour but mostly walked.  I feel perfectly fine today and plan on running for an hour but I won't be ready for the race.  That's okay.  I'd rather be injury free and run in some race in April.  There's bound to be one.

It was a busy weekend, as I had anticipated.  Tink was at the groomer for most all of the afternoon on Saturday so I took care of chores and knit.  I have finished up both sides of the jacket and am now on the back.  I have about 10 rows of plain knitting left at the back, then shoulder and neck shaping for a few rows.  If I put my mind to it I could probably finish it up tonight, or tomorrow at the very least.  I want to plan on casting on for the sleeves on Wednesday and get this albatross off from around my neck!

Speaking of albatrosses ...the current audio book I am listening to is painful at times.  The only reason I am keeping on with it is that there is a secondary plot line that is interesting and historical.  Otherwise it is a not very thinly disguised Christian tract.  If I were reading the book I could easily skip the preaching.  However, it is a lot more difficult when listening on an iPhone.  I can go back in 30 second increments but to advance forward you have to scrub.  I don't want to miss the good parts of the story so I endure.  I think there's only about an hour left.  I shall do my best to avoid this in the future.

The birds were quite noisy this morning.  It's is going to be milder at night this week and maybe, just maybe I will be able to ride my bike.  I should check the tire pressure tonight.

What shall we call it? Accident prone or clumsy?

My head aches this morning.  I suspect it is directly related to hitting it on the deck.  Last night Tink needed to go out.  He tummy was upset.  Earlier in the day it had hailed like crazy, then rained and at 2 am it was very cold.  I let her out for 10 minutes or so and then stepped out onto the deck to get her to come in.  The deck was very slippery and I was sleepy so I didn't even notice.  As soon as I took a step both feet came out from under me and I landed first on my bottom and then fell back and hit my head.  I must have braced myself with my right arm because my shoulder was sore this morning.  I don't have a bump on my head but as the morning wears on my back and neck are getting sore.  I feel like an idiot.  An achy idiot.

After working yesterday I did a few more rows on the Cloisonne Jacket.  I think maybe one more inch and I'll be starting the sides and underarm decreases.  I am excited to start on the sleeves.  I shall do them two at a time.  I haven't decided yet if I'll do them in the round or flat.  I am inclined to do them in the round, of course.

I would like to run this lunchtime.  I know I've been saying that all week and I mean it.  I think even if my back is sore I will at least walk, unless it's precipitating.

Big plans for this weekend.  Big goals, anyway. 

Cloisonne Jacket color work finished!

It has taken months and months and months to complete these forty rows.  Of course I only did one or two rows a week because I knew it would languish at home.  That way I had a chore to do every Wednesday afternoon.  I am very very happy with how it turned out and I am sure now this will be completed very soon.  I pinned it out so the pattern shows.  It is very difficult to see the pattern when you're working on it.  This picture really does it justice.  The colors show perfectly on my monitor.  By the time it is finished it will be too warm to wear I imagine, but I will certainly wear it as soon as I can.  And as for color work -- I love the way it looks but I will never ever ever EVER do it flat again.  Ever.

I had an appointment this morning and now I'm working the rest of the day from home.  And it's time for lunch.

Sticky songs

While I was away this last weekend I went into a shop that had some horrible background music and one of the songs stuck in my head.  It was that Kenny Loggins song "House at Pooh Corner".  TERRIBLE song.  And yet it kept playing and playing.  I managed to banish it on Sunday, finally.  But now I have a Shawn Colvin song, "Monopoly" is what it's called.  It's a beautiful song, but oh so sad.  I wish there was a  product like TuneUp to clean all the sad songs off my iPod. 

I tried to run yesterday but it was raining too hard and I just turned around and came back.  I can't run today because of noon knitting so no matter what, I must run tomorrow or I will surely go mad.  Not to mention I need the exercise.  I don't like how I  look these days.

And no knitting again last night.  I don't know what's gotten into me!  I am going to take my Cloisonne Jacket home with me tonight.  I only have about 3 more rows of color work to do, then it's smooth sailing and maybe that will get me out of my slump.  It's not just boring stockinette.  There will be shaping and the lace to do on the sleeves. 

Early meeting this morning.  Time for one more cup of tea.

Coming in like a lion

After having that little bit of fake spring a few weeks ago, we are now back to our regular terrible weather.  The snow is gone but the clouds, wind, rain and low temperatures are going to be here for a while.  I can't even remember the last time I rode my bike in to work.  It has been weeks.  I just refuse to bike in this nasty stormy weather.  It's just too far for that.  I also skipped running yesterday but I must go today so let's keep our fingers crossed for mere sprinkles rather than the downpour of this morning.

I finished my second Kate Atkinson audio book while driving home Sunday.  Titled "Case Histories", it is the first of 3 books she has written with the same protagonist.  The first one I listened to was the 3rd in the series and I enjoyed it so that's why I got the first one.  It was good but I kept noticing that the author used more than a few odd ... conventions I guess is what you could call them.  For example in both books there was a dog and she chose to name it Poppy in both books.  Different dog.  Different owners.  Why would she use the same name?  Also, in both books there was a character enamored of etymology.  Again, not the same character.  Well there were lots of things like that.  I am tempted to get the 2nd book to have a listen and see if she's done it in all three.

The one I am listening to now may be a bust.  The jury is still out but I can say for sure that the narrator hasn't grabbed me yet and the story ... it could be a little trite.  I can't remember why I chose the book.  I suppose because the description caught my interest.   I'll give it a bit more of a listen when I run this afternoon.

My knitting slump continues.  I watched a stupid movie in bed last night rather than sit up and knit or do something else constructive.  Maybe it's just me in the slump.

My little adventure

So far nobody seems to have a definitive answer to the prat/wanker debate.  It could be that it's just a matter of opinion.  The polling is still open.

Tink and I got on the road Friday afternoon and headed south.  The freeway remained clear and (mostly) dry all the way down, although when we stopped in Olympia to get gas there was quite a bit of snow still on the ground there.  And it was very cold.  I forgot about the little coastal mountain pass and was a little anxious as we headed into it since the clouds had come in and it was snowing but, again we were lucky and the roads remained clear.  We made it to the hotel by 4 o'clock and the sky had cleared as we got to the coast.  Luckily I was able to upgrade to a pet friendly room with a view.  There was time to take a nice walk before the sun went down.  I am regretting not taking a picture of the sunset Friday night.  I assumed that I'd get another chance on Saturday, but it was just stormy and gray.  No sunset colors.

Saturday I drove further south to Cannon Beach.  I just love that place and it was just as I remembered when Kelli and I went down 5 or six years ago.  I found the hotel we had stayed in and I was hoping to have lunch at the French cafe but it had closed.  Back we went to Seaside and walked around there as well.  And it was packed with people!  I knew that there was a Dixieland band convention since I had seen signs for it and the hotel I was staying in was packed with old folks.  What I was seeing on the streets Saturday afternoon was packs of teenagers.  I later found out there was a basketball tournament there. 

After our long walk in Cannon Beach and another long walk at Seaside I took Tink back to the hotel and went out for lunch, then went looking for an ATM.  I found one and was about to go into the building when I read a sign saying to use a different door because of the wind.  I did as I was told and opened a sliding door and caught my finger.  I mean .... wow!  Ouch!  When I took off my glove to take a look at the finger it looked as if I had broken the nail bed and I was totally freaked out.   It looked bad, so I did the most logical thing and got directions to the urgent care clinic.  When I got in to see the doctor and took off the bandage I had put on there she said, "Oh, that's not bad.  Take a look".  I am squeamish and I wasn't looking at it and I said "Didn't I break the nail bed"?  "It's not bad", she said.  "I didn't break the nail bed?"  And then I looked and indeed it wasn't bad.  I mean, again it is a matter of opinion.  It was seriously scraped but I had NOT broken the nail bed.  It was the piece of skin that had been scraped and was laying across the nail bed when I put the bandage on.  Whew.  It was very sore but she put some surgical glue on it and that's that.  Unfortunately it was too sore to do much knitting.  I tried but ... oh well.

Sunday it was stormy outside.  I took Tink for a little walk before breakfast, thinking we would have a nice long one on the beach before taking off for Seattle but when I checked out of the hotel the rain was coming down in buckets AND blowing sideways.  No walkies for us.  Just a long and stormy ride home.  I listened to my audio book and it lasted all the way home.

I MUST finish up those sleeves this week.  Then I hope I can get some knitting mojo back.  It seems I don't like anything I am working on right now.  Maybe when I get the stranded work done on the Cloisonne Jacket I'll be excited about it again.  It is quite pretty.

Prat or wanker?

I know I have asked this before? But which is more derogatory?



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And escape we shall!

Thank goodness the weather cooperated and the roads are clear, so Tink and I are heading south after lunch to the Oregon coast for the weekend.  It's going to be great!  It might even snow there, which would be awesome.  Snow at the ocean.  I am going to walk on the beach and eat clam chowder and just be.  I brought a book and some knitting and, of course, my iPhone is loaded up with movies and TV, plus I can get Netflix movies on my iPhone as well.   I won't be bored, that's for sure.  I couldn't remember the name of the hotel my sister and I stayed in the time we visited Cannon Beach and the ones that came up on the search were either WAY too expensive or didn't accept pets, so I chose Seaside and got a place on the beach.  Unfortunately they didn't have any pet friendly rooms available with a view of the beach but that's okay.  I'll ask again when I check in.  Maybe someone canceled. 

It was snowing at lunchtime yesterday so I didn't end up running.  It is extremely cold today and I'm not going to run before we get on the road.  I'll have to double my efforts next week.  And/or do some running this weekend.  I'll bring my running clothes with me just in case I get the urge.

I feel good today.  Maybe it's the abundant sunshine.  More likely it's the sense of impending freedom.  AND the sunshine.

As usual, much ado about nothing

It started precipitating while I was getting my hair done yesterday evening.  It was hailing and then lightly snowing when I actually left, but the roads remained clear.  It did snow a bit during the night but when I got ready to leave for my appointment this morning the roads were clear.  It is very cold, below freezing, and as I was walking in from the parking garage it started to snow little tiny flakes.  But it is my opinion that there is not going to be much of an accumulation and I will be able to go to the shore tomorrow with Tink.  Yay!!!!  I will make reservations today for Cannon Beach.   If I can't find anything reasonable there I will stop at Seaside instead.  I like Cannon Beach better but it is only about 11 miles from Seaside so we will be able to go there as well.  Tink loves the beach.  It is going to be cold but it will be very nice to get away by myself.  I can certainly put up with a little bit of cold.

I really really want to run but I am not crazy (truly, I am not) and if it is still snowing in 30 minutes I will just forget about it.  Running in the snow is just a bit over the top.  I worked on my boring project last night.  I need to concentrate on finishing up those sleeves so I can put the ugly thing together and forget about it!  I will take them with me this weekend.  It is perfect knitting for a weekend away.  I can drink wine and not worry about  messing it up since it's just stockinette. 

Pink gloves 2

I wasn't the only one surprised by the arrival of the pink gloves yesterday.  I called my sister after I had opened the envelope, thinking that she had somehow gotten in touch with a work colleague in London and talked them in to doing her the favor.  She said she would have liked to take the credit but could not, in good conscience.

I woke up at 4:20 am.  I was sure I could get back to sleep but I didn't.  It's probably a good think I don't have a comfy chair or couch in this office (not that there's any room for one) because I would surely close the door and settle in for a nap.

I had a SUPER good run yesterday afternoon.  It started sleeting one mile into it but it was not so bad and I finished up my whole hour.  If I can get another one or two runs in this week and do 3 or 4 next week I should be able to run the race in March.  I guess it just depends on the weather.  We are supposed to be getting more snow today.  There wasn't any on the roads here but a little ways north they are closing schools.  I had to drive today because I have an appointment after work and I must drive tomorrow because I have an appointment in the morning, so I am hoping we don't get much, if any.  The media always make such a fuss about snow and usually it is a tempest in a teapot.  What I am really worried about is Friday because I am planning on taking Tinkerbell and escaping to the Oregon coast for the weekend.  If the roads are bad that will hamper my escape.  So fingers crossed people!

Noon knitting today.  I am getting very close to finishing up the stranded work on the Cloisonne Jacket.  And oh I am going to celebrate when that is done.  Plus everyone is getting darned tired of looking at it as well.  Peggy  keeps telling me to take it home and work on it, but if I did that I'd put it in a basket and never take it out.  This way it is going to get done.  Slowly.  But done.

Pink gloves!!!

I don't know whether to laugh or cry so I am doing a little of both.  No, not true but never mind.  I was completely astonished when I opened the envelope.  They are just beautiful!  Thank goodness they didn't arrive on Valentine's Day or I would have been in bits for hours.  As it is ....  Thank you so much, Mystery Shopper.

The very picture of sloth

I did as I said I would and slept and slept and slept some more during the long weekend.  It was wonderful to not be sleep deprived.  I did wake up, but knowing that I didn't have the alarm going off at 6:15 somehow made it easier for me to get back to sleep.  The weather was not too bad - it was cold but not wet.  Tinkerbell got loooong walks all three days and I spread my errands and chores out so every day I had a good amount of time to just knit and listen to my audiobooks or play scrabble or whatever.  At one point on Sunday I was sprawled on the couch listening to my audiobook, not even knitting because my arm was bit sore from the purling and I was thinking how lazy is this?  I am not even reading a book, just listening to it!  I finished it up yesterday afternoon.  Another good narrator.  The book was set in Scotland.  Here's an odd coincidence - the two books I had listened to prior to this last one, "Skippy Dies" and "Dead Ex" both had young boys fascinated with string theory and M theory.  I had heard of string theory but never M theory and here it was referenced in two disparate novels.

There was snow on the car windows and in the garden.  It must have gotten very cold last night.  It is only 36 now.  It is supposed to remain very cold this week.  It's sunny though so fingers crossed it stays that way since I have to drive in tomorrow and Thursday.

Lots to do this week.  I shall get cracking.

Wow!!

Look at that moon!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Furnace woes

I spent yesterday afternoon working from home, waiting for the repairman to arrive.  And it was cold!  I finally took my laptop downstairs and sat next to the gas fireplace.  Thank goodness for that thing!  And drinking cup after cup of peppermint tea to keep my hands warm.  Of course something like this has to happen when we are having another cold snap, right?  He finally arrive around 6 pm!!  And he worked and worked on it.  Turns out it isn't the strike place .. or heat plate or whatever.  The bottom line is that he couldn't fix it and needs to come back today.  The gas fireplace ran all night and actually kept the place comfortable.  But still, I sure hope he can fix it today.

I simply couldn't face another evening working on that boring project so, against my own rules, I picked up the Frock Camisole and started working on that again.  I am not loving the linen since it falls out/off the skeins and I have to keep each ball in a zip lock.  I am loving the fabric though.  And I understand that when one washes linen it becomes very soft.

A long weekend is coming up.  Monday is President's Day.  Right now all I want to do is sleep.  I plan on doing a lot of that this weekend and not much else.

Little steps, but steps all the same

I had an appointment this morning so rather than go into work and have to turn right around and leave again I decided to go from here so I got to sleep in a little bit.  That felt good.  It did not feel good to get up though because the furnace has broken again.  I believe that when the guy fixed it last time he replaced the plate with a used one.  Because Mr. M had an install I came home after my appointment and now I'm sitting in a cold house drinking hot peppermint tea trying to stay warm.  The gas fireplace downstairs doesn't do much unless one is standing right in front of it.  Thankfully it's not all that cold outside.  The really cold weather that has been predicted all week has yet to show up.  Crazy.

Still nothing exciting knitting wise.  Just plugging away on that stockinette disaster.  It keeps my hands busy.  My mind is always racing these days.  Every night I just hope that I don't wake up and when I do ... because invariably I do ... I hope that it's early enough that I can pop a Benedryl.  Otherwise I start thinking about things and then I'm toast.   Every day moves me a step closer to untangling this mess.  That keeps me going, knowing that it WILL get untangled and now, sooner rather than later.  I have one big hurdle to get over and then things should move a little more quickly and smoothly.  Or at least that is my fervent hope.

Why do I even bother to read it?!!???

The weather reports.  Useless!  Of course you know that.  Everyone knows that, it seems, except me.  Yesterday I took the bus because it was supposed to be stormy again but it was clear when I left.  Sure enough it did start raining, hard, just about the time I was ready to have my run.  I waited until I was just too hungry for lunch, ate it and then it cleared up.  grrrrr ...  It got bad again during the night and it was supposed to be showers this morning turning to hard rain in the afternoon.   So rather than take care of my bike tires last night I figured there would be no way I would be biking this morning.  Come morning I look out - no rain. No wind.  Oh I am just kicking myself!!  I can't run today because of knitting at noon.  I need my endorphins!  I have to drive in tomorrow because I've got an appointment in the morning so I am going to keep my fingers crossed that I will be able to run tomorrow because if I don't ... I'm going to go crazy.  Or crazier, I should say.  Since I don't seem to be able to sleep much these days, I am feeling very crazy. 

I just realized that I have a long weekend coming up.  I don't have any plans, obviously, because I had forgotten all about it.  Unfortunately Mr. M has no shows this weekend.    I need some time alone.  Alas, that's not going to happen.

I was looking for a book to read last night before sleep.  Like most people I keep a stack of books by  my bed.  I have two there that I have started and  I always try to finish a book once I've started it but, sometimes I just need to start a new one.  That was last night.  I went through the books and got to the bottom of the pile where I found a book that my sister had given me on one of  her visits.  She typically buys a book at the airport when she travels and this was one of those.  This edition came out after the movie so the actresses are in character on the cover.  The title ... I'm blanking ...ah!  The Hours.  The movie is most famous for Nicole Kidman's big fake nose.  I read a few chapters before I went to sleep.  I think I will like it.

The Tepotzlan is booooring still.  I did a few inches on the sleeves.  Gosh all this time I have coming up this weekend.  I sure wish I had a fun project to knit on.  Maybe I will give myself dispensation to work on a more exciting project.  Not start a new one -- no no no.  But at least have something with interest to work on.  Maybe.

Public Transport Tuesday

The La Nina weather has kicked in with a vengeance.  I didn't have a run yesterday because it was lashing rain and windy and I wasn't into going out there and getting soaked.   And that's too bad because it was stuffy and hot in my office even with the fan going full blast.  I was sitting at my desk in a sleeveless tunic!  Oh how I hate this office!!  I had to walk Tink when I got home and the rain, which had slacked of some, started up again in earnest.  We were only out for a few minutes but by the time I got home I was completely soaked!  My pants, my socks, my hair was dripping because I hadn't tucked it up under my hat.  Thankfully I had a new raincoat on so my upper body stayed dry.  What a mess.  And it was going on most of the night as well. 

This morning it is calm but I don't trust the weather so I decided it would be better to take the bus.  I didn't want to chance having to bike home in the wind and pouring rain.  That is no fun at all.   I am hoping the rain will hold off a bit so I can at least get in a half hour run today.  It's a month away from the race I want to run in March and I've got to get serious about training. 

I cast on for the sleeves of the Tepotzlan last night after dinner.  Frankly I am not loving this project but I am determined to finish it and so I am soldiering on with a set jaw.  I WILL finish it and soon, I hope.

I spent all of yesterday afternoon struggling with another programming problem.  I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Happy V-day to .......

YOU!

Oh how I miss football.  I really felt it this Sunday.  That special void.  All this time on my hands.  I could have been doing something constructive but I just lay on the couch with Tink playing with my iPhone.  How pathetic is that?  I could have been knitting or reading, but no.  Of course there's still this bad mood I'm dealing with as well.

I don't know how I did it -- well probably because I don't typically watch the Science Channel, but I completely missed the first run of  "An Idiot Abroad".  In case you don't know what it is, it's a show by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant where they send their little pal Karl Pilkington off to see the 7 wonders of the world.  Hilarious.  I'm now trying to catch up by recording the re-runs on the Science Channel.  And while I've set my DVR to record all new episodes it's not doing it so I'm getting two and three recordings of one episode and so I've only seen 3 out of the 8 episodes.  I think I might try to buy them for my iPhone because it's very frustrating seeing I've got a new recording and then finding out it's one I've already seen twice.

Well I've got lots of work to do today.  I might take a few minutes on my run to remember my most special Valentine's Day.  I like to dust off that memory now and again.  xoxox

The year of the flu

It seems that every time I turn around I've got some little bug or another.  It's very annoying.  Likely stress-related AND annoying.  This time it's that ache-all-over thing.  I went to bed early Wednesday and this is the first time I've felt anywhere near normal.  ick ick ick  And it was SO beautiful yesterday.  What a waste.  Well it's not nice today.  Cloudy and cold.  Typical Seattle.  I did notice the tulips are starting to come up in the yard.  Hope we don't get a big freeze this month.

So no knitting.  Tomorrow I'm going to take my friend McG's sister to my LYS.  She has been knitting - just winging it and doing great.  But the only "yarn store" she's been in is JoAnn's!!  Holy cow.  She's never knit with anything but synthetic fibers.  She's going to go crazy at Weaving Works.  Plus she doesn't know about gauge, so we're going to get her a little gauge measuring do-dad. 

Working in flannel

Ah yes, working from home today.  Just finished doing a bit of work, then a quick shower.  I love being able to sleep in until nearly 8, turning on the computer and being at work.   Plus the sunshine of course.  It is another cloudless day today and cold.  My ride home yesterday was brutal.  Very cold headwinds to battle all the way home.  I was frozen when I got home so I got in my car and drove the liquor store for some whiskey.  Well, I didn't want to catch a cold!  Nothing like whiskey to knock that stuff down.

I was admiring the colors of the Tepotzlan yesterday evening and noticed what looked like a decrease.   That's not right ... it is just a straight strip.  So I looked closer and discovered a dropped stitch!  I put a cable needle through the stitch so it wouldn't go anywhere.  I was not in the mood to bring it up but I'm going to have to steel myself and do it this evening.  What a huge hassle that is.  Lucky I found it though.

Well it's off for a quick shower before the ladies come to clean.  Then a walk with Tink in the sunshine while they're working and then, nose to the grindstone!

A great listen

I finished listening to "Skippy Dies" yesterday evening while I was walking Tink.  I believe I got more from listening to this book than I could have had reading it.  The entire cast was wonderful and subtle.  Also, I have noticed many times when there is singing in a book the narrator doesn't take the time to learn the song and sing it but rather just recites it or makes up a tune.  Not so in this one and it makes a big difference.  Read it or listen to it.  Well worth the time.

Yesterday I did an hour on the trail at lunchtime using the Nike+ GPS app for my iPhone.  It works flawlessly.  In other words, I did not need to buy the sensor.  The app is only $1.99 and is accurate.  If you don't have an iPhone then the sensor is the only way you can go.  I wish they had told me that at the store.  The saleswoman had given me the wrong sensor and the one ringing me up had noticed the iPhone and said that I only needed the sensor but that's not true.  All I really needed was the app.  Oh well, I like the shoes although I didn't wear them yesterday since I was going to do a whole hour and my foot was a bit sore last time.  It doesn't seem to be a problem with the shoes though because it was a bit sore yesterday as well when I wore my Pumas.  It's not hurting today so I think I'm okay.

Bad mood persisting.

As we say goodbye to football for another year

I never look forward to this time of the year.  No more football and nothing but weeks and weeks of bad weather.  Not my favorite time of year.  And since my vacation has already been had I don't even have that to dream about.  Ah me ... could be worse, always.

The Super Bowl game itself was rather good and I wanted the Steelers to lose, so that's good.  However, we did not win any of our squares.  We came very close but no luck for us.  My nephew came over - he was sharing in the four squares with me and Andre and another guy.  It was a quiet party.  Mr. M's brother and sister in law came and they stayed upstairs in the theatre.  I don't like watching things up there.  It's too dark.  I stayed downstairs with Monika and my nephew and Tink and Andre spread their time evenly upstairs and down. 

Monika had brought a knitting project so we kept our hands busy.  I still have quite a few more inches to go but I'm getting there.  I did put the Tepotzlan pieces on the table to get a better measurement and found I had put one marker in the wrong place entirely.  Monika spent quite some time reading and re-reading the instructions for the bodice because she agrees with me that something is not right with it.  It was quick knit so once I get the other parts done and try to put it together -- I can maybe baste it and try it on.  I might have to take it out and redo the bodice.  Just wing it.  It just seems odd to me that nobody else said anything about it so it could be that once it's put together it'll work.

I'm in a pretty bad mood.  I hope it goes away soon.

A milestone

I watched my odometer turn over to 90000 this morning.   And that's just how exciting my life is. 

Still no luck with the program troubleshooting.  I don't know how many hours I spent on it yesterday.  It gets to a point where you MUST figure it out.  As in -- I'm not going to let this stupid program beat me.  I did finally get someone on the forum to address the issue but nothing he suggested has worked yet.  Maybe today will be the day.

Also my calibration still isn't right on.  I was able to easily (!) run the mile yesterday and the Nike+ was 2/10th of a mile off from the Garmin.  I walked the second mile back rather than push my luck - I had biked in and nothing hurt after that one mile.  So far so good.  The Garmin battery was low anyway so I couldn't check the accuracy on the way back.  Since I was retracing my steps I could get it nearly right and the Nike+ still seemed to be off.  I'll work on it some more next week.  Now I am concerned that the Garmin might not be accurate -- oh, but I did check its accuracy on a 5K run that had been measured and was certified accurate so I am pretty sure the Garmin is accurate versus the Nike+.  I'm going to be rather disappointed if I can't get it to calibrate accurately.  I like my gadgets but only if they work properly.

Tink and I had a lovely quiet evening alone last night.  Nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary, just nice and quiet.  I did some more work on the boooooring Tepotzlan.  I won't have time tonight since I've got to attend a birthday party at 6 for my niece, but tomorrow I'm going to lay those two strips on the table and measure them.  I goofed up and missed placing the last marker so the pieces are not marked identically.  Since it's stockinette the sides are rolling and it's hard to measure on the coffee table.  (I know I know ...)  And I don't want to have to knit this boring stuff any longer than absolutely necessary!

My love for the Scrabble games with real people is waning.  I have found that most people just stop playing if they're not winning!  What fun is that?  It's really rather annoying.  I think 3 games so far have gone all the way.  I won 2 and lost the other and it was pretty obvious I'd have to pull off a couple of 7 letter words to win it but I kept playing anyway.  People either forfeit or, worse, just quit.  Plus it eats up the iPhone battery.

Super Bowl Sunday -- I don't think we're going to have very many people over but it'll be fun anyway.  Especially if I win more money.  Yeah.

I feel so naughty!

It is very important to wear goggles or some sort of eye covering when you're biking and I always have either my clear goggles or sunglasses or my regular glasses.  But I am such a creature of habit and my goggles were not with my helmet and gloves, where they usually are, because the last time I rode in I was wearing my regular glasses.  Therefore I went off without any eye protection.  I was a few blocks away when the unfamiliar sense of freedom registered -- no glasses.  But I said the heck with it and went on without.  If it had been raining I would have stopped and dug them out but it wasn't so I took a chance.  No bugs in the eyes.  Yay

Yesterday was a brutal day.  The meetings ate up the entire morning, then knitting so I didn't get out for a run and finally the afternoon spent vainly trying to track down the problem with a php script.  There are few things more frustrating than troubleshooting programming, especially if it's someone else's script.  I have posted a question on a forum so hopefully I can figure this mess out because I'm about ready to tear my hair out.

The weather has been incredible.  It was beautiful yesterday - sunny and windless.  And in the rest of the country it's snowy.  I don't know how we lucked out this winter, but I'm not complaining.  I should have good weather for a run today.  I think I'll just do 1/2 hour and try to calibrate my Nike+ sensor again.  I feel like I'm almost back up to speed already.  I was less than 1 minute off pace today on my ride in so I believe I can easily ... well, 'easily' is relative here ... run a mile nonstop to do the calibration.  If I'm terribly winded I can walk a bit and then do another mile back to check the calibration.

I was so beat when I got home last night I didn't do much except play a little Scrabble and make dinner and after an hour or so knitting I went up and read until my eyes wouldn't stay open - which wasn't very late.  If I take Tink up with me before 10, even if I let her out to do her thing before I head up, she is more likely than not to want to go out in the middle of the night.  So sure thing, 1 am she wanted to go out.  I let her stay out for 10 or so minutes and back up we went and I fell right back asleep. 

Okay -- now to hunt for more clues on why that freaking script won't run!!!

Is obsession too strong a word?

Not that I don't still lllllove Angry Birds, but I have discovered that the updated Scrabble app for my iPhone has an option for playing games with real people.  Anonymously of course.   You can have numerous games going at the same time.  So far I haven't been beaten and all but one of my opponents forfeited.  One of the games I am playing now I believe I am going to lose because for the second time in 3 turns I have a rack full of vowels.  I have already skipped a turn to exchange letters so I am way behind.

I did try to calibrate my Nike+ Sensor yesterday.   Using the Garmin, which is a GPS device and therefore accurate, I did a mile walking and then told the Nike+ that was a mile.  To test it I turned around and walked another mile.  It was off by more than 2/10ths of a mile.  I can't do it again today because it's noon knitting, but I'll give it another go tomorrow.  Maybe I should try running rather than walking.  My foot didn't hurt after the two mile walk but we all know running is way different.

"Skippy Dies" is the current audio book I'm listening to.  It is an awesome book.  The hardback is more than 600 pages.  It's a long listen but I am loving every second of it and the story is incredible.

Now I have 2 1/2 hours of meetings to attend.  gah

Look ma! I'm flying!

That's what running in those awesome new shoes feels like.  They are so incredibly light.  Remember when running shoes used to be so huge and clunky almost?  Now there are people advocating barefoot running.  Have you seen the funny shoes with toes?  They are really more like aqua socks.  Well, my shoes aren't that crazy but indeed they are way different from my Pumas.  I did an hour of walk 5, run 10.  At the end of the hour my right foot was hurting a bit though and that's not good.  Today I brought my Garmin.  I need to calibrate the Nike+ sensor so I will walk a mile and if my foot isn't hurting then I'll run the second mile and that should do it.  The notes with the sensor say that the default calibration is generally good for most people and it did seem to be yesterday but I would like to get it exact.  I believe in accuracy in all things.

I was going to bike in but ended up taking the bus because it was only 30 degrees this morning and all I need is to hit a patch of ice going down one of those hills.  It is cold and very clear and I noticed, walking to the bus, that it is much lighter.  I had to carry a flashlight a few weeks ago. 

No knitting last night.  Had a nice dinner out and watched a pretty funny movie - "Date Night".  I should be able to get a good few hours in on the Chirimen Tepotzlan.  And I will vow to do at least two rows of color work at noon knitting tomorrow.  I am sure looking forward to being done with that thing.

What a boneheaded move!

I woke up and not wanting to risk a sleepless night, I took a Benedryl.  Unfortunately I took it before looking at the clock.  Before I could fall back asleep the alarm went off!  Now I could fall asleep, but of course I am at work and it is severely frown upon.  Oh but I would love to curl up on something soft and drift off for an hour or so.  Never again will I take one of those unless I know what time it is. 

I did buy myself some new runners on Saturday.  They are so cool!  Super light weight and they have a little pocket in the sole for the Nike+ sensor.  Now I can use my iPhone rather than my Garmin when I run.  I can't wait to try them out this afternoon.  Since they are so light I don't know that I'll be using them every day.  For the time being I'm going to leave my Pumas here in case they are not good for the longer hour runs.  I don't typically have problems with my feet but you never know so until I am sure I'll keep both pairs here.

The weekend was pretty busy but I did manage to get a couple of good hours in knitting on both days.  In my quest for finishing projects I have limited myself to knitting on one project at a time.  I got quite a few more inches done on the body part of the Tepotzlan.   The bodice is finished.  These two strips are the front and back.  The stripes will be vertical when the pieces are attached to the bodice.  I'm not head over heels about this project but I guess that happens sometimes to the best (and worst) of us. 

I took a picture of the Frock Camisole as well to put on my Ravelry page so I thought I'd put it up here too.  The color is exact and although I don't have a lot of brown or taupe in my wardrobe I think I'll get some use out of this top.  The linen yarn is very slippery and hard to work with.  I am using two strands at once to get the gauge and fabric I need. I noticed quickly that the yarn was not staying in it's ball so I put them each into a baggie and that keeps the balls together better.

It is going to be a super busy and hard week for me.  One step at a time though.  And the next step for me right now is another cup of tea.  I hope I don't have to resort to ice cubes down my back to stay awake.

It's kind of freaky

The weather is extremely mild and it's just strange.   This morning my hands were almost too warm in my winter biking gloves.  It's going to be brutal when winter decides to show up again because, as I said, the plants and shrubs are thinking it's spring.

Mr. M was off doing a show last night so Tinkerbell and I had a lovely, nice quiet evening all to ourselves.  We had a nice walk before it got pitch dark.  It was a gorgeous sunset last night!  Then a little Wii time and finally a couple hours working on the Tepotzlan and catching up on TV shows I had recorded.  Not a terribly exciting evening but satisfying.  I have a fairly stressful weekend coming up so we get our relaxation when we can.

I have been informed that I am giving a party on Saturday so after I go buy my new runners tomorrow I am a slave to the kitchen and company for the rest of the day and evening.  That leaves Sunday for my other normal errands - nails and grocery shopping, etc.  And the following weekend is the Super Bowl and there will be people over for that as well.  So there doesn't seem to be a lot of knitting time available these next couple weeks.  I think I'd like to concentrate on the Tepotzlan top first for finishing but also I'd like to carve out a little time to get back into the Shining Birds Eye Shawl.  Maybe Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday at lunchtime I took an hour on the trail and did some running.  It felt good and I didn't push myself.  I am taking it slow and easy this time.  Walk 10, run 5, walk 10, run 5, etc.  By the end of next week I should be up to 30 minutes running and by the end of two or three weeks be able to do the full hour.  Or maybe I should do 30 minutes on my biking days and an hour when I drive in or take the bus.  I'll figure it out.  Mostly I don't want to get hurt or sick again so ..... slow and easy.

Back to normal ....

whatever that is.  Thankfully Tinkerbell seems to have now gotten herself fully rested up from her stay at the Dog Resort.  I was going to take her for a walk before bed last night but instead she wanted to play fetch around nine and then went outside so I felt confident when we went up to bed a little later that she was ready to sleep and she did!  She slept all night without waking me up for a midnight potty break so *I* slept all night.  A full eight hours and I feel pretty good today.  I decided to take the bus in rather than bike, although the weather is fine. I need to get home and take Tink for her walk since Mr. M has a show and won't be home much after late morning.  Also, I have been doing an hour at lunchtime trying to get back to my full running capacity and I don't want to overdo it at this stage when I'm just getting myself back into shape by biking AND running/walking for an hour AND having another long walk when I get home.  Slow and steady and, fingers crossed, I won't get injured and I won't get another chest thing and I will be able to race in March.  There is a race in February - the Love 'em or Leave 'em race around Greenlake that I just LOVE.  But I don't think there's much chance I'll be ready in three weeks.  I may be, but it's more likely that I'll be able to do the March St. Pat's race.  That's a goal I can set and be quite sure I can make.  However ... I have signed up for that race the past two years and each time I missed it.  Once because of the infection in my lungs that just wouldn't go away -- I guess that was last March -- and the one before because it was SNOWING that morning and I was not going to go risk my neck.  It's got to be fun, above all.

I must take pictures of my WIPs.  I vowed yesterday at noon knitting that I wouldn't start any more projects and instead start finishing them, one by one.  I do believe I have six projects .... the oldest is a modified Simple Knitted Bodice that I started about two years ago with some gorgeous white angora blend yarn.  I got the V-neck portion of it done and started in the round and then put it down.  There is also a blue Green Gables top that I started - again I've gotten to the body portion and put it down.  That project is being made with Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora in a beautiful deep blue.  Then there's the Shining Birds Eye Shawl, which is pure concentration knitting and it is going to be exquisite.  My Noro Chirimen Tepoztlan also has the bodice portion finished and I'm working on the front and the back simultaneously - boring TV knitting.  The final and newest project is the Frock Camisole that I am making in Lino Pura by Elann.  That is the project I cast on while on vacation and I'm 4 1/2 inches into it.  AND not to be forgotten, the project that I only work on at work during Wednesday  noon knitting, the Cloisonne Jacket, which is driving me CRAZY.  But I only have 10 more rows of that color work portion and the rest of it should just fly.  Yup, that's six.  And that doesn't count the blanket I work on sporadically when I feel like crocheting.  So finishing is the word of the day.  Or month.

Two minutes off pace

That's what I was today after not being on the bike for probably four weeks, maybe more.  That's not so bad, I guess.  I didn't have any problem with my wind, I just think I've lost a little strength.  I suspect the hills are going to kick my behind tonight.  The good news is that it's markedly lighter now.  I was able to turn my headlamp off at 4 miles into the ride.  And yesterday I saw a daffodil blooming when I was out on the trail!  It just seems so odd to me.  We were supposed to have this terrible winter and yet here it is feeling like spring already.  I'll bet we get another terrible cold snap in the next few weeks and all that spring work the garden is doing will be for naught. 

This weekend I'm going to buy myself some new runners.  I really really want the Nike shoe so that I can use the iPhone Nike app for running rather than using my Garmin.  The Garmin is good but you have to keep looking at it to make sure you're on pace, etc.  With the Nike app I can get some of that information straight into my ears, plus have a voice to keep me on pace.  So say I want to start out the first  1/2 mile at a 12 minute mile pace, then pick it up to a 10.5 minute mile, the voice will be able to tell me to speed up or slow down.  Well anyway, I just like gadgets, don't I?

I got home late last night because of  my appointment.  After changing and cleaning up the kitchen it was nearly 7 before I could start dinner.  I was only able to do a few rows on the Noro project.  Unless I have something very engrossing to watch on TV, the Noro project is booooring - plain stockinette done flat.  This is for the front and back of the top, which will be pleated and sewn to the bodice I have already made, so it's going to look cool but it's dead boring to knit.  I threw in the towel early and went up to watch a little TV and get a decent night's sleep.  It was a bit better than the previous night.  At least Tink didn't ask to go out until 3 am and, thankfully, I was able to fall back asleep after that.  Her schedule is WAY off and I'm still fighting the time lag, so I look like I haven't slept in weeks.  Maybe tonight will be the night she sleeps through.  I may take her for a little walk before I head upstairs tonight.  I'm not entirely convinced that she does her business when I put her out before bed because it's not right that a doggie should have to go outside in the middle of the night if she's given the chance to take care of it before bedtime.  If I walk her then I'll know for sure.

Noon knitting today.  I'm still working on that Closinne jacket.  The colorwork is KILLING me.  Never again will I do stranded work flat.  It's insane.  I only have about 10 rows to go.  I should commit to 3 rows this afternoon. 

It's like I never left

I mean .... I have GOT to start taking longer vacations!  One week is hardly enough to relax let alone feel rested.  Not that I'm complaining .... oh wait - that's exactly what I'm doing. 

I picked up Tink yesterday from the Dog Resort.  They sure love her there but she was happy to come home with me.  After running errands and replenishing the groceries, I spent the afternoon unpacking and doing laundry and then had a nice long cuddle in my comfy chair with Tink and some knitting.  I worked on the linen top -- gosh, I can't remember what it's called  -- until I got to the part where I need to start decreasing rows.  That requires counting and it was time to start dinner so I switched over to the Noro project, had some dinner and knit and went to bed at 10.  I thought I might have a hard time falling asleep but thankfully I did not and slept all night except when Tink had to go out at 1:30 am. 

I took a book as well as audio books with me on my trip and I finished the hard back -- it is the autobiography of Steve Martin called "Born Standing Up".  It was quite good.  I've read other books of his, fiction, and I saw at least one of his plays.  He is an odd duck though.

My current audio book is "Skippy Dies", an Irish author and cast.  It is a large cast and I quite like it.  One main person does most of the narration but there are so many characters that it would be rather difficult for just one person to do it.  My inner dialogue is mostly in Irish accent these days.

Fingers crossed the rain stays away so I can have a nice hour outside on the trail this lunchtime.  I have a hair appointment after work so biking wasn't an option, plus which it is so wet again.  It looks like it's going to be nicer later this week so maybe I'll be able to bike a couple of days.  I haven't been on my bike for weeks and weeks!  The cold or freezing rain is much much harder to handle when I'm 8 1/2 miles away versus the 2.8 mile commute I had before. 

Yeah ... well ...

Home finally.  Obviously I didn't send any blogs from the trip for a few reasons.  Let's see .... we got to Houston on Saturday late. I was told there was a shuttle bus just outside of the baggage claim area that would take us to our hotel in Galveston.  Unfortunately that was not the case by the time we landed and so our only recourse was a taxi ride.  Which was $100.  Ah well, vacation.

Sunday it was just coming down in buckets and we needed to get to the terminal quickly so that we could catch the Seahawks/Bears football game.   Lucky for us they were playing the game on a big screen in the terminal so we could watch as we were preparing to get on board.  But once on board they couldn't get the game on their satellite so that was that.  It wasn't until later that evening when we were able to catch some scores on ESPN that we saw the Seahawks had lost.  It was a very long shot anyway and quite thrilling.  During the game they lost two of their major players to concussion and that throws a monkey wrench into the best of teams.

Once we got going down south the weather changed and it was just beautiful and warm.  Because of the motion of the ship it wasn't always comfortable to sit outside but I could always find a cozy corner to knit and listen to my audiobook or just day dream.

Tuesday was our day in Jamaica.  Mr. M had been quite keen on the Zipline adventure and since I'm not at all keen on heights I chose a more sedate tour and off we went our separate ways.  It was hot but I had a very nice tour of an old great house with a shady past owner who had murdered 3 husbands and countless slaves.  After the requisite stop at an over priced shopping place it was back to the boat and an uninterrupted afternoon of lazing around on the deck in the sun.  Wednesday was Grand Cayman Island and a trip to the beach.  I got to walk along the soft sand and paddle in the gorgeous water.  Thursday was the day I was really looking forward to - the visit to the Mayan Ruins in Cozumel.  However, due to circumstances that I shall not go into I was not emotionally able to go on that outing.

Here's the highlight of my trip at this point -- one evening we were out at a comedy club and we got there a little late so our only choice of seats was up front.  Of course the comedian seems obliged to interact with the folks in the front.  After the questions were are you from and what do you do, etc., he says to Mr. M, "Sir, you have a very beautiful wife".  The punch line --- he looks at me as if to say, "Seriously?  You couldn't have done any better than that?"  Of course the audience loved it.  Mr. M ... not so much.  The next evening we were having cocktails and another couple comes by, sees us and the guys says, "Oh, sir you have such a beautiful wife", and give the looks and walks off laughing.  One for Shelley.  No, make that two.

I am glad to be back to familiar things and ready to dig in and get things straight.  But first things first.  I've got to get some clothes on and go pick up my baby dog!!  Oh ... and good news.  I won another square on my football pool with the Green Bay win!  That's the third time on this one.  Poor Dave, the guy who sold me the square.  He hasn't hit once.  He is sure sorry he gave me that square, I can tell you that.

Tick tock tick tock

Vacation count down.  There are quite a few little details I need to handle this morning and early afternoon, then I'm going to button up this operation and head out.  I'm stopping for a manicure and pedicure and then it's home to pack.  Saturday early afternoon we fly to Houston and then spend the night in Galveston.  I've never been to Texas and have always wanted to visit.  Well, not entirely true.  I did have a layover in Houston airport once a long time ago after some business meeting in Virginia.  I didn't see anything except the bar so I don't think it counts as a true visit.  We will be spending the night in Galveston and then heading for the ship first thing when we check out.  I want to get on as soon as we can so we don't miss too much of the playoff game.  And when we get back from the cruise we'll have some time before we have to head to the airport to explore Galveston a little bit.  I hope the weather is decent.  They are predicting a thunder storm on the day we leave.  It is January after all.

I'm going to miss my dog.  I know that sounds silly but it would sound sillier if it was a cat I was missing, so .... for whatever that's worth.   The house sitter just LOVES Tinkerbell and she's thrilled to spend all the time with her that she wants.  She is Mr. M's bookkeeper and she comes twice a month but has to work and therefore doesn't get as much cuddle time with my dog as she would like.  I am entirely 100% confident that she will take as good care of her as I do, and also I know she'll take care of my house and not have parties or use my Jacuzzi tub, or order pay-per-view movies or drink all the good whiskey.  She is, in a word, perfect.

I did take some time last night and swatch the linen.  I found a pattern that I like for a camisole.  It was in an Interweave magazine but I found it searching on Ravelry.  I believe I put it out of my head the first time I saw the pattern because the yarn they used is just plain ugly.  In a beautiful plain linen the top is going to be perfect.  I also cataloged my circular needles with a new iPhone app.  Because I have so many WIPs going now my Denise set is being all used and I need a size 7 24".  I'm actually going to have to buy one, which is incredible considering the ridiculous amount of circular needles I already own.  My knitting goal, when I'm back from vacation and facing the rest of this long and dark winter, is to finish up some of my projects!  No more starts until I finish some things. 

Blogs will be sparse on vacation.  I am going to relax.  No, really I am.  I am!!

My little Scrabble buddy

One of my favorite games to play on my iPhone is Scrabble and I do so nearly every day.  The latest update has a feature I just love called The Teacher.  If you turn it on it will show you the best word you could have played with your tiles after you make your word.  The Teacher is an animated tile that will grin if you play a word that earns as many points as the best word, or smiles if you're close.  However, it has a third expression -- a little moue of disappointment -- when you slack off.  Sometimes I find myself talking back to it.  I do learn new words though.

It is pouring rain today.  It woke me in the night, it was raining so hard.  I rather like laying in bed and listening to the rain if I don't have to get up in the morning.  Sometimes it makes me feel a bit melancholy though.  I sure am ready for some sunshine.

Tinkerbell is getting a bath tonight and then I've got to swatch that linen.  I am thinking of making a tank or a T-shirt so I guess I'd better find a pattern I like first and then go for gauge.  I guess I could always make another Sizzle. 

A very sloppy mess

Sometimes the weatherman gets it right.  It did start snowing last night and it stuck.  It also warmed up during the night so the snow turned to rain.  When I got up it was raining steadily and the snow had turned to slush.  Sloppy, dirty slush.  Wet, cold slush.  I had been considering taking the bus - biking is completely out of the question and I don't like to drive in the snow.  But since it is not going to freeze anytime soon and it is a terrible walk to the bus stop, especially in slippery weather, I drove in and didn't have any troubles.  Other people further north are pretty much stuck in their neighborhoods unless they want to shovel their driveways or put chains on to get to the closest arterial.  Neither of those are good options.  It will melt fast enough.

I had a very constructive day at home yesterday.  I had just enough work to keep it interesting and enough down time so that I was able to clean up my desk.  Then in the evening I started sorting through clothes to pick what I want to take on the cruise this weekend.  I pretty  much have it down.  Now I just have to figure out how to make it all fit in the suitcase.  What?  Get a bigger one and then I wouldn't have to worry about it?  Well what's the fun in that??  Plus I bought Mr. M a great huge suitcase and he never fills his up, so I use it as an overflow.  Or I could use my rolling duffle.  I might just do that.

Not my iPhone!!!!

Every night when I got to bed I turn my iPhone to silent and put it on the charger alarm clock on my bedside table.  When I wake up I take it from the holder and check my email while I'm still horizontal.  Or if I have insomnia and I want to play games or read email .... the point is that I pick it up off the charger and it comes to life.  Well, this morning I woke up at 5.  Since I am working from home today I wasn't too upset about waking so early since I can sleep until 8 when I work from home.  But oddly when I picked it up it didn't come to life.  Nor did it come to life when I pressed the on switch.  Five o'clock in the morning is perhaps not the best time to troubleshoot an iPhone so I put it back where it had been and fell back asleep, only to start the process over again at about 7:45.  But then I had an "aha" moment.  The reboot!  Thankfully that worked because I just really didn't want to have to buy a new iPhone now.  Not with the second generation 4Gs coming out this summer.  I can wait for that.  Or the iPad.  Hmmmm ... well not an issue now.

I have a couple of pieces of business to take care of here at the computer this morning, then I'm going to run a couple of errands before lunchtime and before the predicted snow.  I'm not too worried about the snow.  It is supposed to be well above freezing for the rest of the week.

As for the game last Saturday:  Seismic Activity Registered at Stadium after Seattle Seahawks Win
I read a little something about this yesterday and told the chairman, who is my best football buddy at work, and he thought I was pulling his leg.  This morning is was front page news. 

A stunner!!

What an absolutely amazing football game on Saturday.  The Seahawks, 11 point underdogs, managed to beat the defending Super Bowl champions, the Saints.  It was just crazy!  And not a single one of the football analysts that I watch predicted this incredible upset.  They beat them, fair and square and by a darned good margin as well.   Next Saturday they play the Bears in Chicago.  Unfortunately we'll be traveling that day but I am hoping I can catch the second half once we land in Houston.  Only if they're winning of course.  I won't go out of my way to watch them lose.  I've seen enough of that.

Because the game was played on Saturday it felt like I was getting an extra day off.  It wasn't a very relaxing weekend though because I had so many errands and chores to do, getting ready for vacation.  The weather cooperated, thankfully.  No snow although I did see a few flakes on the way to work today.  I hope it's a really ugly week.  That'll make it all the nicer to get on the boat.

Saturday I finished up the bodice portion of my latest project and started on the front and back.  I was skeptical about the bodice and tried it on after I bound off.  It fits and I think the reason for the funny looking armholes is that the sleeves themselves are kind of weird.  I am kind of regretting this.  I don't know that I will actually wear it.  Should I frog it now or complete it and see how it looks then?  One more decision I can't seem to make.  The first being what project should I bring on my trip?  I know it's going to be something with the linen but that's as far as I got.

The voices in my head

At lunchtime yesterday I took a long walk in the stormy weather and finished up "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand".  I so enjoyed that book and the ending was very sweet.   Major Pettigrew's voice is stuck in my head, making observations and generally amusing me.  I shall let him stay for a while.

For Christmas my nephew gave me the CD version of David Sedaris' "Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk" and my friend McG gave me an autographed copy of the hardcover.  I put it on my iPhone a few days ago and listened to a couple of the stories on the way to work today.  Boy -- the stories are all over the map, just like his other stories, except the characters are animals.  What a mind that guy has. 

I did want to bike in but the weather, while not particularly cold, is windy and wet and oh so very very dark.  It just doesn't seems safe or fun at all to ride.  Now that my cold is gone, finally, I can get out at lunchtime and walk or jog, which I did yesterday and shall do again today.  It might not be as good exercise as biking back and forth from home, but it is something.

I'm still slogging away at the bodice of the Tepoztlan top.  I decided to just follow the pattern and assume that it's correct.  The few other people that made it didn't say anything about the bodice being written incorrectly so I'm going to have to follow my instincts.

As for a project for the trip -- I still haven't decided on anything.  I have a stack of books on my bedside table and I'm going to bring a couple along and do some reading rather than listening.  I know I will go nuts if I don't have something to do with my hands but I surely don't have to be busy all the time.  It's vacation after all.  Since the Tepoztlan top is being made with a cotton blend yarn and the knitting is very plain, maybe I'll just bring that, depending upon room in my suitcase.  Since I'll be bringing only summer clothes I should have plenty of space.  Well ... I've got a week to toss this ball back and forth, don't I?

Snow showers still predicted for tomorrow.  Fingers crossed.  Go Hawks!

The "S" word

That would be snow.  It's not snowing now and in fact it's not even cold.  But we are expecting a change and if not snow, it will at least be rainy and blowing and just plain icky.  And this is good why?  Well, the Seahawks won their division Sunday and so this weekend is the first playoff game against the New Orleans Saints.  Not only do the Saints have to travel 2,000 miles and play in Quest Field, which is the loudest stadium, but they would be at a further disadvantage if the weather was bad, coming from such a warm place.  So all over the radio this morning people were talking about snow.  I hope it does snow and I hope all next week is just miserable and wet and gloomy because I'll be getting on a plane on the 15th and heading to paradise and that would be just that much nicer if I were leaving behind snow as well as gloom.  Speaking of gloom -- yesterday was so dark all day that it was like twilight. 

I need to figure out a project to take with me on vacation.  And it has to be silk or cotton or linen ... something definitely NON-fuzzy.  Maybe I won't even pick it up but I would feel naked if I didn't have a knitting project with me.  Since we have a balcony stateroom this time and two entire days at sea before our first port, I can envision myself sitting on that beautiful balcony maybe listening to a good book or some jazz and knitting.  I do have a beautiful linen yarn that I bought a while ago thinking I'd maybe make another skirt or a top.  It's a lovely color - I'd say mushroom.  Not at all my typical colors but lovely really and I think it would make a great top with some kind of flowing sleeve to show off the drape.  I'll have to get on Ravelry and see what I can come up with.  I can't remember the yardage but I'll bet if I go to Elann's web site I can look up the order and figure it out.

The case of the disappearing nickel

I decided last night that it would be prudent to take the bus this morning rather than bike in since it was surely going to be raining and miserable and I am just getting over a cold.   I managed to pop out of bed after only one bonk of the snooze bar and decided what to wear while I was in the shower (as opposed to standing in front of the closet, where I can spend upwards of 10 minutes trying to decide).  I was in very good shape, time-wise.  Of course there is an App for everything, is there not?  A friend had told me about a bus app that tells you where your bus is and when it is expected to reach your stop so I was able to monitor my bus as I was getting everything ready to go.  Oh!  And my sister gave me a new umbrella for Christmas.  I hate to retire my gorgeous little animal print umbrella that I bought when I was in Paris, but it has gotten to be more of a weapon, what with all the little bits of metal poking out of it at odd angles.  I have given it a place of honor on my shelf and taken up with a snappy little black number with multi-colored polka dots.  Last thing I had to do upstairs was make sure I had the bus fare.  There is a little cup I  keep on top of the dryer and when I find change after doing a wash I put it in this cup and I have a ready supply of change for the bus.  I grabbed a nickel, went back to my room, picked up my iPhone and reached for my bus fare but the nickel was not there.  I didn't have time to turn in circles looking for it so I grabbed another one and went downstairs to finish getting my things together.  As I was walking down hill towards the bus stop I felt something in my boot.  It took me about 4 more steps to realize it was the missing nickel.  How did it get in my boot?

I had a good day working from home yesterday.  Mr. M was out the greater part of the day with the contractor getting cabinets, etc. for the remodel of the rental property, so I had a nice quiet house.  I kept it warm, kept myself hydrated and today I'm feeling pretty darned good.  My cough is almost completely gone.  Hopefully I have figured out the odd ball pattern directions for my new project and last night after dinner I sat down to watch the entire second season of  "Eastbound and Down" which I had recorded a few days ago and got a good bit done on that bodice.  I can't understand why the pattern doesn't have any measurements or even a schematic!  It really annoys me, in case you haven't noticed.  But knitting in the round goes so quickly I am now about 20 rows from finishing the bodice -- or at least to the point where the pattern says to bind off.  I'm going to put it on a longer cable and make sure it fits before I cast off.

The first cold of 2011

I woke up with it January 2nd.  I went to work yesterday but was so uncomfortable plus I was coughing all day.  So now I am working in my jammies from home and I'm going to stay warm and hope I can kick this thing.  I was just so cold all day yesterday!  I couldn't warm up and when I got home I changed into flannel everything and curled up with Tink on the couch with a blanket where I stayed all evening just watching stupid TV, talking on the phone and knitting on the new project.  I have been reading and re-reading the pattern instructions for the bodice and finally think I've found the answer about where exactly one joins and starts knitting in the round.  It is never explicitly stated but at one point on a WS row you are purling and then all of a sudden it's knit, so that must be it - the point where the whole thing is joined together.  It's a poorly written pattern but it's going to be cute.

While I was out Christmas shopping at Tuesday Morning - a very odd ball shop with just about everything - I picked up one of those silly desk top LED candle fountains.  I was going to give it to somebody but then realized it might make my little office/closet a tiny bit more comfortable to have that little babble going on.  I brought it in yesterday and after rearranging my desk I got it set up, poured a cup of water into it and set it going.  Just one problem - there was water pouring out all over my desk!  I have a towel in my office for when I arrive soaking wet so I grabbed it just in time and sopped up the water.  I then inspected the unit and found that it had a big crack in the wall of the reservoir.  Nice.  It hadn't been opened and the box wasn't dented so I don't know how it happened.  Then of course I just had to have one!  I would not be denied.  I got on eBay, found one and bought it and it's on its way now.  Nearly instant gratification.

My current audio book is called "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" and it is charming.  Beautifully narrated and a wonderful story.  Again, I don't want it to end but I can't stop listening to it.  I don't have another one in the queue.  I had taken a page from the newspaper a couple of Sundays ago that listed the best books from 2010 as chosen by several different people.  And now I can't find it. I do that a lot - I will take something from the newspaper and then forget that I did it on purpose and think it's garbage and throw it away.  I will probably be able to find it on line at the newspaper's web site, don't you think so?

I suspect the chaise in my office is going to get some use today.  Maybe this afternoon I will switch from my desk to the chaise with my laptop ..... on my lap!  The sun does come directly into this west facing window in the afternoon but it's quite cloudy today so it shouldn't be a problem.

And a happy new year!

Oh it was a fun visit with my sister and a hectic vacation.  Busy maybe is a better word.  The snow didn't stick, luckily, and in fact the skies were clear for the entire time my sister and her boyfriend were visiting.  It was beautiful and very very cold.  Mr. M volunteered to pick them up Thursday night because I wanted to get the dinner ready and I didn't really want to drive on the icy roads.  It worked out fine.  AND the Huskies won their bowl game!!!  Awesome game!

After dinner we had our Christmas.  Since I hadn't been able to go to London with Kelli in the fall and she knew how disappointed I was, she had bought me some things there at Harrod's -- a pretty key ring and a watch with a Westie on the face and a gorgeous pair of gloves.  Pink gloves.  

On New Year's Eve day we went shopping for the New Year's Day open house I had decided to have.  We had so much fun buying tons of stuff for the party.  Then we went home and just relaxed.  That evening we went for a fabulous dinner at a French restaurant called Bastille.  On our way out I picked up my  new gloves to wear and then realized they were both for the left hand!!  When she had purchased them they were hooked together. Too weird.  And sad, because I loved those gloves.  We watched the fire works from the Space Needle on the big screen and went to bed at a decent time.

New Year's day we got up fairly early.  Mike, Kelli's boyfriend, had hurt his back on the way up so he had an appointment for a massage.  Mr. M took him and Kelli and I started getting things ready for the party.  I like to get everything set and then have a few minutes or an hour to put my feet up and just relax before the onslaught.  I had just gotten settled in my chair and did about 10 or 15 stitches on a project and they started arriving.  It was a good party.  And we all slept in late the next day.

My car battery died so yesterday got all messed up and to make matters worse I feel like I'm coming down with a cold.  While my car was being fixed we took the ornaments off the tree and stowed all the decorations.  The car was fixed by around 3 but by then I was really feeling under the weather so I ran off to do my errands and Kelli and Mike took Mr. M's car and went out for a couple of hours.  We were only having crab for dinner so it was not a meal I was going to have to slave over.  I went upstairs to my room with my new, beautiful comfy chaise and sat in the sun and knit for a while before the football game started.  I know it is VERY irresponsible of me but I started a new project on Thursday.  I was sitting on my chaise just looking at my yarn stash and feeling a strong urge to use that Noro Chirimen I had purchased a while back.  There is a cute top on the front of  Eternal Noro, a pattern book I had gotten a month or so ago, and I just cast on for it!  It is not like I'm not finishing projects.  I made a scarf and a couple of hats and all those mittens.  This is just an indulgence.

And now it's back to work.  Hello real world.  After a week on vacation it was a very rude start to the day -- 6 am instead of 9 am.   I am not feeling any better than I was when I got into bed last night but I had to get up and get them to the airport and get into work.  Winter quarter starts today and although all my sites are ready to go there will be lots of posting to do.  Thank goodness I have my cruise to look forward to.  I only have to make it through two weeks and then it's off to paradise.

And now I'd better have some breakfast.