Curious George Knits

Monday

Yay, it's Monday! (Just kidding) (Well, I'm kiding about the Yay.)

I guess you gotta have Monday to get to Friday, right?

I cleaned the entire house this weekend. I haven't done it since we had the progressive dinner in January. I mean I vacuum and stuff, but it needed a deep cleaning so that I could continue to live here. The only thing I didn't clean was my office, and it really needs it, but I didn't want to spend time on my office during a weekend.

The Shamrock run was yesterday and it was so fun! I had been planning on doing the 15K but with my calf injury I wanted to be really careful and not race on hills, so I jogged the 8K and then added on 3 miles around the river after that. The calves were ok and are still ok today!

It felt so good to get back into my training routine this past week. I feel much healthier than I did during those two weeks when I wasn't following the plan due to work commitments.

Winter Update

Hi. It's been a long time. I keep vowing to keep this current, so here's another shot.

Let's see...work was really busy in January and got excruciatingly busy in February, culminating in a trip to New Orleans during the first week of this month. I spent a week recovering from that and am just this weekend feeling normal enough again to tackle things like errands, laundry, cleaning, etc. I've also had a full week of real training under my belt after two really spotty weeks. It feels good.

Today I got up early (dogs are the new toddlers) and went for my run, went to get a fill and a pedicure, and have a couple of loads of laundry under my belt. I'm heading to the consignment store with stuff I don't wear any longer and then will start cleaning the house -- a long-needed event!

I've updated my "Books Read in 2011" list to the left and am happy I've read so much.

Knitting is still fast and furious and my most recent completions are an awesome pair of socks for each of my boys. Today I'm going to rip some sleeves back on a sweater I really like that I made with sleeves that are huge! It'll be an easy fix while I catch up on some DVR.

Tardy!

Weekend list is on Monday again this week! Oops! Yes folks, another STELLAR weekend is on the books.

1. Shop with the kids downtown.

2. Go out to dinner with the whole (nuclear) family.

3. Play Scrabble.

4. Test 5K.

5. Swim workout with Ashley and Sara

6. Make a bunch of dinners for the week.

7. Make blueberry-banana muffins.

8. Knit

See? Stellar. I only have a few more presents I must get and I'm waiting for some Christmas stationery to come so that I can send the Christmas cards, but they're addressed and stamped.

I feel like my Training "Test Week" has shown some pretty good information. My bike and swim tests were really good and my run test was something in the neighborhood of a B+. I am so glad that week is over, though. I hate feeling like I'm going to barf during each workout!

Announcements

1. I have a new job. Same company, different job. I'm very happy and love my new job. I actually don't mind thinking about it during my runs, for example.

2. I lost my knitting mojo when we were in Canada for Ironman. I am just recently getting it back. Inexplicable, but glad I'm getting it back.

3. Due to loss of knitting mojo, I've read a lot more books lately.

4. My marathon is in 2.5 weeks. We ran 23 miles last Sunday. It was hard.

5. I'm starting to think about Ironman Canada 2011 training, which begins in early December.

Crazy, I know.

Weekend List...on Monday

What a most excellent weekend.

My little niece Addison turned 3 and we got to spend some time with Jay's family. I had time to clean a lot of the house, which if you know me, you'll understand that I'm now a much calmer person as a result. I ran 16 miles with two great friends and training partners. (The final 2 miles were awful, though!) I knitted and finished a pair of socks and a baby gift. Not all during the weekend but FINISHED them during the weekend. I went swimming. The weather was hot, which I love. We took the dogs swimming in the river. We went out for dinner at Gino's.

Yep. A most excellent weekend.

Also, I have only 4.5 more work days until I go on yet another vacation! We're going to Penticton to enjoy and volunteer and cheer for friends and sign me up for next year's Ironman Canada! It will be so great to be up there and not be a nervous wreck. I'll be able to go wine tasting, river floating, well...anything I damn well want to without worrying that I'm stressing my legs!

And if you need MORE GOOD NEWS, I'm starting a new job today! Woot!

Turning the Corner

I finally feel like I'm turning the corner with respect to my training. I've run "late" this year because, let's face it, there's not an Ironman in August scaring the shit out of me. I've slept in a couple of times (gasp) and missed a workout here and there. And it shows in my climbing. But it's okay. My body needed the break from the relentlessness that is Ironman training. But now, after a long, hilly ride Saturday and my longest run of the year yesterday and only being a little extra sleepy this morning instead of completely pasted, I am feeling like progress has been made. Yay!

Add that "yay" to the fact that I'm going on vacation Friday and you have one very happy person.

Weekend List

Tempo run

Long ride

Long run

Cut ivy on side of the house

Knit on clapotis

Start linen tank

Read

Call Dad!

Manners? Or...Lost in Translation

Ok, so. There's this woman in the blogosphere. She was going to have a baby girl and blogged her desire to have any baby girl clothing that anyone wanted to recycle. Now, if you know me, you know I am ALL ABOUT recycling. Hell, I think I dressed my kids in garage sale clothes until some horrible seven-year-old schoolmate told them what Old Navy is! Anyway. I digress.

I knew my sister-in-law and brother-in-law weren't going to have any more kids and my next-door neighbor wasn't going to either, and between them, they had FIVE girls! So I asked them for their recyclable baby girl clothes to give to this woman. They were only too glad to oblige...after all, we are all Portland hippies, no?

Long story short is that I attempted to have time to drop them off near her neighborhood one Saturday but I have three kids and six animals and a yard and a husband and a fuckload of commitments and so I didn't make it. Her due date was a couple weeks away, so I didn't sweat it. After her girl was born, I sent her a message, offering to take the baby clothes to her home or to a place near her home if she wasn't comfortable with me knowing where she lives. Or, that she could come get the baby clothes at my house.

Well.

She and her husband didn't want to put the baby in a carseat "for that long", and she didn't comment on my idea to drop the clothes off, so to hell with it. Goodwill is now selling them from the suburban Portland locations. 

W.

T.

F.

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I'm Still Sick

Sick enough that I can't train. I know. Gasp.

So, today I'm going to knit and nap and drink honey-laden tea and will my body to stop the fucking coughing!

Hacking. Up. A. Lung. and updates on kids and other stuff

I'm sick. The good? It is not strep or the barfing flu or anything horrible. The bad? I'm sick. It sucks. My lung capacity is about 70% of normal and I had to skip my tempo run today and push it to tomorrow. This, during the first week I've actually felt like training in about six months. I ran six yesterday and had a good swim, and then was pasted the rest of the day.

Oh well, then it will be over.

Kid #1 seems to be breaking up with The Wonderful Smart Girlfriend. Part of me wants to know every little detail (okay, well, all of me) but I'm holding off on asking. It was the first time he's really been in love and I know this must be awful for him. He calls it "taking a break", but the break isn't over yet.

Kid #2 just asked The Amazing and Cute Science Girl to prom. He went to her house and spelled out PROM? in flowers in her entryway (the mom helped get her out of the house first). He also just got the good news that not only did he win Honorable Mention at ISWEEEP, but he also found out that an internship he applied to has accepted him for the summer. He'll be isolating microbes that oxidize manganese in the Columbia River Estuary. Um, I copied and pasted that because I know NOTHING about it except that. I'm really happy for him, but part of me is sad that he won't be able to go camping or to SunRiver this summer with the family. It doesn't bother him, so I just go with the flow! Seeing him so happy is just awesome.

Kid #3 and I have been spending some great time together lately. She's really growing up. I cleaned out my closet and let me tell you this: If you want to clean out your closet, go get a 15 year old girl. You will be left with only great pieces and you'll find out tons more ways to wear them than you ever dreamed. And you'll be able to move shit around in your closet again because all the ugly stuff will be gone. Love it!

The new carpet is in, but the house is not back in order. The kids have tons of homework and that comes well before putting sweaters back in drawers, right? It's challenging my Type A-ness, but I've reacted by organizing my own closet. Ha! Take THAT you damn sweaters!

The couch will finally be here next week, or early the week after, they tell me. Store Manager Lady has promised us a discount for all the time we have had to wait. Meanwhile, my current chair cushion is in threads and down to the foam. Yes, I am a procrastinator, why do you ask?