Summer Visitors

This is a Lubber Grasshopper. No natural enemy, not even birds because they're poisonous. Yup, it's as big as you're thinkin'...about 4 inches long.
This is a Banana Spider, who made a beautiful web in the corner of the yard. Mike almost backed into it today mowing the grass. And yes, it's huge...about the same as Mr. Lubber above.

Now don't all you Californians rush to come visit, ya hear.

Oops, I did it again.

I knit myself off one of my circs working on my socks last night. Always seems to happen while rearranging the needles for the gusset. Then I proceeded to try to Magic Loop with the 24" needle, wondering why it was so difficult. The "duh" hit me and I realized I had another needle on my lap. In my defense I must say that since I have another pair of socks on a 32" doing Magic Loop, I must have got confused...yeah, that's it, confused. Confused.

Just a Big Kid

He's just a big kid! Looks like Mike is having fun in San Diego.
Here's a close up of the tree behind that big kid in the first photo. It's a Jacaranda Tree. It only blooms in May/June...bright purple show of flowers. They need dry soil to grow, might be why you just don't see ANY here in Florida. My Nana always hated these trees because the are always dropping something...their seed pods look like potato chips (my kids used to call it the "potato chip tree") and then the flowers drop. Yeah, a mess...but pretty, too!
The grandparents seem to enjoy theirs anyway...Mary Lou sent me the photo last week. Al sent some seeds to the kids, so after this heat of summer we're gonna try growing one in a container. How about that...we might grow the first Jacaranda Tree in Florida!

Great Weekend!

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Originally uploaded by brenda.pirie

We had a great weekend...considering the head of the house is on the West Coast playing with family and friends. We sure do miss him! Saturday morning Jen and I went to the Good Shepherd pool for a swim. It was a good workout for me, I didn't have the panicky feeling from before and was able to swim the entire distance across (80ft) without stopping. Ok, ok, not monumental, but a big step for me. Then the kids and I did some shopping and kicked back at home.

On Sunday, Jen and I went for an 18 mile bike ride at the Baldwin Rail Trail. Huge! She stayed over afterwards with the little guy and we all went swimming, had lunch, then more swimming...I was pooped by day's end! I got a photo of my kids playing in the pool. Look at that Joey...I could enter a collection in the County Fair with all the weird photos I have of that kid.

Jen also helped me figure out how to log my workouts onto our Tri website to keep track of my progress. She also helped me order...prescription goggles! Thank God, otherwise there would be NO WAY I could find my bike after the swim in a race. (Pretty sure the math on calculating the prescription is correct...we had a couple hard lemonades with lunch :D) I'm so excited...being able to see while swimming?! Sweet!!

Last night the kids and I watched "Bedtime Stories". Very cute...clever idea for a movie.

Anyway, it was a great weekend. Hope yours was fun, too.

She rides, She runs...now She swims, kinda

The last part of the tri puzzle fell into place last Saturday morning. Jen finally got me out to the pool for a lap swim. I struggled a bit...anxiety being a big issue. I'm working on it though. Just getting the first swim out of the way makes me feel much better. My goal is to get to where I'm swimming twice a week so I can do a 1/4 mile without touching the bottom or the sides (nothing to hold onto in an open swim people!). It'll be my biggest challenge, but I can do it!

The running is going great. Today I did day 1 of week 3 on the C25K program. It was a great work out. Really, if you've ever thought about taking up running this program is wonderful. Very slow paced, easy on the body and schedule, too. BUT if you decide to do it, you have to use the podcasts by Robert Ullrey. They are essential for keeping you on track with the stop/start times without being naggy or annoying.

B-day, Tequila, Knitting...yup, that's about it.

I'm a little behind in my posting...but, better late than never! My birthday was 9 days ago and what a birthday it was! Second only to my b-day when girlfriends surprised me and took me to an Andy Gibb concert. It started the Friday before with Mexican food, margaritas and tequila and ended yesterday with um, tequila. Ok, it wasn't a continuous party, but it was fun! My knitting friends treated me to a fun night of dinner, drinking and wii (my arm was killing me the next day). Then on Saturday, our regular knit night, Jen made cheese cake cupcakes...oh my, they were dee-lish. She also knit me my first ever pair of socks....hand knit...shorty socks...very cute. The whole group is so loving and generous, I'm so lucky to have befriended them. I just don't know what my life here would be like without them.

Then yesterday, I get theBecky's present in the mail. More tequila! Not just any, oh no...sipping tequila from the devil's cart (La Carreta del Diablo). Not pictured are two beautiful, hand blown, glass margarita glasses...and "The Three Amigos" movie. She's too funny! I love the gift Beck...you always know exactly what to get me girl! Thanks sweetie.

On the knitting front, I finally finished something! These are my Blackrose Socks. The pattern was fun and super easy. Because of my b-day, I've bought some yarn....hey! it's allowed, b-day money and all. I now have so much sock yarn that I'm good for a long, long...LONG time. BUT I'm not done with my b-day yarn shopping...when I get to San Diego in July, mom and I are going yarn shopping for a belated b-day gift. I'd like to get something for a sweater, maybe. I'll bring my patterns with me just in case.


Summer is under way here in the Casa. We've been enjoying the pool and trying to stay out of the heat that seems to have kicked into high gear around these parts. Joey goes to Aquatics Camp next week and has some great classes planned: Air Gun/BB Gun class, fishing, climbing, athletics, archery and space exploration science stuff. Cool! He'll be going with his buddies across the street too. Yeah, carpool!


Today is Mike's Birthday. We're the same age, only I'm nine days older. Robbin' the cradle, I know.

Sans Photos

It's been brought to my attention that I'm not blogging enough, so I decided to stop worrying about always having photos with my posts and just write sometimes. Enjoy.

Second to the last day of school and I'm just not as excited as I used to be. I am still looking forward to NOT having to wake up kids in the morning, making lunches and quoting the time every 10 minutes to motivate butts out the door. But now that I'm working it's just not the same. Before I was working, it was also MY vacation, too. No rushing in the morning, an easy going attitude toward errands and chores, and pool time with the kids. I keep telling myself that "the one constant is change", but some are harder than others.

I'm on week #2 of the c25k running program. The running schedule will change for the better after the kids get out of school. I can run in the mornings, even on the days I got to work since I don't start till 9 am. I just need to get my butt going early which (ahem) usually isn't a problem.

Knitting is going great. I finished my tofutsie socks and my Strangled Vine scarf. That yarn Richard dyed for me last year really is so pretty, the scarf turned out beautiful. Look for pictures on my project page on Ravelry soon. My Blackrose socks are almost through the gusset on the first sock and looking quite lovely. The yarn (kettle dyed from Knitpicks) is actually looking kettle dyed, which is nice. I started my little purple scarf, too. That should finish up quickly, but I need some "bathroom knitting" time to get it done as the pattern requires full attention. I'm waiting a little impatiently for my Sock Innovation book by Cookie A. to arrive. It should arrive on Friday, but I'm hoping earlier (ever the optimist). I'm dying to start a new sock, and since I only have one pair on the needles, I really NEED to, but I'll wait for the book and possibly start Wanida. I also started and am well into my June Small Project. I'm making gloves (the five finger variety) with some sock yarn. The yarn is kinda thick for socks and is a cotton blend (not my favorite for the feet). It's self striping so the gloves are looking very cute. I have one hand and the pinkie done on the first glove. I should bring it to knitting tonight to work on...that or my Blackrose socks. I'm sure I'll bring more projects that I need to, I always do.

I went to Joey's awards assembly yesterday morning. He didn't really receive an award, but rather recognition for his acceptance into the TIPS program at Duke University. I was proud nonetheless. There was a gal sitting next to me, and since I left my knitting at home, I started chatting her up. Turns out she's a Science teacher at a local High School and has a daughter in the 7th grade. Daughter got award after award after award. Mom even turns to me and says, "Oh wow, I didn't even know she would be getting this award, it's her worst subject!" Of course I smiled and commented how wonderful her daughter was and how proud she must be.

I didn't even grit my teeth when I said it either.