I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted!! Sorry, folks. Let's see, updates are needed is just about every category. I'll get started...
KNITTING
I've slowed a bit on the knitting front, just getting little projects done. One pair of socks and a little scarf. One of the side affects of "starteritis" is getting very little finished.
I'm knitting the cutest sweater, the bottom is garter stitch (or as we call it around the house "garbage" stitch), then you work the right front, back and left front. Well, I was done with the first two and starting the left front when I realized I didn't have enough stitches (I can hear a collective gasp from you knitters out there.) Here's what happened. This is a Debbie Bliss pattern which always run HUGE. I had taken a copy from my book of the pattern, but over the course of time; lost it. So I thought I was doing the Small (I usually knit a Medium.)...turns out I was doing the X-Small. I have never knit an xsm for me...ever! But that size fits...so I'm starting that over from the body up and hoping it' won't take till next spring to finish it. ugh.
I did by a new pattern booklet this weekend. It's "Made in Brooklyn" by
Jared Flood. His patterns are wonderful...he loves Elizabeth Zimmerman and Garter Stitch. I seriously doubt he'd ever call it garbage stitch. haha There is a square shawl in that book, called
Bridgewater that is really lovely. A lot of garbage stitch though...good talking/TV knitting. Anyway, the knitting is really taking a back seat to my Tri Training.
TRIATHLON UPDATE
I'm back to my usual routine of working out pretty regular, training for a sprint triathlon in October. The one I wanted to do in August didn't happen, but I was there to cheer on my friends, Jen and Jodi. It was Jen's first one and she did so good. I was so proud of my friend. The swim was an ocean swim and the waves were pretty brutal on the way out. They knocked off Jodi's goggles...eeek! It was so fun to cheer them on and watch them both cross the finish line. In a Tri, then announce your name as you cross the finish line...it's very emotional. The weather was clear but very hot...tough going for all the participants.
The Tri in October is a lake swim of 1/4 mile, 12 mile bike (with lots of turns), and a 3 mile run. It's called the
Cooter Tri and takes place in Inverness, Floria. I'm in a 13 week training program that will take me all the way to the date of the Tri.
My swimming is coming along, I'm working on my breathing, keeping my head down and RELAXING! Jen and I are going to take a lesson in the next couple weeks from a gal who works with triathletes. My goal is to get to where I'm moving my body through the water with as little energy as possible so I have more for the bike and run.
The biking is getting to be more work than ever. Mike got me some clips for my pedals, so I should be able to use the full range of motion, instead of just a push down like I'm doing now. This should give me more speed. I need it with my mountain bike...someday I'll get a road bike. Being a "Godzilla", it scares me to death to think about my feet being LOCKED into my pedals and have to suddenly stop (hello Mr. Pavement). I'll practice and practice and keep my head in the game so I'm not caught off guard and take a spill. All you Godzillas out there, please pray for me!
Running is going great. I'm up to Day 3, Week 7 on the
C25K program, so I'm running 25 minutes with no walking. In this heat and humidity, it's not easy. I'm looking forward to the cooler months ahead. Mike, Justine, myself and a few of the knit gals and their families are all doing the
Turtle Trot on Sept. 5th. My goal is to do the 5K, the whole thing without walking. Mike and Justine are doing the kid's fun walk/run. I'd really like to continue doing races through the winter and into the spring. It helps me to stay motivated when I have a goal to look forward to. I think next Spring there is a 5K here in our town...sweet!
THE FAMILY
Well, school is about one week away...YIPPEE!! Veronica has already started band camp and is super excited about their first football game. The parents are invited to see the show next week, so that will be fun. She's also excited about school starting, too. We're working on getting all the school supplies together, after today she'll be set! Joey isn't all that excited about school, but I know he's looking forward to seeing his friends. He is excited about the band this year because they're in a few local parades...fun for us too! Justine is, of course, the MOST excited about school starting. She started getting excited weeks ago and is now counting down the days. Her grade level (5th) actually changes classrooms for classes to prepare them for Jr. High. She can't wait to see who's in her homeroom, etc. I'm hoping I can coordinate a car pool again with the family across the street. Mike's job is going great...busy, busy. He's got a project going here at home; he's switching the automatic transmission from the Montero (we just call it Monty) and putting in a manual transmission. He's at the point where he's ready to switch the transmissions. He's got some muscle lined up to help with that, the darn things weights like 200 lbs. Ok, I'm probably wrong, but it does way A LOT! He pays more attention to my "knit talk" than I do to his "car talk".
THE JOB
All's well here, I'm just hoping that our congregation picks up more members so I can keep my job. I just love our new Reverend. She's super sweet, funny and is a very hard worker. I had no idea how hard Rev./Pastors/Priests (pick one) work, between the members, services, pastoral care, church events...and probably more stuff I don't know about. Incredible. I'm glad summer is coming to a close, because having to work with the kids home alone really sucked.
Let's see...am I forgetting anything?
I read a good book called Nevermore. It's a murder mystery with two main characters; Edgar Allan Poe and Davy Crocket. The contrast of the two characters is super funny. The story is good, too. Right now I'm reading "The Chase" by Clive Cussler (no Dirk Pit this time, sorry). It's a detective story about a bank robber in the early 1900's with great historical tidbits thrown in. Most of the story takes place in the West (Bisbee, AZ; San Fransicso, CA and Telluride, CO. Did you know that the name Telluride came from the phrase "to hell you ride"? Anyway, we've been to a lot of these places and that makes it all the more interesting.
Ok, if I forgot something just let me know. Enjoy the rest of summer...our's goes till November around here, I think.
Justine's cake....it's a hippo. 
