Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!

I buzzed home from work yesterday to pick up my camera and what to my wondering eyes should appear but...My colorswap!!!

How awesome! Thank you Amanda!!!

Well, we're off to camp for the loooong weekend. See y'all when we get back!

My tiny training partner

Here she is! All tired from our run. I love that she is calm and restful after we get back... but then she gets her second wind and thinks it is time to play while I did pilates...

We ran 2 miles yesterday... in great time!!! 19:20 , but when you subtract out the thirty seconds at the traffic light, about ten or so when I dropped the leash, another 20 for pooper patrol, etc, etc, you end up with about 18 min... which equates to nine minute miles. One of the reasons why I love running with Mercy is that she makes me go fast on days that I can and she makes me go slow on those days when I just need a slow even jog. I did a pilates video when I got home, but still, nothing compares to my Thursday and Saturday classes I attend at the GYM.

I knit three rows and had to rip one back, which took me FOREVER! Lace is one of those htings where I need complete silence when partially frogging... I am getting closer to my goal of completing the shawl before purchasing yarn for my Rowan-knit-on-toothpick-needles-sweater. The yarn I am looking at the the merino knitpicks dye-your-own fingering weight. If I could decide on a color, I'd go with Koigu, but then my clothing budget would be compromised...

Team in Training Progress

The training has begun! I successfully completed Day 2- which was comprised of a measly 2.5 miles (I ran 2.6 in 25:18, whoa slowpoke). One of these days I will hopefully figure out how to make a calendar on my blog to track my progress.

By the way.... please visit my fundraising site!
I don't have any pictures up yet because, well, I don't exactly like the way I look right now. Bout 30 pounds too many. But one of these day, my hubby will snap a pic and I will be ok with it. But PLEASE, consider donating to the leukemia and lymphoma society and tell your friends! My goal is to raise at least $4,000 (I need that much to be eligible to run the marathon) but in my head, I'd like to double that!

On the knitting front... I ran out of yarn for my brown textured check square, leaving me in a predicament- do I buy more yarn or just bag the project? I did knit a couple of rows on my shawl- the goal is to have it completed & blocked in time for a two wedding weekend in August. I am sure I can make it. I have a month and a half.

Amanda, your colorswap package is on the way!!!! And there's a little treat for Miss Zoey from Miss Mercy. Woof. Woof!

A little bit of everything.

It's been a while, hasn't it! Like a week! Well, that's what being semi- responsible will get ya! Although the laundry is not done....
I didn't share our Memorial Day Parade pictures. We live in this awesome little village and there has been a parade every year for the past 150 years I think. The "Rough and Ready" Fire department celebrated its 150th anniversary. So here's the Celtic Band, complete with bagpipes and men in skirts...





And here's Keith and Mercy in front of our Municipal Building.






We also worked on our office/ guest room. We took our old couch out and gave it to my dad. But guess who we found hiding in between the pillows!!!

She's a cutie, I know, but we have been having some behavior issues. Barking for attention. CONSTANTLY. Which she usually gets because her bark is PAINFULLY SHRILL and makes my brain hurt. But we met with an awesome dog trainer and the plan for the next week is to completely ignore the barking and see if it decreases by the weekend. Apparently it will get worse before it gets better. So I'm wearing earplugs. As we speak. We also have some walking issues and we need to work on down stays outside to gain her attention in areas of high distractionn before we can actually walk. Exercise for the meantime is running around a field or park on a 50 to 100 ft. rope. Let me tell you that the entire world is laughing at me when I strut over to the park with my six pound dog and she goes running around on a 50 ft blaze orange hunting rope. I will keep y'all posted on her progress. Today we went to a wildlife sanctuary type place. I found a slug on her knee when we got home. I don't think we will be going back THERE!

Two and a half squares. Notice that the blue square, although I followed the directions and have the right amount of stitches, is remarkably thinner than the upper brown one. Oh dear. I think this may be a pillow and not an afghan. We shall see.

FINALLY, I decided to join a group called TEAM IN TRAINING . It's an endurance sport training program that fundraises for leukemia and lymphoma research. I signed up to run the Nike Women's marathon and need to raise $4,000 to go. 75% of every dollar goes to the mission of finding a cure for blood cancers. I am really excited and nervous about this! I know that God has placed this on my heart, not only to train for a marathon, but to make a difference in someone's life who has been affected by blood cancer. Training starts Sunday on my own and then we have weekly long runs with the team. I will be using my blog to track my progress. I will also have a team in training fundraising site that I hope will help raise the dollars! Stay tuned for more on this.

Off to get ready for bed and pack for the gym! Training Training Training!!!

Two squares down, Two million to go

I finished square #2 for the office/guest room afghan. And I feel as though I may never finish. Not to mention that I have found other yarn that I think I like better! Oh dear- to press on with the current yarn or to switch to a new one and new color scheme..... Hmmmm. THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Project Colorswap is gearing up for the month of June, and I couldn't be more excited. I had such a fun time putting together and receiving a May package! Now it's my FAVORITE color! BLUE! So many of my favorite things are blue- my hubby's eyes, my eyes, the sky, ocean, my old bedroom growing up, our bedroom now, half of our sheet sets, bluebirds, blue bells... At one point in my life most of my wardrobe was blue. It happens to be one of my colors. I think that anyone with blue eyes tends to favor the way a blue shirt just makes your eyes vibrant. If I had more time to knit and could knit faster, I would knit myself a blue sweater. For now, I aspire to make 2 sweaters, the josephine and the rose sweater from the Rowan book (see previous posts). Then maybe an hourglass type sweater in blue. Andean silk blue. MMMMM.

To date, I have the following projects on the needles:

Meg Swanson Shawl- 70% done
Keith's socks...... ummm what does one cuff equate to? 15%?
Green cabled purse

Wow, that's it! I think I need to do some strategy for my afghan and perhaps cast another square on tonight.