Happy Halloween!

My lone trick or treater, a less than thrilled Mercy in her Halloween Costume. She looked so mortified to be wearing it that I took it off her right after this picture. Poor Mercy. It has been too dark for us to go running lately before or after work.


Sadly, I too, am an Octoberfest failure. I know that the point was to just be working on socks, and there wasn't technically a deadline, but c'mon, everybody knows that they were trying to finish a pair by month end.

And even worse is that I will have to rip this guy out- for the third time! I am having gauge issues. I can't believe that I really knit that loosely. I didn't do a gauge swatch for the socks. I know, I know, my fault.

I will eventually finish the sock. I love the colorway! Plus I have never finished a sock.

I also didn't do a gauge swatch for the baby sweater. And I am also having issues there as well.

BUT I did swatch for my cabled sweater. And I did have to go down a needle size. AND it is coming along nicely. Almost done with the armhole decreases on the back. I hope to get that done tonight.

PS- Tomorrow is my birthday!

I finished the race!!!!!!!!!

Me at approzimately mile 23 or 24. My dear husband ran the last 3 miles of the marathon with me and ran ahead of me to get this shot.

Yes, I purpsely bought the shorts so that I would stick out amongst the crowd. And yes, there are some no so flattering photos. But hey, I ran 26.2 miles, obviously I'm not going for glam here!

The micro picture of me at the finish line! Compliments of Nike. You can see the full size images available for purchase (at quite a ridiculous price) HERE

So... the marathon. The Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. My first marathon. It was an incredible weekend.

I had trained for over 18 weeks with Team in Training, logging the miles week in and week out and fundraising $4,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The people I met through my training were the most incredible, encouraging folks I have ever met. The longest I had ever run was 7 miles prior to commencing my training and I was pretty lax in the exercise department since graduating from college. Every Saturday I had a new personal record- 8 miles, 10 miles, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20.

We boarded our plane at 6 am on Friday, October 20th and arrived in San Francisco. We walked over to Niketown to pick up my race packet.

On Saturday, we met up with some of my relatives who live a short commute from San Francisco and hit up Chinatown. We found an awesome tea bar where we sampled various teas and were educated about tea drinking. I think I may no longer use tea bags! ha!

I got to bed fairly early Saturday evening and woke up race day at 4 am! I was so excited and nervous, I couldn't sleep anymore. I got up, got dressed, drank my coffee and spent some time praying for strength to get through the next several hours of running I was about to embark upon.

The race started in Union Square at 7 am. I went out WAY to fast, with my first 5 miles all being under 10 minute pace. THEN came mile 6, a hill so steep that there was an "Oxygen Station" at the top! Mile 6 was all uphill. Then it seemed like everything until mile 12 was uphill as well. I think there was one section running downhill, but my legs were shot by the time I made it to the halfway point. My mile times were sginificatly slower in the second half of the race.

The scenery was breathtaking as we ran along the Pacific shoreline, through Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, and down to Lake Merced. By the time I reached mile 20, it seemed like the miles were getting longer. My husband hopped in at mile 23 and ran the rest of the way with me. I was so thankful for him. His encouragement was incredible and very much needed at that point.

Mile 26- My coach came out to run the last mile with me. I was almost there. I couldn't believe that I was actually going to complete the marathon.

.2 to go- I started to kick it in. I couldn't believe that I actually had any kick left in me after running for 5 hours, but I did! As I approached the finish line with a lump in my throat, I high-fived my coach and raised my arms into the air in victory as I crossed the finish line.

I was immediately swarmed with finish line attendees. Men in tuxedos handed me a blue Tiffany's box with my finishers necklace. Somebody clipped my timing chip off of my shoe. I was handed a space blanket to keep warm and my finishers t-shirt. Then I finally got to see my husband at the other end of the chute.

He hugged me and told me how proud he was of me. I couldn't believe that the race was over.

I did it. I ran a marathon. 26.2 miles. Amen!

Getting ready for the marathon!!!

I am getting ready for the marathon.

The cheering stations have been identified and dear hubby is working on coordinating that.

I am compiling a list of photos I want to take/ have taken to document this momentous occasion.

The bags are almost all packed with the exception of a few items- mostly gel/ liquid items that I am not quite sure what to do with. We are only going to be gone for 4 days and I definitely cannot afford to lose my luggage so I was planning on just carrying stuff on the airplane. BUT the no liquid ban could pose a problem, especially with the energy shots that I am planning to take with me.

In 30 hours we will be on our way to the airport to meet the team. Our plane departs in approximately 33 hours. I am so excited! And so nervous! I can't believe I am actually doing this.

I've trained for this. Almost 5 months I have been training. I've lost 12 pounds and hope to continue that trend after the marathon. I've raised money for cancer research. I have gone farther than I ever thought I could go and I am about to stretch my limits, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I can do it! I can do it! I can do it!





















I hope to finish this sock and it's partner on the trip too! I started these socks for me, but it looks like they may be too big so I may give them to my hubby instead. Mercy thinks they are too big as well!

Well, I'm off to finish packing and packing Mercy's stuff for the weekend at Grandma's.

Upper Glen Falls after October Buffalo Snowstorm

Mid- Glen Falls after October Buffalo Snowstorm

Lower Glen Falls after October Buffalo Snowstorm

The creek is at least 10 feet higher than it usually is...

Mercy's new friend

Mercy has befriended my grandmother, an indefinate houseguest due to no power or heat at her home. Mercy knows her as "Big Grandma." And for some reason, Mercy wants to be around her, sleep next to her, cuddle by her- quite funny considering grandma is not a dog person!







My mom is getting jealous, I think. But for a little while Mercy snuggled with "Little Grandma."















I did make some progress on my cabled sweater pullover from Knit It!



I am now ready to begin the armhole decreases!
















I will begin packing tonight for our trip to San Francisco for the marathon! I can't believe the marathon is only a few days away. 18 weeks + of training will hopefully pay off with a strong finish! I did slip and fall in my office parking lot Thursday during the storm and have a slightly pulled hamstring and a slightly swollen foot, but I am praying it gets better in time!

Aftermath...

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Supplies and water

There's a boil water order in our county now until further notice and the water may not run anymore because the water authority is out of power. We put water in every container we could find. Think we have enough?

This is crazy! All the power might not be up until next weekend!!!

Buffalo Snowstorm Yorkie

Here's our aftermath video

Snowstorm!!!

We had a wicked snowstorm. Over 24 inches!!! Downed powerlines, state of emergency in Buffalo and all surrounding suburbs, driving ban, the works.

Here's a video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lB6LtDFtpo

Check out some of these photos:


Thursday, 10/12/06 8:30 pm











































We then received a call from our friend Pauline, who was stranded and without power amidst worst damage in the town next to us. Her husband was out of town so we drove and rescued her. It was a scary drive over there, we had to drive around enormous tree limbs, abandoned cars, and at one point we barely made it under a drooping power line.

10/13/06 early morning. Look at the criss crossed power lines!




































Keith went out to help the folks at the apartment complex next door remove debris.













This is our back porch today!

We have power, but over 300,000 people do not. Nobody is allowed to go anywhere, everything is closed. There is a restriction on water usage- essentials only, no dishwasher, washing machine, etc.

But we are making the best of it! Maybe I'll work on some knitting :). And cleaning. And praying. We are so thankful that we were home and ok!

Paws in the Park

While I ran my 20 mile training run, Keith and Mercy were in a race of their own! Paws in the Park!

Here they are taking off at the starting line!





And in the homestretch... it looks like Keith and Mercy are in the lead! No other dog in sight! (Why people ran the race without a dog I 'm not sure...)


THEY WON! MERCY AND KEITH WON!!!



They were interviewed and everything. I am such a proud wife an mama. Our little yorkie and my husband was the fastest team out there! I think they might go on the man-dog race circuit- if such a thing exists!















And here is the rest of our team- Jimmy Paws II. I showed up after the race was over, after my training run. But Keith Mercy and I ended up walking the course again with the rest of our team. Its was a great day.

My 20.4, don't forget the .4, run was not as hard as the 18 miler two weeks ago. Maybe I wasn't as sore because I walked around for a while at the park, maybe I am just getting in shape. Either way, I feel awesome and relieved that 20 miles didn't cause me much pain.