January 04, 2008

Getting My Move On

2008 has dawned and I have yet to make it into the gym this year. Rob & I joined a gym around Thanksgiving when I realized I couldn't make any more excuses. It was past time for me to do something for myself and just spend the money. Watching the Biggest Loser this past season may have had something to do with that as well.

This new year has yet to see me go in.

But I am determined to make this year different. Mom & I have decided to take on the Portland Marathon this year. This will make it Mom's 3rd? 4th? time doing Portland and my 2nd since 2003. That first year I walked and my time was 8 hours and something. This year I want to do a run/walk and anything better than 8 hours will be great. I say that now, we'll see what goal comes about later.

So, I have determined that my time on the treadmill will be spent bringing up my madd running skillz from non-existent to - well - existent. Gradually adding running time while decreasing the walking time. Building stamina, eventually building speed. But most of all, just moving.

I want to drop the weight I've been carrying for the last 9 years. I can't call it baby weight since I've never had kids. It's lazy weight, pure and simple. And who knows? It might be why we've never been able to concieve (regardless of what my doctor told me).

And along with the moving comes the eating. Rob & I don't eat horribly. But we could - and will - do better. I'm going to need to balance my need for frugality for spending more on healthier options. Explain to me why it's more expensive to take care of myself with good-for-me food and exercise? Can't there be a discount for doing the right thing when it's time to fork over the money?

I'm planning to motivate the running with my new gadget - the main gift under the tree for me from Rob:

8G iPod Red

Isn't it purty? It's loaded only with podcasts at the moment, but I'll be adding some music later today and spending my $15 iTunes gift card.

Let's see - have motivation, have goals, have tunes. Yep, I should be able to make some progress!

January 02, 2008

2007 Recap Part 2: The Books

2007 ends with a record 98 books read. I was aiming for 1 more than last year's number of 64 and I think I've done that. Here's the list in the order read:

1-3. Jane Churchill: The Merchant of Menace, Fear of Frying and War and Peas
4-5. Jasper Fforde: The Big Over Easy and The Fourth Bear
6. Erik Larson: The Devil in the White City
7. Lori Wick: Where the Wild Rose Blooms
8. Lenora Worth: Logan's Child
9. Monica Ferris: Embroidered Truths
10-13. Jayne Ann Krentz: Deep Waters, Eye of the Beholder, Flash and Sharp Edges
14-15. Nora Roberts: One Man's Art and Truly, Madly Manhattan
16. Wil Wheaton: Just a Geek
17. Chris Ayres: War Reporting for Cowards
18. Joanna Weaver: Having a Mary Heart in a Marth World
19. James Maguire: American Bee
20. Connie Willis: Miracle, and other Christmas stories
21. Ben Young: Out of control
22. Jayne Castle: Zinnia
23. Hughart, Barry, Bridge of Birds
24. Patricia Cornwell: Postmortem and Body of Evidence
26-46. JD Robb: Naked in Death, Glory in Death, Immortal in Death, Rapture in Death, Ceremony in Death, Vengeance in Death, Holiday in Death, Conspiracy in Death, Loyalty in Death, Witness in Death, Judgement in Death, Betrayal in Death, Seduction in Death, Reunion in Death, Purity in Death, Portrait in Death, Imitation in Death, Remember When, Divided in Death, Visions in Death, Survivor in Death
47. Dave Ramsey: Total Money Makeover
48. Alison Mcghee: Shadow Baby
49. Mary Jane Maffini: Organize Your Corpses
50. Tim Cahill: Road Fever
51. Nora Roberts: MacGregors: Robert-Cybil
52-55. JD Robb: Origin in Death, Memory in Death, Born in Death, Innocent in Death
56. Dave Ramsey: Financial Peace Revisited
57. Sarah Graves: Tool & Die
58. Kay Hooper: Chill of Fear
59. Brady Udall: The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint
60. Salzmann, Cyndy: Dying to Decorate
61. Reichs, Kathy: Grave Secrets
62. Griffith, Marilynn: If the Shoe Fits
63. Short, Sharon: Death of a Domestic Diva
64. Hooper, Kay: Sleeping with Fear
65. Howard, Linda: Cry No More
66. Jance, JA: Paradise Lost
67. Gerritsen, Tess: Life Support
68. Andrews, Donna: Owl's Well That Ends Well
69. Reichs, Kathy: Bare Bones
70. Christie, Agatha: Murder with Mirrors
71. Rowling, JK: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban
75. Christie, Agatha: Nemesis and Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective
77. Funke, Cornelia: Inkheart
78. Berg, Elizabeth: Art of Mending
79. Rowling, JK: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
80. Jance, JA: Dead Wrong
81. Alcott, Louisa May: Little Women
82. Wilhelm, Kate: The Deepest Water
83. Roberts, Nora: Morrigan's Cross
84. Roberts, Nora, Dance of The Gods
85. Roberts, Nora, Valley of Silence
86. Kruger, Mary: Died in the Wool
87. Christie, Agatha: The Man in the Brown Suit
88. Jance, JA: Outlaw Mountain
89. Howard, Linda: Killing Time
90. Fatsis, Stefan: Word Freak
91. Jance, JA: Partner in Crime
92. Michaels: Kasey, Everything's coming up Rosie
93-96. Nora Roberts: Rising Tides, Inner Harbor, Chesapeake Blue, Blood Brothers
97. Monica Ferris: Sind and Needles
98. Kathryn Lilley: Dying to be Thin

There are probably one or two others that didn't make it on here, but still! Almost 100 books! Sheesh. How did I get anything done between the reading and the knitting?

Let's recap 2007, shall we? Part 1: The Knits

Here it is, January again. Time to remember a new year when I write the date, to start new knitting and reading lists, to get serious about tracking my progress on changing my fitness habits.

So, let's recap the 2007 knitting:
16 Dishcloths: knit in Peaches & Cream and in Lion Cotton for various birthdays, for Mom, for a friend for Christmas. Knit in squares and circles on size 6 and size 8 needles. Gifted with soap when for a birthday.

Top Down Anime Hat (Cotton Classic in Yellow): knit and I still have it, ready to gift to the right person.

Shedir, Calmer #476 Coral: knit to cover my head after I'd shaved it for St. Baldrick's. By the time I'd finished it, I had hair again, but I still love it and would knit it again.

SuperHero Cape for Kruz. Knit in red Bernat and fun. I'd make it again for a child who wants to be a superhero.

Fingerless Gloves for Rob. Knit in a brown Galway worsted weight wool. Rob uses them, loves them and keeps them handy. Just what a knitter wants to see.

Sweater for Baby Martin. A little pullover knit in Sirdar Snuggly DK in Lilac for a little girl joining three older brothers. Loved by mom and put to use immediately.

Flower Basket Shawl. Knit using KP Alpaca Cloud in Tide Pool and donated for a silent auction. I think about knitting another one, bigger for myself.

Simple hat for Rob. Knit in a beautiful Manos yarn, it's his go-to hat when he steps out the door.

Baby hat and a 5-Hr Baby Sweater knit in Lilac Red Heart yarn for a new baby girl for a co-worker. Enjoyed and worn!

Natalya gauntlets for Erin. Knit in red sock yarn held doubled for the thickness I wanted. She loves and uses them, so a success!

Pink Nostalgic cardigan in Red Heart for niece Khylee. Knit on size 6 needles for her October birthday, but not finished until December. Auntie's a lame-O on this one. And she didn't much care for it. Bleah.

Tiny red sweater ornament. Made for an ornament exchange and loved. I immediately had requests for more. Looks like this will be a stash buster for 2008.

Scarves for nieces Samantha and Khylee and for new BIL Tony. Knit in Red Heart/TLC and Snuggly and TLC for the girls. A variegated and a solid held doubled with a slit to pull a crocheted flower through that held the ends together. Tony's was knit in navy Encore with a K2P2 rib that has a mock cable on the K2 rib. Looks like plain ribbing on one side, cabled on the other. Just right for Chicago winters.

Two Coffee Cozies knit in Debbie Bliss Merino DK with size 5 needles. One done in pink with a mock cable and the other a simple rib decorated with a couple of ribbon flowers I had on hand.

Two white and blue hats are knit in Cruz Azul colors for someone who works with Mom. Knit in Bernat Baby Soft on size 4s. I used the basic patterns out of Ann Budd's Knitters Handy Book of Patterns.

A big blanket for Samantha from the picture she drew for her birthday blanket. Knit with size 17s using Caron yarns held doubled.

A 2nd Pirate hat, knit for a friend of Erin's and gifted in time for Talk Like a Pirate Day. Knit with Wool-Ease on size 5's, it's more of a beanie type of hat.

A Star Wars hat for Erin as a Christmas gift. Knit on size 5s in black and blue Wool-Ease.

A crocheted apron as a gift in cotton for a gardener. My first all-crocheted project. Not too shabby and received with a big smile.

Some handwarmers in red superwash wool from Last Minute Handknit Gifts for someone who was excited to get them just before going to Victoria for a half marathon.

A cashmere and silk scarf knit from a kit purchased at Stitch & Pitch. Finished and gifted to a deserving friend.

A pair of Mrs Beeton's for a Christmas gift for a friend who immediately put them on and started fussing with them. She recognized one of the yarns as the one used to knit her Icarus shawl.

So 42 items made in 2007. And I'm so bad at taking pictures that I have documented only a few! Must. Get. Better.

collage