Ana's Frog Pond

A New Beginning

Last Monday, I started challenge #3 for my Body For Life program.  Monday went fine, and Tuesday as well.  Well sort of.  I noticed that I was hungry when I really shouldn't be.  It was funny, I was hungry after 1 hour of eating.  I shouldn't be, what was going on.   Well by Tuesday night I was feeling crappy and came down with a cold.  Tuesday night I took some nighttime cold medicine.  It really messed me up.  I didn't work out on Wednesday and my eating took a turn for the worse.  I made a decision to delay my third challenge.  I allowed myself some more freedom and didn't work out.  The result was a .6 weight gain.

I was expecting a bigger gain than .6.  The week before I gained 1.8 lbs. I have now gained 2.4 pounds.  Towards the end of my second challenge that amount of weight took me approximately four weeks to lose. It sure doesn't take much to put it back on but it sure takes a lot to lose it.

So tomorrow, I restart challenge # 3.  I have been asking myself what do I want to accomplish with this challenge?  What goals do I have?  My first goal is to get within 2 lbs of my weight watchers weight goal. My second goal is to add a bit more of variety to my workouts.  My third goal is to challenge myself more.  The fourth goal is to add a bit more variety of foods into my diet.   The goals are reasonable and a bit of stretch.  Some are vague and I need to do some thinking on them. 

I spent the afternoon today at a coffee shop with my new friend, Kim.  I met Kim at a knit night through a friend that I have at work.  Kelly was supposed to have joined us but had other plans at the last minute.  It was nice getting to know Kim.  The coffee shop was a perfect setting.  We had a nice view of Lake Michigan.  I spent the afternoon working on my Lemongrass Bolero.  I got the remaining stockingnette rows done.  Before I left the coffee shop, I tried my bolero on and it fits!  I can't wait to see what it looks like when it is completely done.

I spent the evening watching the two weeks of The Biggest Loser while working on my Bolero some more.  I have one and a half pattern repeats of Stitch Pattern one.  I have 2 and half more to go before I can bind off and start working on the sleeves.

Catch-up Time

Wow has it really been that long since I've last blogged?? Well, I guess it has.

Where to start, I guess I'll start out about talking about my completed projects.  Since the last time that I have blogged I finished Esther's Swallowtail shawl and got it in the post.  It however did not reach her in time for her birthday.  I am still waiting to hear of it's arrival.  It blocked out beautifully and I did manage to take some pictures of it before I put it in the post.  I did post a picture of it on the Swallowtail KAL on Ravelry and I got picked to get some stitchmarkers.  

Next, I finished a pair of Envy Fingerless Mitts. I used Koigu KPPPM for these. They only took me a couple of days to knit.  The color reminds me of fall and Halloween.  They fit my hand like a glove.  However, I still need to get some goodies together and get them sent of to my pal.  I am hoping that they fit her as well also.

Last was Angee, a pattern by Cookie A.  These are going to my swap pal in Singapore.  I need to get some goodies to send these off also.  They turned out awesome.  I think that Chrissie is really going to like these.

What is unusal for me is that I have three WIPs on my needles right now.  I decided that October was going to be a mystery KAL month for me.  Yes, I am taking a break from knitting Cookies.  First, I decided to join a Mystic KAL hosted by Anna Dalvi.  Anna is sending out a clue a week for the month of October for a lace stole called Mystic Embers.  I am using lace yarn by The Woolen Rabbit in a colorway called New England Red.  This is going to be a slow knit for me.  The pattern is on both sides which is something that I am not used to.  I had to cast on for this at least 7 times or more before I finally found something that works for me.   I am using a highlighter to mark off the stitches as I knit.  I will knit a few stitches then mark them off.  I am also going to have to start using a lifeline something that I have never done before.  I have only 8 rows knitted, out of 200 rows that have been released so far.

Next, I casted on for the Through The Loops Mystery Sock.  Kristen is releasing a clue a week also.  The first week was the cuff, this past week was the leg.  I have the cuff finished for both socks and am just starting the leg.  The yarn that I am using is from Tempted Yarns Good Grrl the color is called Zombie Grrl.  It was part of the club package that came. 

Last but least I decided that I needed a bit of mindless knitting so I casted on the Lemongrass Bolero by Glampyre.  I am using Sundara Aran Silky Merino in the Port Wine colorway.  This was yarn that I have had in my stash for quite some time.  I am to the point where I am dividing for the sleeves. So far this has been a quick knit and I am loving the yarn.

I finished my second Body For Life challenge losing a total of 8.2 lbs for a total of 16 pounds gone since the beginning of April.  I had set a start date for the third challenge as this past Monday but my body decided that it needed another week off.  I managed to get a cold.  I came into work on Wednesday, lasted for about an hour and decided that I needed to go home.  So I am starting this coming Monday. 

Last month, I attended Stitches Midwest.  Hubby wanted to come with so we both went.  He actually threw a fit that I hadn't invited him.  So I brought him along.  With him along I felt like I couldn't take my time.  So we did a couple of walk throughs.  I ended up getting some worsted weight Miss Babs and some sock yarn in the same colorway.  I also bought a skein of Creatively Dyed in the Sami base.  I wanted that base because of my daughter we call her Sami.  It's this beautiful turquoise color, now I just need to find the perfect pattern for the yarn.  Right before we left, hubby bought me a set of Signature Needles DPNs.  I absoultely love them.  I knitted the Envy mitts on them.  I am currently using my Knit Pick harmonies for my sock and and am not liking them.  I need to get more of their needles. 

Well, my son Chris is away at Navy bootcamp. He is supposed to graduate the 13th of November.  I have briefly talked to him twice once was to tell him the city where his dad was born and the second he was trying to find a reference for his security clearance.  The last time I talked to him this past week the poor kid had a cold.  It must be hell to be at boot camp and have a cold on top of it.  We've gotten one letter from him.  He told us that half the guys there are idiots.  What do you expect they are young kids and don't know how to keep their mouths shut and obey orders.

Busy Weekend?

Last night, I attended knit night at my local yarn shop.  I think that it was the most fun that I had in awhile.  My one completed Vilai sock made it's rounds to everyone that was there.  Of course, the comment was made about how tiny the sock was.  One of the girls said "so that is why you are able to pump out so many socks".  The sock was a hit. 

One of the girls brought the new Jared Flood book "Made in Brooklyn".  There were a lot of good patterns in the book.  I was going to order it online but found out that Ruhamas up in Milwaukee is carrying the book.  So it looks like tomorrow is going to be a field trip day.  I am going go and buy the book and find some yarn for my swap pal and maybe some stitch markers.

I got assigned an angel in the Sock Kit Swap 2 swap.  I am very disappointed that my first pal flaked.  I have her package all ready to go it is just waiting for an address.  It looks like I am going to have to open that up and raid the box from a few of it's items (like stitchmarkers).

I have to get the package out for the fingerless mitt swap that I am doing but I still have to gather a few items.  I found the pattern that I am going to send but I am not quite sure about the yarn that I picked out at knit night last night.  So I am going to check out some Koigu and see if there is anything there that strikes my fancy.

Today, I took my blood pressure at the machine that we have here at work.  My blood pressure is real good but it was the resting heart rate that surprised me.  The first time I did it, my heart rate was 50 and the second time I did my heart rate was 47.  I guess from all my working out that my heart is considering myself an athlete.  Me an athlete go figure.

I received an email from the gym here at work about a competition that they are doing.  I am going to participate but I am not in it for the grand prize but rather to push myself and complete it.  They are calling it the FC Ironman or woman competition.  The goal is to lift 120,000 lbs, bike 50,000 miles and run 13.1 miles.  The running should not be an issue for myself but I am going to have to work at the lifting and biking.  I figure that I don't have anything to lose but everything to gain.  Should be fun to see all the numbers adding up.

This weekend should be a semi-busy one.  I don't plan on doing much tonight but possibly grocery shopping and knitting.  Tomorrow, I am thinking about getting in a workout.  The calories that I burned have not been as much as in the past (I am getting stronger and not having to work as hard).  So I thought that maybe a nice easy walk with a bit of running on the treadmill. 

Basement clean-up is on the schedule also.  Scott wants to get the basement organized with Chris moving back home.  We started a partial clean-up awhile back but still have more to get to.  I am picturing mainly me being down there doing all the work.  I may just put him to work with the shredder.

I want to also go to Ruhamas in Milwaukee.  I figure that will be an afternoon trip. 

Sunday is my weight watchers meeting and then the family is coming over in the afternoon for cake to celebrate Scott's birthday, his birthday is on Tuesday.  Oh which reminds me sometime before Tuesday I need to get to the Hallmark shop to pick up his birthday card.

In the Navy...

Well not quite. Chris enlisted in the United States Naval Reserves.  He signed up for 8 years.  They couldn't give him active duty but offered him the reserves so he took it. He is going to try to go active duty once he is close to finishing his school. It's a foot in the door and hopefully won't be too hard to go active.  What is blowing my mind is the fact that he is going into the IT field.  He is leaving Monday, September 21st for boot camp at Great Lakes Illinois. Hard to believe that my baby is going to be going to boot camp just down the street from where I work and I won't be able to see him :(.   He got offered an A school in Pennsacola Florida.  So I am thinking that a winter weekend getaway might be in order.  Scott will probably think that it is just a waste of money but hey I look at it as a chance to get away from it all.

We are planning a going away party for him at the house on Friday, September 18th.  It is mainly just going to be family and any friends that he happens to invite.  So I am going to end up taking a vacation day just to get ready for the party (not unless Scott's off then I can leave it all to him.)

I took Samantha to the doctor's yesterday afternoon.  The doc had some x-rays done of her head because of the book that fell on her face.  Also because of some female problems (enough said)

I finished the first Vilai sock and casted on for the second.  Samantha likes the look of the socks and that is all that counts since they are going to be hers.

The poor kid called me this morning to tell me that his car died on him.  So I guess we are going to be getting his car at the house a little sooner than we expected.  Hopefully, Chris and his Dad can get the car running before he leaves for boot camp.  I told Chris to talk to his Dad about what to do with the car. 

He's such a great kid/man.  He just doesn't assume anything.  He has been out of the house since we was 18 and asked for permission to move his stuff back home and if he can store his car at the house. While he is at boot camp we are going to store all of his stuff.  Once boot camp is finished and A-school he will be moving back in with us. 

The Wait Is Driving Me Crazy!

Yesterday, my oldest Chris went to Milwaukee to take the ASVAB test.  We had talked to him after the test.  He thinks that he did crappy.  He mentioned something about having to get up at 4 am to go get his physical done.

This morning my husband woke up to a text at about 5:30am that they were just on their way for the physical and that the reason they were late was that the bus broke down.

It is now about 2:23pm and we have still yet to hear from him.  I keep hoping that he will either call or text with good news saying that he has enlisted.  So I guess at the moment that no news is good news right?

I know that I haven't mentioned my knitting lately.  I currently have two projects on the needles.  The first is the swallowtail shawl that I have been working on and the second is another pair of socks.  The pattern is from Cookie A's Sock Innovation book the pattern is called Vilai.  I remember one of the girls at knit night complaining about the pattern but here I am thinking that the pattern isn't all that hard.  I am working on the foot now.  So it shouldn't be too much longer before I am finished.  I would like to have them finished by the end of the month but I am not quite sure that is going to happen.  The swallowtail I would like to finish by the end of September.  My hang up with the Swallowtail is the stupid nupps.  I believe that I have knitted and tinked the same row at least a half a dozen times.  One of these days I will finish that shawl!

Weekend Summary

Where did the weekend go?  That seems to be the question that I ask myself every Monday morning. They certainly fly by.

Saturday morning the alarm went off at about 6:30am.   I had to be out the door in about 15 minutes and be in Racine around 7 am.  I ended up subbing for a Saturday morning meeting.  Of course, the minute that I walk in the door I learn that one of the computers is down.  It wasn't allowing anyone to log-in. First I called the helpless desk.  After being on hold for who knows how long they finally send me into voicemail.  Geez if I would have known that I would have left a message to begin with ya think??  I got the brainy idea to just reboot the computer to see if it would clear it out.  Wouldn't you know it just happens to work.  The rest of the time went without incident.

After Scott and I dropped Samantha off at work we went over to Best Buy because he wanted to look around.  While we were there he found a tv that he liked so we decided that we were going to come back later to get it before we picked up Samantha from work.  He wanted to get use the gift card that his parents gave him for Christmas.   We ended up getting a 32" Flat planel LG tv.  So that meant that on Sunday I spent the morning clearing off my dresser so we could put the new TV on there. 

I attended my weight watchers meeting.  I lost .6 pounds in two weeks.  Guess I didn't do the damage like I thought I had.  I am up to a total of 14.2 pounds gone.  I am feeling fantastic and at least I am not seeing a fat face when I have my picture taken.

Today is the day that my son Chris is going to take the ASVAB test.  He is wanting to enlist in the Navy.  I sure hope that he scores well enough that they offer him a pick of jobs and they are what he wants to do.  He'll be staying overnight and then in the morning he gets his physical.  He's been out of work for almost 6 months now and is very frustrated.  He is looking at the military as a chance to make some money, earn money for college and also learn a new trade.  I just hope that everything goes well and that they can come to an agreement.

Pennslyvania Trip

Friday was the start of my trip.  I had a workout planned in the morning before I left.  That ended up getting interupted by having to maek a trip to the bathroom.  I spent a good 15 minute break ended up finishing my workout.  Only burned about 200 calories as compared to my normal 250. 

Made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare.  I needed to get some gifts for Esther's daughters.  I bought Tira a really cute stuffed mouse with a cheese wedge on his head and Tamara I got a t-shirt from Milwaukee.  Sami helped to pick out both gifts.

When it was time to go, I made it to the TSA area.  I was worried about my knitting needles not making it through but they made it throught just fine.  It was my first time flyng with the security checkpoints.  I had to take any liquids out of carryon and my shoes off.  The plane took off on time from Milwaukee.  I did not do any knitting on the flight because it was a short flight.  Landed in Chicago, the first thing that I needed to do was find a restroom then it was food.  I was very disappointed in the food at the airport.  If I had wanted a chicken sandwich that would have costed me $8.  I was not about to pay that much.  Instead I bought a bottle of diet soda and sat down to have one of the Zone Perfect bars that I had in my carryon.  The flight from Chicago to Allentown was very nice.  I was seated next to a very nice gentlemen and we carried on a conversation the whole filight.  So needless to say, I did absolutely no knitting on that flight.

Once I retrieved my luggage, it was time to get the rental car.  I gave the lady my debit card she informed me that it was declined.  I thought how, I have more than enough money in the account for the rental.  She told me that they put a $400 hold on the account.  I was very glad that I had thought to bring a credit card with me.  I gave her the credit card and no issues.  I did ask about how to change the payment so I would be able to put it on my debit card instead. 

As I'm walking to the car I realize that I was getting a  Chrysler PT Cruiser.  I am not too impressed with that car.  I was hoping for a Pontiac G6.

On the way to my in-laws house I stopped at Marios for a slice of pizza and some garlic knot bread.  I ordered a slice of sausage and mushroom pizza.  I probably would have been better off with just a slice of cheese.  I was starving by the time the food came.  I wasn't sure if what I saw was sausage on the pizza.  I am used to sausage being clumps.  The sausage on the pizza looked like shaved pieces in rectangular shapes.  The reason I say that I would have been better off with a slice of cheese pizza is that the ingredients kind of looked like they were placed on the pizza after it had been baked.

When I arrived at my in-laws Pop greeted me at the door and Mom was not too far behind.  I didn't even take my luggage up to the room but stayed in the kitchen for a couple of hours just talking.

When I went to bed, I brought the knitting out.  I am working on Cookie A's Vilai.  I got the cuff done and then I realized that I had knit the ribbing backwards.  So I had to rip everything out and start all over.

The next morning, I woke up early.  I guess I was just too excited about going to meet Esther.  I had left my in-laws house shortly after 9 am.  Esther had called earlier to find out where I was.  She called shortly after I left.  It was a very pleasant drive.  Her in-laws live about 10 miles outside of Delaware Water Gap.  I arrived at about 10am.  I recognized Esther right away from the pictures that we had exchanged years ago.  We hugged she cried, it was a dream come true.  I finally got to meet and talk to my best friend face-to-face.  When we went inside I got to meet her father-in-law, Mr. Joseph.  His wife, Miss Alice and Esther's two daughters Tamara and Tira.  Her daughters are absolutely gorgeous.  We stayed for a bit and then decided to go some place where we could talk without interruption.  We found a McDonalds and stayed there for a couple of hours and went over to Ihop for a few more hours.  We didn't get back to her in-laws place until after 2:30.  I had a very good visit getting to know everyone.  I stayed until about 7:30pm because it would be getting dark soon.   I didn't want to leave.  Esther's daughter took pictures of the two of us together.  I also got a picture of myself with the girls.

Esther invited me to go to Trinidad and visit.  So that is definitely going to be on the agenda.  I of course invited her to the Chicago area for a visit. 

Meeting Esther was a lifelong dream that came true.  She had told me that she still has the original card from the Big Blue Marble that gave her my information.  She had said that she had received others but mine was the only one that she had replied to.  My age on the card at the time was 11.  Hard to believe that it has been that long ago that we first started writing one another.

I arrived back at my in-laws and shared my adventures with my mother-in-law.  I came home with several gifts from Esther along with some food.  I am going to have to wait until Sunday to sample everything that she gave me.  I am just hoping that it lasts.

Sunday, I took my mother-in-law and father-in-law out for lunch.  Mom picked to go to the Bethlehem Diner.  The food was very good.  After lunch, it was time to hit the road and go see my brother-in-law and sister-law up in Slatington, PA.  I got about 3/4 of the way there and realized that I had forgotten something.  So I had to turn around and get it.

When I got to Dan & Janie's place, Ashley and her son Landon were there along with a couple who Janie had driven the guy on a school bus.  I had a lovely visit with Janie and learned quite a few interesting things.

Time to go back to my mother-in-laws place.  I spent the evening with Mom watching TV and just gabbing.  I always have a delightful time talking with her. 

Monday morning, I got up got my gym clothes on and went for a jog around the neighborhood before the humidity set in.  I am not sure how much I jogged/walked but I wore my heartrate monitor and burned about 200 calories. 

When I left my in-laws house I realized that I forgot my Zone Perfect Bars so I had to go back to the house to retrieve those.  I made a little joke about not wanting to leave.  Mom had found a hair pony that I had left. 

I had no issues going through the TSA at the airport.  The flight was delayed for about a half an hour going to Detroit.  Once the plane landed in Detroit, I figured that I better find the gate first and then worry about eating lunch.  I did stop at a few of the shops to look for something for Sami.  I was hoping to get her a snowglobe from Michigan but they didn't sell any.  So I got her a keychain instead.  Well the flight from Detroit to Milwaukee ended up being in a different concourse and of course at the very end.  I ended up walking the whole thing.  It took me about a half an hour.  By the time I got to the gate I wasn't interested in any of the foods that were around so I ended up eating another Zone Perfect Bar.  I didn't do any knitting on the flight from Detroit to Milwaukee but did do some on the flight from Allentown to Detroit.

I blew off my workout on Tuesday morning.  I ended up going through all my dresser drawers and cleaned out my closet.  Sami and I took four bags of clothes to Goodwill.  I also got an afternoon nap.  I guess the weekend finally caught up to me.

I had a really good weekend.  The best part of the trip was finally getting to meet Esther.  Trust me when I say that it is not going to be another 32 years before we meet again!

Not Soon Enough

Friday, I am flying out to Pennslyvania.  I am going to be staying with my in-laws. I am returning on Monday.  The main reason for my visit is to see my good friend/penpal Esther.  I don't know if I have mentioned her before or not.

Esther and I have been writing to each other for over 30 years.  I know that I was very excited when I first received her letter.  Esther is from the island nation of Trinidad.  She is only 4 months older than I am.  Back then our letters would cross each other.  We wrote one another on a regular basis just about until the time that I got married.  The letters became a bit longer come but we remained in touch.  I brought her letters with me all over the world.  To this day, I still have them including all the pictures.  My sister died when I was only a year old, so Esther has become the sister that I lost.  We told each other everything.  For awhile, I had misplaced one of the letters that she had written that had her address and Esther was going through a very hard time with her mother passing.  We lost contact with one another.  I had been moving quite a bit and the letters somehow didn't catch up to me.  Esther, had told me that they were returned.  One day about two years ago, I  got the urge to find her.  So I did an internet search of the company that I knew that she had worked for.  I was saying my prayers that she was still there and sent off an email.  I was very happy/excited when she was the one who had sent the reply back.  Our friendship is not quite back to the stage where it once was.  Back in July, we were talking (the internet is a wonderful tool) and I found out that she was coming to the States.  She was dropping her daughters off for the summer with their grandparents and returning to pick them up.  When I found out that our in-laws lived only an hour apart from each other, I realized that this was a golden opportunity for me to meet a very important person in my life.  No way was I going to let this opportunity pass.  I somehow raised the money for the airfare and found some extra money in my budget for the weekend.  My plans are to spend the day with her on Saturday.  I will also get to meet her daughters and husband.  I am both nervous and excited. 

I was hoping to have the shawl that I am knitting for Esther finished.  I am knitting a swallowtail shawl out of laceweight yarn.  I figure since she lives in the tropics that would be the best thing for her.  I just started knitting the nupp section.  The first two rows took me an hour to knit. I have 20 more rows to go.  No way do I have enough time for 10 more hours of knitting.  So I will just have to finish it and send it off in the post for her as a birthday gift.  Her birthday is in October so that should be a grand present for her.  Now I just have to plan a very special present for her for when I see her.  Now, I feel 10x better about not finishing it in time.  Any suggestions on the perfect gift?

Last night, I dug into my small pant drawer (you know the drawer where you keep the clothes that are too small?)  Well I tried a few pairs on and they fit (well sort of)  I was able to button and zip but they were tight.  Not too much longer and I should be able to get them out and add them as part of my wardrobe. 

Update

It certainly has been awhile since I've last posted so I am going to try to update what has been going on.

I've been spending a lot of my time online between Plurk, Ravelry and Facebook.  Those are some addicting sites but a lot of fun.

This past Saturday was my 25th year High School reunion.  I had a great time at the reunion.  It was nice seeing everybody but then there were some very rude people.  Nothing like trying to have a conversation with someone and a person walks up plants themself between you and the person that you were talking to and all you see is there back.  Rude of both of them.  It was nice receiving all the compliments.  I was actually 25 lbs lighter this reunion than at my 20th.  At the last reunion, I got the you haven't changed a bit routine.  This reunion, I got you are looking wonderful/great.  This reunion did a lot more for my self-esteem than the last.  There were not a lot of people that I hung around with at this reunion but I still had a blast.  I controlled my food intake, did not drink anything but diet soda and did some dancing.  I figure that by the time the 30th comes around (if there is one) I will be in even better shape than this time around.

My weight loss?  How's that going?  It is going great!  I finished the first Body for Life challenge with a weight loss of 7.6 lbs.  I did not quite make it to my 10 lb goal.  I was okay with that.  I had lost 4.5 inches off of my waist.  My clothes fit better and most importantly I am getting my health back.  I took a week off from the challenge.  I gained 1.2 lbs of that weight back and went right back for a second challenge.  This challenge is a bit different.  I am not quite as strict with my soda intake.  I am allowing myself to have a diet soda on knit nights.  I haven't been exercising on Saturdays.  I set a goal of 5 lbs for the second challenge.  My thoughts were that as I get closer to my goal weight the weight is going to come off more slowly and also from how much I lost from the first challenge.  I am on week 5 of the challenge.  I have lost a total of 5.6 lbs in 4 weeks.  So I have set another 5 lb goal for the rest of the challenge.  I have lost a total of 13.2 lbs since the beginning of April.  I am amazed at my strength that I have.  I am also amazed at how easy this has become.  It has become more a way of life than a diet.  I do allow myself to have the foods that are not on the Body for Life program on Sundays.  I figure that I have lost more weight this second challenge because I have established the muscles and now it is time for the fat to move out. My clothes are fitting better and I am starting to like my body again. 

What am I working on now for knitting?  I just have one thing on the needles and that is a lace project.  I am knitting a swallowtail shawl for a friend of mine.  I would like to have it done by the 14th of August but I am not sure if that is going to happen or not.  I am going to have to cast on another project to take with me to knit night.  There is no way that I am going to be able to knit the swallowtail at knit night.

The reason I want to finish the Swallowtail by the 14th of August is that I am heading to Pennslyvania for the weekend.  My friend Esther is returning to the States to pick up her daughters.  Esther lives in Trinidad.  We have been writing to one another for over 30 years.  We have only talked on the phone but have never met.  When she mentioned that she was coming to the States, I knew that I had to find a way to get to Pennslyvania to see her.  What's interesting is the fact that her in-laws and my in-laws only live one hour apart from one another.  So I am going to go stay with my in-laws and see Esther.  Esther has always been more than a pen pal/friend.  She has been the sister that I never had. 

My son is going with my husband tonight to talk to the Navy recruiter.  He has been thinking about joining the Navy.  If everything goes the way that he would like he will be joining and going in shortly.  The nice thing  about this is 1. He will have a job  2. He will be getting skills to help him out with the outside world to get a better  job.  3. He is going to earn money for school 3. Boot Camp Graduation is at Great Lakes, IL which is down the road from us. 

Well that's the update for now. 

It's Been Awhile Update

I am down 1.4 lbs this week.  I am not sure how much of it is due to the fact that I weighed in wearing blue jean shorts instead of my normal blue jeans.  But hey, a weight loss is a weight loss.  This week was the end of Week 11 of the Body for Life challenge.  When I measured myself this weekend I have dropped 5 inches off of my waist.  So my totals are 8.8 pounds gone and 5 inches trimmed off of my waist.  I just might make my goal of 10 lbs down for this challenge.  Only 1.2 to go. 

I am starting to do cardio interval training.  I am working on building up speed but the most important thing that is helping is that it makes the exercise time go so much faster.  I am constantly watching for the minute to bump up or down to the next speed. 

One more week to go for the challenge, then I take a week off and go back for a second challenge.  I need to set goals for the second challenge.  I don't think that I am going to set a weight goal of 10 pounds gone for the next challenge, but what would be a good number?

On the knitting front, I am working on Cookie A's pattern Sunshine and Terry Ross' pattern Renaissance.  I have the first sock done for each but I am a lot further along on Sunshine than Renaissance.  I am working on the heel flap for Sunshine and am still working on the toe for Renaissance.  I think that I am going to finish Sunshine first before working on Renaissance. 

I also am thinking about casting on for Ishbel.  I am going to knit this shawl for my good friend Esther.  I can not send her anything real heavy since she lives near the equator but I figure that she could always use a light weight shawl.  I asked her what her favorite color was, which is light green and I just happen to find the perfect yarn in my stash to knit with.  It is laceweight and the only other time that I used laceweight was when I knitted Twinings using Dream in Color Baby.