Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Not much knitting

My hand was still a little sore from the bike ride the other day so I am giving my knitting another day to rest! I did go to my husband's office this morning to photo copy the charts for the Icarus Shawl by Miriam Felton in Interweave Knits Summer 2006 issue. I need to be able to enlarge charts when I do lace to make it easier to follow. Still trying to be good and not start it yet thought.

This morning I did got to the gym and did an hour weight training and took a spinning class. The instructor won the Arizona State Time Trial Championship for his age group this weekend so he does actually bicycle. I find cycling instructors that do not cycle really not very helpful when I translate the workout to the road. His class was 1 hour 15 minutes long. I got there early so I could do 15 minutes prior to class because I was scheduled for an hour and a half workout. Definitely starting to fell I am getting into shape.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Fall is in the air

I cannot believe that we are already past the middle of September. Where has this year gone? Yesterday at 6:00 am it was 59 degrees. What a beautiful morning. I am training for the 108 mile El Tour de Tucson bicycle ride so I was out at that time yesterday morning. I joined the local bike club and did a 60 mile bike ride. It was a good ride except for one minor(major) problem. I bought new carbon fiber handle bars and the did not feel right for my hands. They are aerodynamic as opposed to the normal rounded bars. The hit my hands in just the wrong place. Bye the time I finished my whole left hand was bruised. I spent the rest of the day alternating between and ice pack and a paraffin bath. It is feeling much better today. Needless to say I dropped the bike off at the local bike shop and am having them switch the bar to the rounded carbon one.

I finished the first of the two blankets I am crocheting for my granddaughters and have begun the other one. I will try to post pictures later today or tomorrow. I am also on the last sleeve of the quicky sweater that is going to be a store sample for the lys.

Friday, September 15, 2006

Trying again

It has been ages since I posted and I have vowed to try to be more regular.

My knitting has been going well. I completed a wonder alpaca afghan for my mother for Christmas. (yes I did say I have actually finished a Christmas present) My 83 year old mother is very frail and has complained that the one my grandmother crochet is to heavy for her. I am very excited about this one. I will post a pic soon.

I am finishing up the fronts for sweater jackets for my two grandsons. The backs and sleeves are complete.

Madli's shawl is coming along slowly. Since it is for me I have chosen to set it aside and work on Christmas gifts. I have decided I want to knit Icarus but have promised myself that I will not start it until I complete Madli. More motivation to get knitting.

Friday, May 26, 2006

Knitting and Training

As promised here is a photo of the cap I did for one of my Grandsons. I used Michele Wyman's Off-The-Cuff Caps for Kids pattern with Biberon Merino Superfine yarn. I am casting on a second one for his brother.




My knitting has been limited lately. I have finished the black section on the first sleeve on Decapo and have completed 15 of the 85 stripped ridges. I am enjoying Hanne's design skill more and more as I knit.

As far as training has been going I have been doing several things to try to improve my overall fitness. I have joined the local Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to raise money for research. In addition to raising money I will participate in the Nike Women's Marathon and Half Marathon in San Francisco in October. I have not decided if I will do the full or half marathon yet. My husband is doing the Leukiemia Society Team in Training program as well except he is doing a half iron man triatlon.

In addition to running I have taken up swimming. I purchased this book:


I am completing the second of a twelve week program. At then end I should be able to swim one mile continuously. Never having swam except to play in the pool this is a real challenge to me.

I of course, am continuing my bicycling.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Return from being MIA

I am not sure I have a good explanation as to why I have not posted. I have vowed to try to do better.

I was off in LA for a few days while my daughter, Bridget, did the long course triathlon at Wildflower. Check here to read her report. Wildflower Report I am very proud of her accomplishments.

On the knitting side I did complete a darling hat for one of the grandsons. I will post a picture tomorrow. I still have Madli's shawl on the needles and am happier and happier with the progress every time I pick up the needles. Still have two pattern repeats and I will officially be halfway to the finish line.

Today I began the first sleeve on my Hanne Falkenberg Decapo. The back is finished!!!

More blogging tomorrow I promise.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Madli's Shawl Progress

As promised, here is a photo of my progress on Madli's Shawl from Interweave Knits Summer 2004 by Nancy Bush. I really believe that I have gotten the hang of the pattern now. I am even doing better of the nipps (You knit and yarn over three times, followed by a final knit. On the next row you have to purl into all seven stitches at once!) My knitting time on this project is limited because I am still at my daughter's and I find four year old boys rather dangerous around a lace project.



While on Maui my husband and I found and antique poster shop. We bought, among others, these two posters for our home. I knew Peugeut made bicycles but never knew that they made sewing machines. In addition to knitting I also do quilting and have a collection of several sewing machines. These posters represent my interests, cycling and needle craft.






Speaking of cycling, yesterday my daughter and I went out for a short ride in Palos Verdes. The area she took me to was beautiful. We were on a road on a cliff right beside the ocean. I could see all the way to Malibu. Being a desert person seeing the ocean is always special to me. I think the plan is to go back there this afternoon when the boys are in preschool.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

California Dreaming

I am now in California visiting my youngest daughter and her family. She has 4 year old twin sons. If I do say so my grandsons (for future reference, referred to as Big Bub and Little Bub) are a delight.

I am working on two projects that I took to California with me. On is a very simple pattern from Rowan Book number 27 called Blanket Coat by Kim Hargreaves. It is a fun jacket that will be perfect for visits here to the beach. I started it ages ago and made a very silly mistake on one of the front panels. I did the math on the number of rows I completed on the back before the armhole. Well being the great CPA that I am I can't subtract and shorted the front by 20 rows. This coat has a hood incorporated in the front panel and I finished one front before and part of the other one before I discovered my mistake. I was so frustrated because it is such a simple pattern and I made a simple mistake that I put it away for ages. I now have successfully completed the fronts and backs so all that is left are the sleeves. I am three fourths finished with one sleeve. I hope to have pictures once I return home next week. In the meantime here is a picture from Rowan.




















The other project that I have is Madli's Shawl from Interweave Knits Summer 2004 by Nancy Bush. It is a twelve row repeat lace pattern. First you have a 25 row border and then you repeat the twelve row lace pattern 32 times. I have just finished row four on the 8th repeat. I hope to have pictures soon for you. I am not making much progress at this point because it is not something one (read that I) can do with two four year olds around.

On the exercise front I was able to go to a spinning class with my daughter at her local Y yesterday. Afterwards we were able to weight train. Felt good to get back to exercising. Tomorrow while the Bubs are at preschool we are going out for a bike ride. Right now my daughter is at the Trilab getting fitted for her new bicycle. I will ride the old one. She has promised to go easy on me.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Aloha

Today is my last day in the tropical paradise known as Maui. We have been very blessed by beautiful weather. There have been clouds a few days but no real threat of rain. Not the same for the people on Oahu who have been facing some severe flooding. Good thoughts for them.

I am surprised at how little knitting I have gotten done here. Lots of activities that include sand. I find that sand and knitting just don't mix. Tonight we have a five hour flight back to Los Angeles so I should be able to a lot in then.


We did have chance to take a 54' sloop-rigged catamaran to Lanai with Trilogy Excursions. It was a very relaxing day.






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While on the catamaran we were able to see some humpback whales and spinner dolphins. This picture is not one I took because my camera does not have that sort of range but I wanted you to have the feel of what I saw. What wonderful animals. We have been very fortunate to see some from shore as we drove around the island.



The other thing I did hear that was really exciting was that I had THREE, yes, THREE spa days here: The Grand Wailea Spa Grande. It was a very relaxing day. For Christmas my husband gave me gift certificates for the spa and I had enough for two days and he agreed to a third!

OK, now for why he agreed to the third day. On Monday while snorkeling when the catamaran took us to a beach he lost his wedding ring in the water. He then spent four days keeping it a secret from me. You see this is the second wedding ring he has lost in the Pacific. The first in San Diego a year after we married. His plan this time was to get back to Tucson and order another one before I figured it out. (I am stopping on the way home for a week and a have to visit our daughter and her family. TriathleteB). But he got caught when I noticed yesterday. He said the thought he might make it because it took me five days to notice! LOL

Thursday, March 02, 2006

A Trace of Rain, Hanne and Packing the Yarn

We had rain yesterday! Now I know to most people that is no big deal but when you live in the desert southwest it is something to get excited about. The official measurement at the airport was "a trace". After four months of nothing, a trace does not help much, so those of you in rain saturated areas please send rain.

I am making progress on my Hanne Falkenberg jacket. I am working on the back of Decapo. I have completed the first two of three color bands. I have completed about 20% of the third color. Since the number of stitches increases each row it will take me a bit of time to see major progress. I will persist.



The total picture.

A close up with better views of the color pattern.








Saturday morning my husband and I leave for California. We will spend two days with our daughter and her family and then on to Maui for a week. As with most of my vacations I spend lots of time figuring out what knitting to take. I have decided not to take Decapo because I am knitting it on my only pair of rosewood needles. I would be very upset if they got broken. I will report tomorrow on what projects I decide to take.

Today's workout with my trainer at the gym involved working on core muscles. Probably won't get out on the road on my bike but will probably ride the training in front of the tv at least and hour.

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Olympic Closing Ceremony

I came, I knitted, I completed! Yes, I finished my Olympic Knitting project before the closing ceremony Sunday night. Below is a picture of the dress I knitted for my four year old Granddaughter. It is the wrap dress from Barefoot Knits, by Christine Schwender and Paula Heist. I knitted it in Rowan's DK cotton. I can tell you I really enjoyed doing a project like this. Knowing that there were over 4,000 other around the world working diligently on their projects really motivated me.


















Good job to all who participated. As well as the satisfaction of participation we got this wonderful medal for our efforts:




Today was a weight training day at the gym. My trainer really pushed me and I feel it this afternoon.

FORTUNATELY, this came out today and my Costco had it.

Take a peak at the movie


This afternoon will be spent working on my Decapo and watching P&P. How decadent!!!!

Monday, February 27, 2006

My First Hello

Today I begin my blogging journey. First I want to explain my blog name. I have two hobbies that are very important to me, bicycling and knitting. Needless to say I am unable to do both at the same time so I have to balance my time.

I was encouraged to begin blogging by my triathlete daughter and here is a link to her blog:

http://triathleteb.blogspot.com

One of my current projects on my needles is the Hanne Falkenberg kit Decapo. I will post a progress picture in the next few days. I say current projects because like most knitters I have several.



For my cycling experience today I rode slightly over 22 miles. The weather here is ideal for riding.