Sporadic posting is my middle name.
Life has been flying by. Work has been crazy, I have lost 2 out of my 4 coworkers in the past two months. Which honestly? I am a-ok with. One of the aforementioned coworkers was a very toxic individual, and brought the drama-llama to the office everyday. The other followed along, since the Toxic Coworker (TC) was very two-faced and fooled the other into thinking everyone was out to get her. Now, peace reigns in my worklife, which alleviates so much stress from my life.
I have been crafting up a storm! I have finished two sweaters since I last checked in here, two earflap hats, a set of mitts for me, a cowl, a pair of stockingette socks, and a beautiful lap quilt! I an currently cutting out a layered Barcelona skirt in a great moda polka dot print. I should have my skirt done this weekend if I can sit at my sewing table. I had a flare-up of an old back injury this past friday. I have been pretty much shackled to the couch on muscle relaxers, ibuprofen and pain relievers. My Memorial Day holiday was spent hobbling around. Hopefully all of the good care I am doing for myself will pay of with a return of good health and an active weekend! There are more seeds and plantlets to go in the garden! I am also thinking of some peach freezer jam, or maybe strawberry. expect some more pictures either tomorrow or this weekend when the light is better.
This week has been pretty amazing. I have felt wonderful (despite my office smelling of mildew), had a great mood and patience with my coworkers, I got to sit outside two days in a row in the sun for lunch, and I have a clean house. 
Sarah fixed my comfort shawl that I messed up on vacation for me and when I took her out for a thanks you beer, the bartender greatly undercharged us and recommended a fantastic porter I am now obsessing over. My workouts have been productive, my food intake has been above average, and I just want this week to be repeated ad infinitum!
This weekend I plan to finally clean up my craft room and finish a few sewing FOs that have been lingering for too long. i want lots of breezy summer skirts this summer, so I had better free up my sewing machine.
Despite the rain storms and general greyness of today, I was able to accomplish a bit in the yard. I dumped out all of the pots from last summer (I know, I know!) into the natural area of our yard. This made a compost/ soil enriched area that I can add to over the summer and hopefully start to reduce my consumption of potting soil. I started some beefsteak tomato seeds. I planted my cute multi-holed herb pot with the tarragon, sweet basil, thyme, chive, and english sage. I reconnected my grow lights to supplement the crazy varying light we have been getting, and started a tiny pot of forget-me-nots and violas. I am determined to have a cute flower-filled backyard this year. I have backed off of my orchids so that I can focus on food plants and our flower beds. making sure we keep home value up in this market is a neccesity. I am looking forward to recruiting my stylish mom into hepling me turn my flower beds into works of art.
I just got back in town from my snowboarding vacation in Breckenridge Colorado. It was wonderful. The hats I knit kept us warm, the slopes were great, the altitude killed me but copius amounts of water and ibuprofen helped. I got a concussion the very first day, but nothing that a new helmet couldn’t help with. My endurance however, didn’t hold up. I have incredibly sore muscles that are going to guide me in my new workout regime. Yes, you heard me right: new workout regime! Weight lifting workout/Swimplan/Cardio/Running. I want to tear the slopes up next year, and KP and I are already planning a climbing trip, next winter’s snowboarding trip, and maybe a trek around Europe. I have been bitten by the travel bug, but with adventures and sports included, and not just lindyhop. I am determined to get back into AshleyShape for this summer, and it starts tomorrow. (After I get over this food poisoning that is)
“Confronting your limits is no fun, and I have a bad habit of wasting time and energy beating up on myself for not being instantly and naturally talented at everything I try.”
I was reading the Athleta Chi blog, perusing a story by Shannon Mullen when I ran across this sentence. This, this is something that has been plaguing me for years. I stopped, stuck my something that I have not been able to put in words myself. All my life l I would rather fail at something than actually try it and do poorly. I didn’t fail because I couldn’t do it, but because I simply didn’t do it at all. That is no way to live my life, in fear of not being perfect. It is incredibly unrealistic, no one is perfect the first try. I am adding this to my goal list for 2009, as something to work on in my personal life.
Expect to see more goal posts as I discover additional items that I need to work on in my life.
Happy New Year! 2008 was a busy year for me. My second year of marriage to my partner-in-crime, a new job, new hobbies, loss of focus with the old ones, a few good friends that went into the hands of God, and illness. I am looking forward to seeing what 2009 has in store for me. I love reading everyone’s end of the year blog posts, the reflection of the past year, and the hopes of the year to come. I find it so inspiring. So this year, I have thought of my own theme/hope for ‘09.
This year the word that has been floating around in my head is Simplicity. Cutting out the over consumption and truly living with what I need, not what is “oooh-shiny!” “look over there!” that distracts me in the moment. I want to be more aware of what I need, what I can get be without, and what truly makes me happy. Now, this isn’t about deprivation. I have a great job, thankfully my dear Phillip has a great job. But I want to start saving more for our future. A nest-egg for when the moment is right to add on to our family so that I may stay home and not worry about how to pay bills. For that great trip we talk about. I know personally I try to fill perceived holes in my life with ’stuff”. Tangible objects with the notion that these possessions will make me happy. All it seems to do is weigh me down. This is the year to DO more, and sit around and buy less. I know this will be a struggle, but I think it will be a worthwhile one. And really, i am not just talking about Simplicity in my purchases. I want to provide simple, tasty meals, be active and not have to feel like I am needing to buy stuff to be active and creative. Do more with what I have already. Enrich my life with activity. Clean up my damn yard this year and add to our property value. Create an aesthetic and stick with it, not change with the slightest whim. I want to use my cooking skills to simplify my grocery purchases. Using my new bread machine and Artisian bread book to the best of my ability. Eliminate as much HFCS from our diets as I can. it is all about creating a good simple, fulfilling existence.
Good luck to you and yours with your goals and resolutions. Here’s to the new year, full of promise and new possibilities!
One of my favorites from the tree
And to all a Good Night! Merry Christmas my friends, see you in the New Year after my travels, with FOS, and new crafty plans.
Where did November go? Seriously I think I blinked and November was gone! I have crafty gifts for my friends and coworkers, but I need to exchange some of my supplies out and I am ready to get ready. I am planning on a step-by-step photo array, so I am really lookng forward to this!
My teal pullover is going great. I started the first sleeve and I am loving it! I checked the fit and I think with a good blocking that it will relax a bit and have the fit I am looking for. The sleeve is flying by, so hopefully I will have a FO soon. I am knitting the fantastic Bas Relief Hat in mmmmalabrigo tortuga and oh, is it yummy yarn. I need to rip back to the ribbing, because obviously I cannot chat and count at the same time while hanging at Unwind. But I am getting the hang of using a cable needle and need I remind you that it is malabrigo? Wonderful stuff, I just don’t know how I will be able to knit with another yarn again. Well, considering I am going to start the FLS in malabrigo Vaa next! So I’d better get to it! Later!
Knitting with malabrigo is like knitting hot chocolate. Creamy, rich, decadent hot chocolate.
So, this week Phillip and I made the commitment to do a bit of exercise every day. We are planning a weeklong snowboarding trip in the beginning of February, and we are cross-training so we can seriously tear up the slopes. We have been alternating power and endurance days, with two days off during the week to recover. I am already seeing a difference in the way my clothes fit and in my overall health. I have more energy, my mood is better, and I just have this glow of well-being and contentment that is simply wonderful. I am motivated beyond belief, and Phillip is so proud of me. Tonight I ran for a solid mile, and I could have gone farther, but Phillip wisely advised me (teehee) to pace myself. I have not run a purpousful mile since high school. Sure, I run way more than that playing Ultimate, but I get many breaks and that is more stop/start than continuous running. I have always hated running with a passion, but I loved it tonight and I really am looking forward to my next run. I want to go farther and see if I can go past my prior stopping point. I aim to misbehave on the slopes this year, and I think 2009 will be one of my best yet.
