Friday...

I took this picture on my way to work the other day. Such a beautiful fall morning. It makes me want to play hooky even more then usual and go hiking or walk the dogs or sit in the sun, drink coffee and knit.

I love fall.

Almost Ovals, Finally Progress.

I started working on Almost Ovals a few weeks ago but got sidetracked by working on Larch. But I decided that I wanted a more dense fabric then one strand of lace weight yarn could make so I ripped out what I had done, which was less then one repeat of the pattern. I wound a second skein of yarn and cast on again with the yarn held double.

I finished two repeats of the pattern and decided to faux block it to get a good look at the fabric and the pattern.

I love the pattern even more now then I did before. It's so beautiful.

Unblocked...U.G.L.Y. I hate the way lace is so ugly before you block it. I keep pulling the the fabric out to look at it over and over again.

I love the fall light right now. It's so soft and beautiful.


When the light is like this, I want to take pictures all day long.

Shalder is done!

The buttons are one and I've worn it...and I love it sooooo much. Still need to get pictures wearing it.

Love the toggle buttons!

Oktobrewfest!!!!

Racing helps keep my running fresh for me. So I signed up for Oktobrewfest over the river in Davis. I can't wait for this race. It's October 8 and it is an evening race which will be new for me. I'm used to running in the morning. But more importantly Hubbs will be running this race with me. I'm not sure he's going to make it since he hasn't had any training at all and every time I ask if he wants to run with me he turns me down. The race is only a 5k so I'm sure he'll be able to do it even if he has to walk a bit (no shame in that, I've done it). Honestly, I think without the training he'll still get a better time then I will! lol Thankfully, while I am competitive, I only race against my last time trying for a new PR.

But what I'm really looking forward to is after the race. I bought food and drink tickets for after! There's going to be beer (of course, it's Oktobrewfest after all) and lots of yummy food. They also have costume judging and bratwurst eating contests! I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun!

Book# 74 of 2011...

Rise Again, A Zombie Thriller by Ben Tripp

From Goodreads.com:

A MYSTERIOUS CONTAGION. MASS HYSTERIA. SUDDEN DEATH.
And a warning that would come all too late . . .

Forest Peak, California. Fourth of July. Sheriff Danielle Adelman, a troubled war veteran, thinks she has all the problems she can handle in this all-American town after her kid sister runs away from home. But when a disease-stricken horde of panicked refugees fleeing the fall of Los Angeles swarms her small mountain community, Danny realizes her problems have only just begun—starting with what might very well be the end of the world. Danny thought she had seen humanity at its worst in war-torn Iraq, but nothing could prepare her for the remorseless struggle to survive in a dying world being overrun by the reanimated dead and men turned monster. Obsessed with finding her missing sister against all odds, Danny’s epic and dangerous journey across the California desert will challenge her spirit . . . and bring her to the precipice of sanity itself. . . .

Filled with adventurous human drama—and shocking inhuman horror—Rise Again marks a vivid and powerful fiction debut.

My take:

3 out of 4 stars. A thriller for sure but I didn't love the end.

Time for a New Training Plan...

I officially finished my Bridge to 10k training last Sunday. I could have finished it sooner but I didn’t like how the last week had you jumping up additional minutes of running time every day instead of once as week so I took extra time to run Week 5, Day 1-3 a few times each to get used to running those additional minutes before moving on to the new time.

Since then I’ve been running for 60 minutes on each of my run days. It’s taking me about 75 minutes to run 10k and I’m not sure that I care that much about picking up my pace. I’d like to run it faster but I think I want to start thinking ahead to begin training for a half more then I want to run faster.

I’m planning on continuing to run 10k 3 times a week until October. In October I have to switch my work hours and will be working a later shift. So I’ll be able to run in the mornings every day that I want to train during the week instead of just 2 days a week during the work week with runs on the weekend when I feel like it.

Picking a training plan is so hard! There are so many out there and I just don’t know what to chose. I’ve had recommendations for the Jeff Galloway plan, Runner’s World Smart Coach and Hal Higdon’s plan. But how do you choose? I’m thinking of printing out the training plans and doing a comparison. Hopefully this will get me a step closer to making a decision. I still have a week before my work schedule changes and I’d like to have at least some idea of how I want to proceed before October 1.

Have you seen Sugarbunny Yarn from Knitpicks?

I came across Sugarbunny doing the thing I know I shouldn't be doing...yarn shopping on line. I know I should stay away from yarn shopping but I figured it wouldn't hurt to take a peek at Knitpicks to see what's new. Little did I know...Sugarbunny.

It looks so soft and cozy and beautiful. I just want to order it all, make a pile on my bed and burrow in for the winter.

Peacock..so deep and beautiful.

Sea Spray, cool and inviting.

Even the gray of Hawk is just lovely.

And Potion...what can I say? I want a couple dozen skeins of this!!!!

So after I envisioned a beautiful worsted weight sweater perfect for cooler fall temperatures I remembered...Angora makes me itch. Not just an occasional scratch like wool but itch like my skin is on fire and the only way to put it out is by scratching until I don't have skin left. And the itch doesn't go away because I take the garment off, oh no, it lasts for a few days afterward! And it leaves my very pale skin blotchy and red for days.

Some times life is so unfair.