Here's the sock that I started before we left for Yosemite. It's from Around the World in Knitted Socks. When I got this book for Christmas from my sister Molly, my Gram said she really liked these socks. Gram is a very accomplished knitter in her own right, but now that she's going to be 90 this year, she can't knit socks anymore. It hurts her hands too much to grip the tiny needles.

When my mom and I went to Stitches West in February, I knew that I wanted to purchase some sock yarn. I bought a skein of Little Traveller by The Sanguine Gryphon. Honestly this is the most expensive sock yarn I've ever bought. $19 for 560 yards. Not really a terrible price plus the yarn is beautiful and very nice to work with.

I'm planning on these as a gift for my Gram for Mothers Day. Not sure I'm going to finish it in time but I'm going to try.

The stitch definition is beautiful.


I hope I get them done in time. I know she's going to love them.

I also finished another book this week...

Blood Orange Brewing by Laura Childs

From Goodreads.com:

Social darling Delaine Dish is throwing a lavish Candlelight Concert to raise funds to restore a run-down Victorian home-and Theodosia Browning is more than happy to help out with tea and tasty treats from the Indigo Tea Shop.

Unfortunately, the unveiling of Theo's opulent spread proves to be far from grand after retired CEO and beloved politico Duke Wilkes falls to the floor with a jagged piece of metal protruding from his neck. When the Widow Wilkes begs Theo to apply her sleuthing skills, she can't refuse. But her investigation opens up a simmering pot of shady politics and personal payback, and Theo soon finds herself in a situation stickier than any jam she's ever served.


My take:

3 out of 5 stars. I don't hate these books but I don't love them either. I'd read this one before so I think I would have liked it more if I hadn't already read it. These books are nice because you can put them down for a long time and pick them up and catch right back up with the story line.

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

From Goodreads.com:

The times and species have been changing at a rapid rate, and the social compact is wearing as thin as environmental stability. Adam One, the kindly leader of the God's Gardeners—a religion devoted to the melding of science and religion, as well as the preservation of all plant and animal life—has long predicted a natural disaster that will alter Earth as we know it. Now it has occurred, obliterating most human life. Two women have survived: Ren, a young trapeze dancer locked inside the high-end sex club Scales and Tails, and Toby, a God's Gardener barricaded inside a luxurious spa where many of the treatments are edible.

Have others survived? Ren's bioartist friend Amanda? Zeb, her eco-fighter stepfather? Her onetime lover, Jimmy? Or the murderous Painballers, survivors of the mutual-elimination Painball prison? Not to mention the shadowy, corrupt policing force of the ruling powers . . .

Meanwhile, gene-spliced life forms are proliferating: the lion/lamb blends, the Mo'hair sheep with human hair, the pigs with human brain tissue. As Adam One and his intrepid hemp-clad band make their way through this strange new world, Ren and Toby will have to decide on their next move. They can't stay locked away . . .

By turns dark, tender, violent, thoughtful, and uneasily hilarious, The Year of the Flood is Atwood at her most brilliant and inventive.

My take:

2 out of 5 stars. It was OK, not great. I didn't really enjoy the other book,Oryx and Crake, that I read by this same author. That book and this one ties into this one. I'm not sure if I just didn't like the story or if I just don't like the style that this author writes in.

After one of my runs last week when I could barely run at all due to the pain in my knees, I finally made a doctors appt. The appt was on Thursday before we left for our Yosemite trip. I'd been suspecting that I had runners knee which is basically that the muscles on the sides of the knee are under developed. The pain has been in my knee caps vs. the joint and since I hadn't had a fall or twisted the knee, I didn't think it was a joint problem.

After the doctor examined my knees and we talked about the amount and type of pain that I'd been having, she came to the same conclusion that I had, runners knee. She gave me some exercises that I need to do and I have an appt today with a physical therapist. She also has me on 600mg ibuprofen and rest.

I'm trying not to feel like someone died about this. I was so divested about this last week that I can't describe the feeling. Now I'm looking at it as an opportunity to get stronger so I can run faster. I'm really looking forward to running again. I'm looking forward to it so much that I dream about it at nights. I dream of races and of the feeling that I get of being strong and happy when I run. Running makes me feel so great that I dream about it. I think that means I'm a sick person.

Doctor said 1 to 2 weeks of rest until there is no pain and then I can start running again. I am really looking forward to that day.

We're back from Yosemite and we had a fantastic time. The weather wasn't ideal but it was still really nice. We had partly cloudy, sunny and a bit of rain while we were in the park. The clouds were very low so it wasn't the best for viewing some of rock formations but we still really enjoyed it. Best of all, since it was Easter weekend, the park wasn't very crowded.

We spent two days in the park and camped about 20 miles outside of the park. Here's just a fraction of the pictures we took.

It was cold enough that there was a lot of snow still on the ground at the higher elevations outside of the park and inside before you dropped down into the valley. I wore my snow jacked both days but I'm always cold and there were plenty of people in sweat shirts and even a few in shorts.

We saw a number of animals including a bobcat, 2 coyotes, 2 bears, lots of deer and squirrels too numerous to count.
Hubbs at El Capitan.

Bridal Veil Falls. All the major falls were running like crazy and there were tons of seasonal falls too.

Due to my knee injuries we only did one hike up to Lower Yosemite Falls. I gimped along pretty good but I don't think this is what the Doctor meant when she said she wanted me to rest. But hey, I didn't want Hubbs to see Yosemite from the truck.

We took the dogs with us and found Yosemite to be very pet friendly. I'm pretty sure that that the dogs thought we were trying to kill them with all the walking that we did.

Half Dome was very elusive while we were there. It was clouded over almost the entire time that we were there. It was only uncovered for about 20 min's that we saw. Other wise the clouds were very low and Half Dome was pretty much completely obscured.

Yosemite falls was amazing as all ways. Beautiful from every angle.

The lupines were amazing.

The deer were so beautiful and very plentiful.

The park rangers were practicing swift water rescue on the Merced River and we enjoyed watching them practice. I'm sure later in the year they will get to put those skills to use.

I even got a chance to work on a sock I started for my grandmother for mother's day.

We even hiked out to Mono Lake.

The weekend was fantastic and I can't wait to go again. We're planning to make a day trip a little later in the spring to see it again and do some real hiking when I'm healed up. I didn't get to run in the valley while we were there but there is always next time.

My couch to 5k program has been coming along nicely. I completed week 2 last Thursday and began week 3 on Saturday. I'm really not having much of a problem getting back into the swing of things at all...at least with the running portion. Where I'm having trouble is my knees. They are killing me. And I'm not sure what the problem is. All the reading that I've been doing regarding the knees makes me think that it's not a typical runners issue and maybe I need to see a doctor to make sure I'm not doing serious damage to them. Even with the pain, I'm still pushing through. Week three is in full swing. And even more surprising then me sticking with it is that Hubbs is sticking too. And I hate it. He runs faster then me, especially since I'm hobbling right now, and he makes it look so effortless. I hate him. But I, grudgingly, admit that I'm proud of him too. I honestly figured he'd run once or twice and that would be it. But he's right there doing it and doing a great job. As an added bonus for me I've been pushing myself to continue to run after the end of the run interval to catch up with him once he starts the walk section. He's not usually very far in front and I'd guess that I'm only running 10 to 15 seconds more to catch him but I'm doing it. Most of the time I feel like I could keep running even after I catch him. I'm never out of breath and I never feel like there's no gas left in the tank after the runs. So the runs are good, solid runs. Even with my bad knees I feel like the program isn't advancing fast enough for me but I'm trying to trust the program and just roll with it. I also thought that running was going to pull my extra weight off faster but it hasn't. I did lose 4/10ths of a pound this week and I'm going with the old adage of, "Any loss is better then a gain/maintenance." However, since I got back on track on March 8th, I have lost over three pounds and that ain't bad. My favorite quote that I've been finding strength in lately is from Pat Riley, a basketball coach. He said, "There are only 2 options regarding commitment. You're either IN or you're OUT. There's no such thing as life in between." And let me tell you, I am in. I'm committed to this big time.

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

From Goodreads.com: A new collection of four never-before-published stories from Stephen King.

1922

The story opens with the confession of Wilfred James to the murder of his wife, Arlette, following their move to Hemingford, Nebraska onto land willed to Arlette by her father.

Big Driver

Mystery writer, Tess, has been supplementing her writing income for years by doing speaking engagements with no problems. But following a last-minute invitation to a book club 60 miles away, she takes a shortcut home with dire consequences.

Fair Extension

Harry Streeter, who is suffering from cancer, decides to make a deal with the devil but, as always, there is a price to pay.

A Good Marriage

Darcy Anderson learns more about her husband of over twenty years than she would have liked to know when she stumbles literally upon a box under a worktable in their garage.

My take:

4 out of 5 stars. I love Stephen King, no two ways about it. Not all of the stuff he writes is great but this book was pretty good. My favorite of the 4 short stories was Big Driver. Kept me on the edge of my seat. But all the stories were good.

I got this book for Christmas this year and kept getting distracted away from it by library books. I started reading it shortly after Christmas and just finished it. It's not a long or tough read at all but I just couldn't find the focus due to all my other reading to devote the time that it deserved until about a week ago. Now I'm really glad that I took the time. Total enjoyment.

Book #30 of the 50 Book Challenge...

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

From Goodreads.com:

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters. Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again. But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

My Take:

5 out of 5 stars. This is the third book in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series and by far the best book. I feel like there should be a 4th book but from what I've seen there isn't one. Fingers crossed maybe Carrie Ryan will write another.

Book #29 of the 50 Book Challenge...

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Book #3 in the Hunger Games Series)

From Goodreads.com:

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

My take:

Great book, 4 out of 5 stars. I loved it and I'm sad to have the series come to an end. Not to spoil the end but Katniss did not end up with the boy I thought she would/should.

Book #28 of the 50 Book Challenge...

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

From Goodreads.com:

Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted. But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold. Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life -- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

My take:

4 out of 5 stars. I'm loving this series. Lost of mystery and action and some love gone wrong is this book...or love gone sideways. Either way, Tally has two boyfriends now and is pulled in two directions. Cliff hanger at the end.

Already requested the next book, Specials, from the library. Looking forward to the next installment to find out what happens to Tally Youngblood next.

Guess where I'm going!!!!!

Yosemite!!!

So excited! Hubbs and I are going to be spending Easter weekend in Yosemite this year! When I made the reservations I didn't realize that it was Easter weekend. But I just got approval for the time off so we're going. We'll miss being with family this year but this is going to be a very special trip since it will be Hubbs first time seeing Yosemite. I can not wait!

The Spark by Chris Downie

From Goodreads.com:

A revolution is taking place! Millions of people are discovering a new way of thinking about their weight, their health, and their lives. They are taking part in a visionary approach to weight loss that combines goal setting, nutrition, exercise, motivation, and community that has a proven track record of ten million pounds lost.

From the experts who created SparkPeople.com, one of the most successful online weight-loss programs to date, comes The Spark, a ground-breaking book that focuses on what you can do, instead of what you can’t do. The Spark is about transforming your life and your idea of what dieting means.

With dozens of photos—including stunning before-and-after shots and easy-to-follow exercise images—this book distills the best of SparkPeople’s medically accepted nutrition and fitness plan and infuses it with a program of personal empowerment. In this book, you’ll discover:

· Secrets of Success—the best habits of SparkPeople’s most successful members · A 28-day program that brings together the most effective practices from SparkPeople into an innovative 4-stage plan, available only in this book · Dozens of success stories that show the power of this transformational program The Spark delivers inspirational health and weight-loss advice that will surely spark countless lives.

My take:

3 out of 5 stars. I use Sparkpeople.com to track all my food and exercise so this book was like a refresher course for me. I really enjoyed learning the back ground of the author and CEO of Sparkpeople.com.

If you're trying to lose weight or just watch your weight or exercise more or just be healthy, I totally recommend the website and the book.

Oh my gosh! I didn't post yesterday. That hasn't happened since December! I have to admit that I've gotten so into watching what I'm eating and exercising I haven't been doing any knitting or sewing.

I completed Couch to 5k on last Friday and Begin week 2 on Sunday. I have to admit that week 2, day 1 totally kicked my butt. Week 1 was pretty easy for me, run 60 seconds and walk 90 seconds. But bumping it up to run 90 seconds totally kicked my butt. I'm not sure if it was because I ran in the morning or because I wasn't fueled up enough or what the problem was. I normally run after work, around 4:45 or 5pm. It works pretty good for me since I sit on my rear end all day basically putting out no energy. Or at least the minimum amount of energy.

Despite the butt kicking run on Sunday, I'm going to keep going. Next run is tomorrow after work and I'm really looking forward to. I honestly think that if I stay on track for all of April, I'm going to sign up for a 5k in June.

I know that I've said time and time again that I was going to get myself together and lose the weight that I've gained since I started my current job almost three years ago. And then nothing happens or I lose a couple of pounds, fall off program, gain the weight back and go back to my old habits.

Like just about every other American, I struggle with my weight. I know how to lose weight. I've done it before. I lost 84 pounds using weight watchers. Then I moved to Sacramento and gained a lot of it back...like 55 pounds of it back. Moving to a big city from a very small town is a scary experience (or at least it was for me). So is not having a job and trying to figure out a way to pay for a new house. With nothing physical to do all day except laundry and not having the confidence to go outside and take a walk or run, the weight came back quickly.

Next thing I know a year has passed, I've gained 55 pounds and I'm a year away from my wedding. I didn't want to look back at those wedding pictures and see a fat bride, so back to weight watchers I went. By the time the wedding rolled around I'd lost 30 pounds putting me back into the healthy weight range. After the wedding I continued to lose another 15 pounds. I kept that off for about 2 years and then I changed jobs.

My "new" job (I've been there almost 3 years now) has a lot of food activities going on. There are always potlucks and birthday lunches. Not to mention for part of that time one of my new coworkers on my unit always wanted me to go out to lunch with her since we were the closest in age. The lunches were fun. We'd gossip and talk about our significant others. But I was also not exercising and consuming much more calories then I'd normally would have by going out to lunch. Before I knew it 15 pounds gained back. Since that I'm I've stayed right about 150.

I'll lose a pound here and gain a pound there but almost always staying right around 150. Which is OK because it's still a healthy weight for my height. I'm tall and have a medium sized frame, so I'll never be 100 pounds, which is a good thing. I'd look silly at 100 pounds, scratch silly. I'd look sickly at 100 pounds.

While I do want to lose about 10 pounds. My goals this time are different. I used to run. A lot. I used to run a lot but a couple of years ago I got sick and just never went back to it. I really missed running. So a couple of weeks ago I started thinking about it again...obsessively thinking about it. I started walking my dogs again which is something that I really used to enjoy but haven't been doing in part because my job is so crazy and stressful when I got home I just wanted to fall on the couch. Dumb, dumb, dumb...stress is elevated by exercise. Duh and I know that.

About 30 days ago, I started tracking my food again. About 3 weeks ago I started walking the dogs again. Just shooting for 30 min's 3 times a week. But once I started walking them, I started feeling better and having more energy which led to me walking them every day for 30 min's. They get so excited when I put my runners on how can I say no? All of that led to me thinking about how much I love running. Last weekend Hubbs and I went to Fleet Feet on J Street in Sacramento. I got fitted for a new pair of Saucony running shoes. I picked out a pair of Pro Grid Ride 4. Totally scored them for less then $100 which thrilled me. I also downloaded an app for my phone to start the Couch to 5k program (C25k).

Since it's been so long since I ran, I'm starting from scratch. Monday after work, I came home and instead of dropping into my spot on the couch, I changed my cloths, laced up my runners and hit the street. I did the same thing on Wednesday too. After each run I have felt so great, so up beat and positive about every thing. Like the old me is coming back. That great feeling has even held over for work too. I haven't been rolling my eyes at my boss or making (too) many snide comments under my breath.

Yesterday was bit different then the first two days running C25k. Yesterday was week 1, day 3. I had the day off from work to get my car serviced which really only takes an hour but I took the whole day. I was so exhausted and sleepy that I didn't do a thing all day except watch TV and read. When Hubbs got home from work, I forced myself up and into my running gear. Let me tell ya, I am so glad that I did. My pace was better then Wednesdays run buy a lot. I gained over 1.5 min's. And I felt really good after. Not tired at all. I'm planning to continue with the program on Sunday for week 2, day 1.

My ultimate goal at this time is to run a 5k race in June. I'm really fired up about this.

Book #27 of the 50 Book Challenge...

The Waste Lands by Stephen King

From Goodreads.com:

Roland, the Last Gunslinger, moves ever closer to the Dark Tower of his dreams and nightmares- as he crosses a desert of damnation in a macabre world that is a twisted mirror of our very own. With him are those he has drawn to this world, street-smart Eddie Dean and courageous wheelchair-bound Susannah. Ahead of him are mind-rending revelations about who he is and what is driving him.

My take: 4 out of 5 stars. I love this series. Great story. Great characters. Just don't love the cliff hanger endings. However since I have the next book in the series, I can found out what happens right away! yay!

The weather here has gone from raining and 50 to sunny and in the upper 70's lower 80's over night. So naturally I've been getting outside as much as possible. It's too gorgeous not to. I've been walking the dogs on a daily basis which is good for everyone.

The California Poppies are so beautiful.

The ducks are out...ducking or whatever ducks do.

The turtles have been sunbathing.

I love spring time.

Book #26 of the 50 Book Challenge...

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

From Goodreads.com:

When the "Time Traveller" courageously stepped out of his machine for the first time, he found himself in the year 802,700 - and everything had changed. In another, more utopian age, creatures seemed to dwell together in perfect harmony. The Time Traveller thought he could study these marvelous beings - unearth their secret and then return to his own time - until he discovered that his invention, his only avenue of escape, had been stolen. (H. G. Well's famous novel of one man's astonishing journey beyond the conventional limits of the imagination first appeared in 1895. It won him immediate recognition, and has been regarded ever since as one of the great masterpieces in the literature of science fiction).

My take:

3 out of 5 stars. I liked it but I didn't love it. I was hoping there would be more explanation of why one race of people in the future lived above ground and one lived below ground and what happened to cause it to be this way. But it was ok.

Book# 25 of the 50 Book Challenge...

Monster Planet by David Wellington

From Goodreads.com:

Set twelve years after the shambling zombie masses have overrun Manhattan, America, and the world, Monster Planet is the mind-blowing conclusion to what must be the scariest trilogy ever. Oceans of blood, scattered limbs, wanton violence, and general mayhem abound, along with revivified mummies, a Welsh sorcerer, and Wellington's signature brand of cool high-tech weaponry and sly humor — zombies, after all, are the ultimate consumers. What do the undead want, aside from fresh meat? Do the steadily diminishing number of humans who have somehow managed to survive over a decade of living hell stand a chance on a planet where they've been reduced to the status of prey? It all ends here, on Monster Planet.

My take:

3 out of 5 stars. I liked it but I didn't love it. This is the third book in the series. I think out of the three books, number 1 was the best. All and all, not a bad book but I think I would have like more back story on the main character Sarah.

Also on a side note, this was book 25 out of 50 for the challenge. I'm not officially 50% done. I can't believe it. It's been so fun and I've gotten to read some really awesome books that I might not have read otherwise.

Book# 24 of the 50 Book Challenge...

Swan Song by Robert McCammon

From Goodreads.com:

In a world born of nuclear rage, an ancient evil roams a devastated America. . . He is the Man with the Scarlet Eye. He has gathered under his power the forces of human greed and madness, searching for a child who has the gift of life, the child named Swan. And when the mighty forces of good and evil finally clash against the nightmare landscape of the new world, no one will escape.

My take:

5 out of 5 stars. Reminded me of my favorite book of all time, The Stand by Stephen King. Both books are about the epic fight between good and evil, God and the Devil. Love it. First 5 star rating of the year. But if you decide to read this book, please be aware this book is huge. Almost 900 pages. By far the biggest book I've read this year. At one point I thought I was going to need a forklift to drag this book around with me.

KniCroBlo Week, Day 7: Your Knitting or Crochet Time.

You’d think that this would be a very easy post. All I’ve got to do is talk about my time. For some reason, I’ve been struggling with this one. For that reason, I’m going to employ the Who, What, When, Where and How of writing.

Who: Me, Hubbs, two dogs and a cat.

What: Knitting

When: Usually after work once the chores are done or on the weekends when we’re not running errands.

Where: Like most people I have a favorite spot in the house. It used to be on the couch but then we got a new entertainment center and rearranged the living room so now I have a chair with an ottoman. It’s covered with a quilt that I made when I first started quilting about 7 years ago. The chair itself if from the 60’s and is cream colored with blue strips. The cream colored chair is the reason for the quilt. Unless I put something in the chair, the second you leave the house or if the dog thinks you’re not paying attention to what he’s doing, he hops up in my chair for a rest. The quilt is cream and pastel colors but at least I can toss that in the washing machine if it gets muddy or covered in dog hair (it’s frequently both). I have a little side table that came from China with my Grandpa Jack when he was a Merchant Marine in the 40’s and 50’s. One the table I usually have my 32 oz water bottle, my notions can and any other necessary objects. It also holds the TV remotes, Kleenex and a side lamp. I recently got a new lamp that is directly over the chair to give me better lighting. Our house has the worst lighting. I’m pretty sure we have more lamps per capita then any other home in the country.

How: No knitting is to be done without the personal approval of the cat. She’s generally on my lap making sure that 1) I don’t make a break for it or 2) that my yarn meets with her approval. At least once an hour she does her test of yarn integrity by batting at the yarn and attempting to bite through it. While this is going on there is generally a dog dropping a slimy ball into my lap wanting it to be thrown for him while the other dog waits for the first dog to run by in order to pounce on him and start a dog wrestle mania. While all of that is going on the TV is generally on tuned to any number of programs. But I treat TV like radio. And then I tune it out. It sounds cayotic when I put in writing but it works for me.

KniCroBlo Week, Day 6: Something to Aspire to.

See these socks?

© Interweave

I want to make these socks soooo badly. I can cast on. I can turn a heel. I can decrease I can bind off but the one thing I can't do is do the color work. I don't know how, but I so want to learn. I'd love to make these socks for my Gram.

Goal number 5 for 2011 is learn to do color work. And goal number 6 is to knit 2 pairs of socks from Around the World in Knitted Socks for Gram. These socks are from that book. I could do two goals for 2011 in one pair of socks.

Color work is scary. Two yarns. People with thingies on their fingers. I don't know.

My mom gave me Mastering Color Knitting by Melissa Leapman for my birthday. I really want to do some of the projects from this book but I really need to finish a couple other things before I start doing any color work. And really, it's time for me to challenge myself in my knitting. All the basics I feel that I've pretty much mastered. So it's time. And socks might be a good thing to start with, small project that wouldn't be too much of an investment in yarn or time to determine if I even want to keep going with color work.

I don't know who I'm trying to convience...me or you.

KniCroBlo Week, Day 5: And Now for Something Completely Different..

A Haiku.

Sheep woolly goodness
Soft furry yarn on the hoof
I long to pet you.

Thank you.