Curves Update


Yesterday, after dithering for a week, talking to friends - dithering some more - checking out the competition & just plain laying about, I decided it was in my own best interest to just give in & sign on for a year with Curves. And, I can hear the bell tolling in my head as I write this . . . I just spent too much time on the Cardiac & Stroke wards last fall with the BT to NOT sign on & get my butt moving. The monthly fee bothered me a whole lot. But I checked out the Rec Centre, which is half the price & knew I wouldn't go with all the 20 somethings in spandex & sweat pants . . . I've tried the Multi-Location spot that has all the frills but no instructors to help unless you pay $80 an hour . . . . the Women only local joint has no air-conditioning in the summer - ouch!! And I don't want to work out with the Testosterone crowd . . a l t h o u g h h h h . . NAAAAAA, I'd be too intimidated even though it sounds like fun . . . So I bit the bullet & signed on with Curves.

Yesterday, I went just after lunch to do the paperwork etc. And met the wackiest woman in the world. Apparently the place is dead from lunch to 3:00 - afternoon nap time, I'm sure of it!! So I decided to wander in when it was quiet. The Whirlwind takes me over, does the paperwork & leads me thru the optional computerized programming. Apparently Curves offers a whole lot more than just the circuit training! I'd been watching members insert these tags into the special equipment attached to the machinery & although they do the same circuit, they do it a little differently. So I made sure I got signed on for THAT too. They also have a walking club & weight loss club - I am NOT signing on for more than I can cope with right now.

So, I'm signed up for the Computerized Circuit. Apparently you have to do at least two weeks on the plain circuit before you can sign up for the computerized plan & I've now done my 30 days for the Study! So we sign on , transfer my sign up info & workout info from the study & it assigns me a TAG. We stuck my little tag into each machine, did three full movements, waited for the beep & did three more. After completing the circuit, we went back to the computer, inserted my tag & IT NOW KNOWS MY NAME & BODY. Sounds ominous, doesn't it??? It sets up a program for me. I have to stay within the Green zone as I work out. If I slow down or hesitate, it flashes YELLOW. It has determined that I have good upper body strength - must be all that knitting!!! - AND I am a lot weaker in my right leg - told ya - it targets my right hip, inner thigh & glut as needing work. It assigns me strength & endurance work on each machine according to my numbers. On some machines I have to do so many reps, on others I just have to go slowly & stay green. After my circuit, I'm to go back to the computer, plug in my tag & call up the information from the workout. The computer will show me a graph of how I worked, if I worked to program & where I exceeded or fell short of my goals.

I went back for another circuit as programmed. The instructor recommended that I only do ONE circuit my first time since I'd already done it once while programming. Well, I said, we'd see how it goes . . . and bit off more than I could chew! That computerized program really put me thru my paces, gang. I was stumbling with exhaustion at the end of that circuit - and YES, I only did ONE more! It pushed me to muscle exhaustion. I actually did smaller movements but more reps. Turns out that I have the strength to do the work but not the endurance. The machine is going to work on the Endurance part of exercise . . . . oh bloody!

And I found out why I've been in such pain & why I injured myself on the 30 day program. I was doing WAY TOO MUCH. I was using too much weight & trying to force my right side to keep up with my left. The Computer has changed my program so I work at the pace my right side can do instead of injuring it trying to keep up with the left. So I'm doing lighter work but for a longer time. I literally went home after that workout & crawled on the couch for a nap. And, nothing hurts today folks. NOTHING!

More Sunshine


The last couple of days have been cool enough to make my right hip ache enough to make me start swallowing Arthritis strength Aspirin again!! My fingers have been sore but not sore enough to make me stop knitting . . . . . I must admit I'm glad to see the sunshine & blue sky again this morning! Everything has stopped aching as I type - maybe it's due to the HUGE amounts of enteric aspirin in my system????

So, I've been working on Kyler's Kardigan for the Boomer project. Remember it?? Lynne at Knitopia donated the acrylic/wool yarn to anyone who will knit children's hats, scarves or sweaters which are sent to the Canadian troops to distribute to the kids in Afghanistan. The project is named in the honor of "Boomer", a Canadian medic who wrote to his mom about the kids he met on the streets.
Back to Kyler's Kardigan. It's knit from the top down in garter stitch. I made too many increases right in the beginning. This made me grumble but I carried on knitting. After a while I decided I didn't like the shaping. And I didn't like the fact that I'd have to find buttons. And sew them on. So I ripped it all out & went back to the Wallaby pattern. No sewing. No buttons. No garter stitch neither because you can't garter in the round . . . . . sigh. But, what the hell, I DO like the Wallaby pattern!!!!

Crawford's mom has sent me another 40 pound bag of yarn. I'm afraid to look in there. I know if I open the top, something will jump out, grab me by the throat & threaten to come inside the house with me. I have enough crap in the house now. So, it lives in the car! But, I see greens & blues & pinks & Lopi in there. No Buffalo wool but a box of THAT has already made it inside the house! The first bag is all bits & pieces. The second bag is balls & skeins. I hear there's at least 5 more waiting for me . . . . . . I hope a lot of this yarn will end up in Wallabies or afghan squares. Somewhere, anywhere!!! I need help here folks! If anyone wants to knit some 8" afghan squares, I've got the yarn!

I've almost finished my wild pink socks in the Drops Fabel yarn. I've been too busy & too tired to knit much in the last week or so but an evening will finish them off! I've made winter length socks because I just know I'll want to wear them a LOT!! I really must get back to Knitopia & see what other colors have come out in the Fabel. You might have your Lorna's Laces, Malbrigio or Wollmeise yarn but I just love my berry colored Fabel!! And it's a lot more affordable too!

Someday - maybe before the winds blow in October - I'll get back to the sweater I'm knitting for myself out of the Briggs & Little Anniversary blue yarn. It's part way up the yoke, heading for the shoulders at the moment. I cast off for DEEP armholes & will use the EZ short row method in the Tomten jacket to pick up the sleeve stitches & knit the cap. Hopefully it will all work out . . . . . before it gets too cold, that is. I guess I could always make a wallaby.

Onward & Upward


Feeling a lot better this week although I still want my afternoon nap. I think this is the result of getting up too early . . . . those damned birds start twittering well before the sun comes up in the morning these days! I do love this time of year - my Patio Jungle is busting out all over!! Just thought I'd include a picture of my two aged Christmas cacti, spending the summer under the table on the patio. Both are loaded with buds!!! I think they're enjoying the weather too.


I finally got myself a chip reader today so I can now start taking pictures of the projects I've been working on. I finished the purple socks & the decided to finish the pink ones from the Car knitting bag. Both are made with the Drops Fabel yarn which feels distinctly thicker than some other sock yarns so I've made longer 'winter' socks with the yarn. I really like the colors & the way they blend into each other - especially the pink one - so I'll definitely buy more of this yarn in the future. I'm almost looking forward to the cold weather so I have an excuse to wear them! I've decided that I like the pink so much that I may knit myself a pair of fingerless mitts in the same colorway. Have to dig out Knitty's famous Spirogyra mitt pattern . . . . .

My first Wallaby for the Boomer project in the bulky yarn supplied by Knitopia!! This was a lot of fun to knit from the bottom up but I'm working on the next one from the neck down using the Kyler's Kardigan pattern from the same people who gave us the Wonderful Wallaby. Kyler's Kardigan is done in garter stitch with two half pockets. Both are easy to knit in front of the tube while you peruse the Home & Garden channel or watch the Antiques Roadshow.

My Briggs & Little Anniversary yarn jacket is temporarily on hold for the summer. It's waaaaay to big & warm to sit in my lap while I work on it in this weather! I'll save it for the damp days because I intend to wear it later this fall.

The spinner has half a bobbin - we're talking GIANT indian spinner bobbin here - of Brown Sheep mill ends spun up on it. The stuff spins like silk & I love it. Dunno why I don't just order another 15 pound bag of it & just spend the rest of my days slobbering over it as I spin . . . . Soooooo much fibre, sooooo little time . . . .

Monday er, Tuesday Again


Unglued an eyeball on Monday morning at 5:13 & decided I felt like hell & went back to sleep. Woke up a couple hours later with one cat standing on chest squawking. Forced the aforementioned eyeball open to sunshine & hungry cat. Not pleased. Eventually got up, fed the damned cat, drank something & crawled onto the couch. Piled on the blankets, but couldn't get warm. Got up at suppertime & ate something. While contemplating the spinning room & complaining cat, the phone rang. Ignored it & went back to bed. Should've had some Bailey's in that tea . . . . .

Got up this morning but not willingly. Head still spinning but I'm out of milk so I have to go out - eventually. I have the Summer Crud. The cat's pissed off because I've also run out of extra lean hamburger which she's become addicted to. Won't eat cat food anymore, only eats crunchies when starved into it . . . I pay $18 a small bag for that expensive chow!!!!! She took another hunk out of my shin reminding me the bowl's empty but I managed to NOT fall down when I kicked her furry behind . . . . I guess I HAVE to go shopping . . . no milk for my tea & I'm too dizzy for the Bailey's already. Sigh.

I didn't feel too ambitious on the weekend either although I went to work. I got out the old Indian Spinner & some of the Brown Sheep mill ends & spun & spun & spun in the evenings. It's such lovely stuff & I haven't really spun anything again since the Spring Retreat in April. So I got out the old girl & spent a few hours listening to a Murder on my MP3 player & spinning until it got too dark to see. I have about half a bobbin full at the moment & plan to spin up a couple of them for my next dye experiment!! I bought Mother McKenzie's dye kit several years ago & haven't dyed anything!! So I was thinking about it . . . . but first, I'm going to get several BIG skeins spun up. A little spinning here & a little there should do it . . . And I may be home by myself spinning tomorrow instead of knitting socks with the Wednesday Nite Nitters if I don't feel a whole lot better than I am at the moment!

Oh, did I mention I've also done a little more work on socks?? Well, I have. To the toe on one purple sock & to the middle of the foot with the other. I think I need them today! It's cool - too cool today. I wonder if its better to be sick on cold days or warm ones?? Blleetchhhh!

Sweating to the Oldies

So I've hung in for almost 30 days at Curves for the Avon study. I hope I don't skew the works. It seems I'm pretty damned good at these machines . . . . Gawd help me! I'm sore for the rest of the day & stiff & achy the next as well until it's time to go back for more . . . but, I'm meeting my daily totals for exercise, steps & calories so I KNOW it's a good thing although I could use some of that estrogen I used to have to recover more quickly.
Since it's been hot, I've been getting up VERY early & going to Curves just before 7AM when it's cool. I'm sleeping better these days & although I'm sweating bullets, I feel a lot better. Maybe I'll just surprise myself & keep on going.

I finished my first Wonderful Wallaby for the Boomer project & have gone onto the Kyler's Kardigan from the same author. It's knit from the neck down & I have to report that I got a little enthusiastic & made too many increases on the yoke. I refuse to pull it all out so I'm doing just a top-down cardi in garter stitch. Oh, I'll put a hood on it & trim the edges in a nice contrasting color so it'll work out in the end. One thing about knitting, you can adapt it! The next one will be done the right way! Still no pictures of the projects because I have no reader for my flash chip but I'm going shopping later this week & will download them all. A blog is just not the same without pictures!!!

Not much happening on the sock scene although my knitting buddy Karen & talked about having our own Sock Summit for those of us who couldn't go to Portland. The Yarn Stinkers - oops, Floozies are driving down together & managed to get registered for classes on line! Gail, Karen & I tossed around the idea for a brief shining moment but soon realized it was just not on the schedule. So Karen thought we could have one in her back yard. We thought about having a knit-a-long in a luxury yarn or lace pattern or a new sock design. We COULD rent a Retreat space for a couple of days but the idea of a lazy day in the shade with munchies is really appealing. I mean, the money spent on a Retreat could be better spent on a book & some outrageous yarn instead, don't you think . . .
Meanwhile, I have two pairs of socks in the project bag - I turned all the heels & got no further. Maybe Boomer sweaters took over? Or maybe it was just too hot to knit . . . .