The Moon

Not actual but from just before the last new moon. But I like it and think it is worth posting!

Finally the wind has stopped

And it even didn’t rain or snow this afternoon so after a dog-walk with all of the dogs and doing some chores at home I took Flavie on a run. The round I did last time and I felt good. Needed about the same time. Flavie even managed to make it fun with little chasing games while she was in her gotta ruuuuuun mood. So I could put in some little sprints. She is so smart, running where she wants, sniffing here and there, when she is allowed but staying close when told to do so and even not pulling when on leash. We managed to pass a pheasant and too geese that weren’t too far away off leash, she didn’t take notice of two hares sitting and moving far in the field and ran very nicely on leash passing some rabbits. Very cool little girl. And except for a short time after those chasing games she breathed with her mouth closed. Was anyone afraid this running would be too much for her? Sweetheart asked if she has to gallop? No way, she is in a very comfortable trot.

Sewing

Something else got accomplished over the weekend: I cut and seamed the curtains for the bedroom windows. Am very pleased with my work, though it seemed to take me ages – not the actual sewing but the preparations. I’ve never been much of a sewing girl, have a machine but that’s it… Have used it once or twice, for not more than straight seams on ordinary cotton fabric and this must have been nearly 10 years ago…
Want to use it more from now on, try to knit clothing and have that dream of a quilted bedspread (with our house’s name in the middle)…

Sock repair

Finally finished repairing some old socks. They were one of the first pairs of socks I knit for Sweetheart years ago. They are still good but the cast on edge had wholes. So I picked up stitches below the ribbing, cut off the ribbing and reknit it, sewn bind off. Done with sock #2. No problem that the sock was knit cuff down first, it just looks perfect.
Also done with reknitting cuff of first sock of another pair, one of his favorite ones, tiger-like self patterning yarn in white-blue-brown, I think that one met the teeth of one very special doggie.

more running

I ran again about 5 km through the fields, with Dingo on and off leash and he behaved very well. I felt really good, happy that the wind was over. Walked with the girls after that for 25 minutes after having changed into my warm coat. I think that was better than falling on the couch or standing in the kitchen preparing dinner. Though my legs felt a bit heavy the morning after. Now I just need to get into the routine of running 3 or 4 times a week! With the km-counter as a motivator...???

Knitty

The new Knitty is out with more patterns I would love to knit! Like Laminaria shawl (passing slowly with that “under-water-view boat” through those Kelp forests in the Mer d’Iroise –between the Britanny coast and the islands Molene and Ouessant, just where the border between the Atlantic and the Channel is - was SO fascinating) or the two sweaters called Yosemite and Jaden or the Salto socks (with some of my new yarn?).
I think I could knit Laminaria with sock yarn as I did my Kiri, and thinking about that made me remember that in our local supermarket they have reduced the prices for some of their sock yarn this week. Checked for some nice greens that remind me of the Laminaria, but nothing at all. Drove to my new LYS today – have wanted to do this all the time since I found out about it, now I had a reason. Nothing. Great yarns, sure. But no kelpish sock yarn, no lace weight either. When I asked the owner she showed me some fine cotton crochet yarn… I left with three balls of nice sock yarn (one of which was immediately picked by Sweetheart). Then there is another LYS right in the city where I was once, looking a bit dark and chaotic but owned by a very friendly old lady – want to check tomorrow or Saturday. And I know I won’t come out of the shop with empty hands...

Chrochet curtains in my mind

More projects in my head – want to make some curtains inspired by the traditional ones they have on the islands in Britanny. For the glass door. For the house door. For the kitchen maybe a small one. For the guest toilet to complete the Britanny decorations.

Ladder ribbon yarn

Not that I haven’t done anything: the knitted necklace is finished as well as the scarf made from the same yarn. Knitting with this yarn was ok though I didn’t like the feeling of it very much. I prefer softer yarns.
The necklace was knit flat then seemed up along the long side and the ends glued into the closure. The scarf was knit in the round with two circulars, in the second row working a yarn over after each stitch and in the row before the last every other stitch (that came from those yarn overs) was dropped. Bind of and PULL.

New goals

I plan on running a real official run in our city on June 21. They have 7.2 k or 9.6 k. Will move on in training and then see where to start. Looking for a 5 k before.
And I have set a long-time goal: 42 with 42. Meaning running a marathon (42.195 kms) when I am 42. This will be in 3 years. Will see how my body will work with me once I run longer distances, but I really have it as a goal not just a dream.
I feel different since I made this goal! Lighter somehow, hard to describe!

And I found out about programs online like mapmyrun or jogmap. They work with the google earth maps and you can set up your runs there. Fill in the times for every run etc. Lots of things to find out yet… Like having a counter on the blog with your run kms. I will check out how to do it. Need this! But only 5 so far – due to the wind in which I don’t want to run. Enough that I have to pull the dogs walk with the dogs through it at least 3 times a day.

Wind and rain

Ok it is not as bad as it has been in other regions during the last few days but this wind can be bothering. Really great when it blows the cold rain directly in your face. We had one bad storm over here end of February, where several roofs and satellite antennas on the neighboring houses were damaged but we were lucky.
But it is enough now! It makes me feel so - unwell. And the forecast talked about 18 °C for Saturday. That’s just too much for me right now…

5k

I did it: last night I ran my very first five kilometers non stop. (exept for one short short stop as I had to talk to an old lady passing by and encouraging me :-) )
Felt really good, had Flavie with me who seemed to enjoy it and let her little legs fly. Took us about 35 minutes which I think is not too bad considering how little I ran lately.
Now that I know that I can do it I can start varying speed and then go up in time/distance. But I think I will continue running in the fields where I don't know any distances but running between 30 and 45 minutes non stop will be ok. Then inbetween shorter but faster as well as runs with intervals of slow and fast running.