Back to Normal

or what passes for normal around here.

The new washing machine works well so far. It's huge! I am doing about 3 weeks worth of laundry and I have two loads left. Larger loads means fewer loads, which is quite nice.

Today is warm (58 or so!), so I took my bike off the trainer and used it where it's meant to go (the road). I went from our house to Oregon, and looped back into Washington. It was about 16 miles, which isn't too bad for the first ride in four months. (Last year was awful for cycling for me.) I really wasn't ready to finish, but I don't want to overdo it, either. There's something more satisfying about saying I rode my bike to Oregon, even though it's not necessarily a longer ride than one that takes place all in Washington. But how many of you can say you've ridden your bike to Oregon? :)

I have started a new project for an auction at church. It's a lace scarf, so it's not exactly attractive yet. I think it will be quite pretty though.

Both boys are in school (HOORAY) and I started my new semester. Right now there aren't any major holidays at church, so the Collar has a wee bit of a break.

Any way, here we are. I'm glad it is calmer now.

Random Stuff

Yesterday, as the Wiz and I were coming home from school, a little girl got off the bus and ran over and gave him a bear hug. He said that she is his friend and nemesis. He turned red. :)

It's been in the 5o's for the last few days. Game Boy is wearing shorts.

School starts next Sunday for me. I just need to tweak a few things, and we'll be ready to go.

Game Boy is enjoying having a lap top. Although he's had things running on two computers a few times.

We Ski (for the Wii) is a lot of fun. Big Foot was never so cute.

My bike is set up in the living room, even though we haven't gotten the tree down yet. Priorities are important.

The Collar found three antlers in our back yard. None of them match.

Dinner's ready, so I must go.

Everything Round Here Is Broken

Apparently, it is our duty in EVERY house to replace all of the appliances.

At the old house, we replaced the fridge, the stove, the garage door opener (the only way to open the garage door) and the dishwasher.

Here we need to replace a fridge, the wall oven, the 3 year old washing machine (hint: don't buy it from Sears), and our phones.

The washing machine is quite painful. It's only 3YEARS OLD. I'm not bitter at all. (Did I tell you not to go to Sears?) We're getting a better one. But it really is aggravating.

The oven is vintage. However, it's from the 50's and the house is from the 30's so it's anachronistic anyway. We'll do modern.

The fridge can wait. We have one upstairs. We now own a used upright freezer, so that takes some pressure off too.

We wouldn't have had to replace the phones if they hadn't discontinued the batteries. However, now we have 4 handsets, so that worked out all right.

Other things might break. I won't say it can't get worse, because, that just means you get smacked down. :)

On Monday, I'll get to do laundry again. And life will be better. Or at least less stinky.

New Year Knitting

Because it was doing this:I knit another one of these:I shoveled snow and got soaked. Hat, mittens, and pants. I need more hats. (I'll wear them for activities such as that or for walking around down town or something. ) I need more mittens, too.

I still hate the way I look in hats. That's why there isn't a picture of my face. I always think maybe this one'll be better, but no. I still think I look stupid. This one's a little big, but that's probably okay. I haven't blocked it yet. This view shows the hat better, anyway.

At least it's cheerful. (Wiz took the hat on head picture.)
Info:
Needles: Size 7 dpns.
Yarn: KnitPicks Merino Style (yellow, pink, and green)
Basic pattern: I cast on 100 stitches. I made a picot hem, carried the yellow so I didn't have a million ends to weave in. It's about 6.5 inches before the decreases. I have a smallish head.
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Other stuff on the needles:

• A pair of socks with red/orange/brown/tan/black stripes (both cuffs done, working on leg now)
• A pair of blue/green socks. (Knitting the foot of the first sock. These are the socks that I've been carrying around and taking to doctor's appointments and so on.)
• A baby blanket for a friend who is having her fourth boy.
  
• A shawl that I started an age ago that I need to decide if I want to frog it, or finish it. I find the knitting boring, so frogging is probably what I'll be doing.

Happy New Year!

I don't make resolutions, but I do have a few goals for this year.

• I am going to train for 5Ks. I may not actually run in a race, but I will be running 5Ks by December (outside, not on just the treadmill).
  
• I am going to train for a century. Every year I attempt this I have had injuries or we've done other things (like move to Washington from Kentucky).
• I am going to do more yoga (at least 2 times a week) because it feels good on my none-too-happy joints.
• I am going to knit a sweater for each member of my family (just the ones who live with me) this year.
  
• I am going to knit a sweater for me, too.
• I am going to work on getting a teaching certification for Washington State.
• I am going to finish setting up a space for just me.

The space I am referring to was a closet. It's a big closet, but it was a closet. It's partially set up for me, but I'd like to do a few things still. I need a table or a desk so that I can set up the sewing machine in there, and I want to paint it a different color. But this is what I have so far:

The "desk" is a piece of shelf over two cabinets. It'll do for now, but I truly want a desk/table so that I can sew in there. I need a wider surface for that. It works well as a computer desk though. The walls look like someone spilled motor oil down them. I have no idea what that

I need a place where I can work when the boys are home. It is also a place to work on projects that I don't want to be seen until they are finished, too. Eventually. This might be the first room of my own, ever. At 38 years old, I might have my own room.