Friday, November 9, 2012

Friday Mishmash

In case you missed it, I posted an update on my ankle/foot issues yesterday - click here for the gory details.  The ankle is feeling a bit better - dare I hope that the shot is working?  Still planning on running the half marathon this Sunday; I hope to have a fun race recap here on Monday morning.

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Last week I lamented that things are starting to break down in our now 12.5 year old house.  While there is other stuff I'd rather spend our money on, we're starting to chip away at some of the problems.  We had a really good shopping trip at Lowe's and got a new ceiling fan for $89 - much cheaper than I would have thought, considering it has a remote (best accessory EVER), and we also got a new thermostat that was originally $39 but on sale for $15.  I'll take it!  Jeff replaced the ceiling fan already - I love the brushed silver and the bowl light fixture...it's a pretty change.
 
Now, in the middle of the night when my internal thermostat goes up, I can make the fan go at a higher speed without having to get out of bed.  And in the mornings, when the fan makes it too cool to get out from under those warm covers, I can turn it off...this is one remote that I will not misplace!

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Paco had an allergy shot on Monday afternoon and is doing much better already.  Plus the vet said it would be OK to give him fish oil - not so much for the allergies, but that it might help soothe his skin.  We are lucky that he's a great pill taker - we just put whatever pill in some peanut butter, and he licks it right up.  Our old dog, Jackie, was a master at eating the food around the pill and then spitting the pill out.  Oh - the other good news is that he has lost a pound since I put him on a diet - great job, Paco!

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Since I was trying to stay off my feet this week, I spent a lot of time knitting.  The happy result is that I finished my sweater!  I am really pleased with it, not only with how it came out, but with my approach to it - I was trying to make this a relaxing experience, where I didn't stress over every little stitch and could just enjoy the learning process.  I didn't even freak out when I realized that I was going to run out of yarn with seven rows left to stitch.  No biggie!  Normally, you'd buy all the yarn for a project from the same dye lot, but with all the different colors in this yarn, I didn't think it would really matter.  So I whipped out to the yarn store after my ortho appointment and got another skein, and in no time, the sweater was done!  There are probably mistakes in it, but with the yarn, I think they're hidden well enough...and hey - it's my first sweater, so it's very special to me.  I've learned how to knit and purl into the back loops, how to do a "make one" stitch, how to do decreases, and how to cast on in the middle of a row (this is what my running friend Cary showed me last Saturday).  Maybe next time, I'll actually work on sizing - it could be a little bigger, but the style is pretty forgiving.  Here's the sweater:
Pattern:  Shalom Cardigan; Yarn: James C. Brett Marble Chunky in MC28.

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Of course I had to do a Fashion Friday with my sweater.  All along, I planned on wearing a black long-sleeved t-shirt under the sweater, but when I tried to buy one at JC Penney (their brand is only $9), they didn't have my size, so I bought a purple shirt instead - I think it works:
 
It was the wrong time of the day to be taking pictures outside and I was having trouble with the sun - this shot didn't work, but when I uploaded it, I loved the background subject so had to include it.
 My favorite shot, of course!

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Tomorrow, instead of getting up super early to go run, we'll get up almost as early to drive to San Antonio - we'll pick up our bibs and goodie bags at the expo, check out all the vendors and maybe do a little shopping, and later we have plans to meet some old friends for dinner.  And then, of course, the race on Sunday!  I'm excited and hoping for the best - that my ankle doesn't hurt any more than it used to before last weekend - and that we can do what we set out to, which is run the race and have a great time doing so.  Rock and Roll half marathon, here we come!!!

Have a great weekend!

30 comments:

  1. Very nice sweater! You are looking very trim and fit. Good luck on Sunday!

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    1. Thank you - especially for the trim and fit, as I wasn't feeling it yesterday.

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  2. That sweater is great! I am so impressed with anyone who can knit a sweater and you've progressed to that level in no time. I hope you have a great run in SA and that ankle behaves itself. Can't wait for your r.r. and to see that medal. Good luck!

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  3. Shelley I love the sweater. It looks good on you and I think it looks even better with the purple longsleeve instead of a black one. And the last one of you and Paco is adorable.

    I will be thinking of you Sunday and hope all goes well and that you have a fun and enjoyable race.

    Good luck!

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    1. Thanks, Fran - I'm glad I was forced out of my comfort zone and had to buy a more colorful shirt. Knew you'd appreciate the picture with Paco. :)

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  4. Loving the sweater and I think the purple tee is a better choice. Super cute.

    Safe travels to SA this weekend. Be warned of the Veterans Day Parade and the UTSA football game on Saturday is a promise for a traffic conundrum.

    Have a great race!

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    1. We are heading out super early and hoping to not get caught in the traffic mess. Hope to see you on Sunday!

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  5. Wishing you luck on your race tomorrow, especially hoping that ankle doesn't act up! Speaking of feet, I just underwent a gastrocnemius slide surgery on Tuesday. That is a calf-lengthening procedure to release the tension on my plantar fascia which has caused me chronic pain for over two years. Fortunately, my ortho doc is an avid runner and hopes to get me back to running (slowly). My goal is my first 13.1 in 2013!!! He has completed this surgery on several marathoners so I don't lose any running strength...just push off/high jump strength...neither which I do!!!! As u can imagine, I have a wicked heel spur on that foot that is connected to the calf I had surgery on. Recuperation has been amazing....foot is completely pain free....calf not so much LOL. Can't wait to hear how the race goes!

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    1. Thanks, Valerie, and good luck to you on your recovery - I hope the surgery did the trick and you will be pain-free from now on!

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  6. You did a great job on your sweater - be very proud!

    I don't know how we'd survive our third floor without the ceiling fans. But now I'm wishing mine had remote controls...

    Have a great race, try not to spend too much time on your feet Saturday. I know it's hard with the big expos but you want to protect your ankle/foot and save it as much as possible for the race itself. Say hi to John Bingham for me!!

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    1. You can add the remote control, but they're not cheap - like $30. Which is why I couldn't believe that fan was only $89...here's hoping it continues to work for years.

      I'll be sure to tell John that his amiga Helen says hi! ;)

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  7. We have a remote for our fan and we don't know how we ever got along without one!

    Your poor "gristly" ankle - hope for the best for this weekend for you - either way, it will be a great experience and you'll have another medal to hang!!

    While I am no fashionista, I love the purple with the sweater - it turned out great!

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  8. Good luck on your race this weekend! I hope your foot/ankle doesn't give you any trouble and that it's totally pain free! :)

    Great job on your sweater; very cute.

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    1. Thanks, Angela - from your words straight to my ankle. :)

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  9. That is such a cute sweater pattern. Plus, I still can't believe that you did that, with all the interesting shaping!

    Best picture ever of Mr. Paco (and you!) And it must be the dachshund super-nose. Sophie would never blithely swallow her pills in the string cheese like Mr. Monk does. She would do just like Jackie!

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    1. I was amazed, when I laid the sweater out for pictures, how you really can see where I did the decreases, and then the increases - it's actually fitted! Knitting is really cool. :)

      I think Paco looks so innocent in that picture - just a sweet little puppy dog, right? ;)

      You must be right about the dachshund nose - Jackie would never miss a crumb of food ANYWHERE, and Paco, even if he sees something drop from the counter, can be looking all around going "where, where?!" before I point it out with my toe.

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  10. Love the sweater - you did a great job! Happy to hear Paco is on the mend and hope that the shot lasts a good long time. Best of luck on the half marathon - you can do it!

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  11. That picture of you and Paco is frameable!

    You know, I had a thought about Paco and his allergies. You said you give him Benadryl, is that right? I know people can develop skin hives from benadryl, so maybe that is happening with Paco?

    Have an awesome half!!

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    1. Never heard of getting hives from Benadryl - that would be awful, to think that we're making him worse!

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  12. The sweater looks wonderful! I'm impressed. I think you've surpassed me in the knitting realm.

    Glad Paco is having a successful weight loss experience.

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    1. Thanks - I doubt it, on the knitting, but I am glad that I finally am a knitter - it's great fun!

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  13. the sweater is cute, Paco is adorable and I'm wishing for you an smazing race on Sunday!! one of my Twitter friends is running her first half there. one of my favorite books is "Accidental Athlete" by John Bingham, cool tgat he will be there too! someday I want to be in a race that has an Expo! Have fun :)

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    1. I am really excited about the expo - should be fun to see so much running gear in person!

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  14. LOVE the green and purple together with your nifty new vest. Well done!

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  15. P.S. Good luck at the half-marathon tomorrow!

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  16. LOVE the sweater Shelley, and REALLY love the pic of you and Paco. AWW!! Thinking of you this morning (Sunday), look forward to hear how the race was.

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