Who knew??

65.73 miles completed for September! That is all!


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In the home stretch...

I am in the home stretch of my September goal. I set my lofty goal back on September 1 to do 45 miles this month. I am safe to say that I am well over 30 miles. This may not seem like a lot to a seasoned runner, but I have come a long way this year. I have also fell below the 120 lb mark for the first time since high school. I went into the hospital topping the scales at 179 and have since lost 61 pounds. I feel great and I stepped into my first pair of skinny jeans over the weekend. Thanks to John who convinced me to get them instead of my usual boot cut jeans.

If all goes well, I should be almost at my goal before I leave for my conference next week. The weather forecast for San Antonio is the low 90s, but everyone keeps telling me its a dry heat so I should be able to get outside to run after our sessions let out for the day. But really I am looking forward to the RiverWalk and doing some shopping while there. It'll also be the first time I am away from Grayson for more than one night. I think it's going to be a lot worse on me than him.

So now it's time to relax with my pointy sticks and string and some chai tea. Made it through Wednesday...looking forward to the rest of the week and my treasured weekend.


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Another one down

Last night was our last long race of the Seacoast Series. I have lived in New Hampshire all of my life and I had never been to the town of Newington prior to last evening. I mean I have been to the mall and Pease Air Force Base, but never to the actual village of Newington. It was quaint and secluded. Great small town field that happens to have a runway bordering it on one side and Great Bay on another. It has all the benefits of being a small town, but with the Seacoast just down the road. I could live there very easily.
All that aside it was a pretty tough 5 miler with lots of hills, but I think all of my running with the jogging stroller is paying off. I managed 9.17 minutes per mile. Crazy! That is almost as fast I was two years ago before the pregnancy. And I have to say I feel great. From Sunday to Saturday I put in 20.5 miles and that was only four runs.
Today is my off day. I am going to lounge around the house, do some housework and hopefully get my wrap done. And of course, the Patriot play their opener today. All in all looks to be a good day.
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Change in routine

I am not one for change. It's Saturday and normally I am getting ready for my run, but not today. We have an off hour road race today and it starts a 5pm. Just strange for a weekend. Instead I am going to start my early morning with a cup of tea and my knitting. Something I don't do enough these days.

I have a wrap to finish before I get cranking on my Christmas knitting. It's a lovely linen lace piece that I have been working on and off all summer. And I want it done before my conference in two weeks. I just have to sit down and make it happen. It's an eight row repeat and I find I am bored with it at this point. Don't get me wrong, it's very pretty and I will post pictures when I am done, but it just seems to be taking forever with the fingering weight.



So I am off...to make things happen today! Happy Saturday! Enjoy the picture from our camp fire last night. It was the perfect night at home.


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We made it to September.

Well it's September 3rd and I am 10.5 miles in. Only 32 more to go to hit my September goal. And it's going to be a busy month. One race on the docket, a business trip to Texas, camping in Vermont, and apple picking round out the weekend plans.

So onto September 5 and I completed another 5 miles. I like having a goal and even though I am no where near my year long goal made back on New Years...I am still happy with my achievements thus far. It has felt like a long road back and I am finally seeing some serious progress. I have been running a lot by myself pushing the jogging stroller and towing the little dog. She has finally gotten the hang of where she needs to be in relation to the stroller so she does not get the run down feeling. Although she has learned that if she drags behind enough we will put her in the stroller with Grayson. We aren't going to lolly gag! I usually have to get a baby ready for bed and dinner going so there is time factor in my afternoon runs.



And besides my fulltime job, I have also taken on teaching a lab at UNH this fall. Because really...I didn't have enough going on in my life. I guess I like the challenge of being really busy.


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Packing on the miles

I have been diligently keeping track of my mileage since I got the go ahead to start running again back at my six week check up. I have to say I have the second best month. In April I did 45 miles and this month I did 41.8...I would've have tied April, but it was thundering on Wednesday when I was going to hit the pavement. I have no excuse for the rest of the week other than life got in the way. So my goal for September will be to beat August. We only have one scheduled road race coming up so almost all of my running will be up to me. Just do it!

This morning I took Grayson and Scout on my run in the thick summer air. It really was not a good time, but I got it in the books and I can hang out working around the house for the rest of the day. I have baking I want to do and some knitting. There is a bounty of yummy goodness sitting on my kitchen counter. So far we have made two loaves of zucchini bread and John is making pickled beets as I write.

Next up banana chocolate chip muffins! Sounds like they need peanut butter! Mmmmmm





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My clothesline

I finally broke down and bought a real clothesline. It has been two summers since my other one was taken down to put up a shed. Since we out it up, I swear it has rained nonstop, but finally this week I am going to be able to hang my clothes out before I go to work. It's a good thing we get up super early at chez Savage because I can a load washed and hung out before its time for me to get to work. We will see how much use I get out of it as the weather takes a turn this week.




So the week is over and I only used it once...was going to hang out the sheets today, but the threat of severe weather thwarted that plan. And no, we never got any storms today. But the heat has finally broken and I will attempt to hang my laundry out tomorrow when the weather promises to be better. Finally going to shut the air conditioners off tonight and we are planning a trek up Mt. Major in the morning...will be Grayson's first hike. Hopefully he will keep his hat on and enjoy his ride with his dad. Then it will be back home for a swim and I will be hard at work making baby food and blueberry pie.


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Great place for ideas

I have to admit that I am an interweb junky. I love google, I love google plus and I will even admit I love Pinterest. This past week while on vaca I played with different ideas I found on the web.



Started with the Food Network's kitchen sink cookies which were a bit of a disappointment. Way to squishy for my liking...they seemed like they were lacking something and on paper they sounded great. They had dried cherries, apricots, oatmeal and dark chocolate chunks...I mean yum! But really weren't worth the effort of chopping everything up. The next recip I tried was a chicken salad with tostadas. The World Wide Web redeemed itself with this one. Restored my faith that good recipes actually exist out there. In all seriousness I use the Internet for recipes all of the time, but those are usually things I have tried before.

The next brilliant idea I found on Pinterest. With a teething baby in the house who chews on his fingers nonstop, I needed to figure out a way to give him relief. He can't have ice so I looked for some other option. Enter breast milk Popsicles. I make pops for myself all summer so why not do the same for the baby. I bought tiny molds on amazon and filled them with good old fashioned boob juice. He loved them!


I still have a bunch of recipes waiting to be tried, but with all of our weeknight activities they will have to wait until the weekend. And who knows what I will find next because you know I will be searching and scouring in my free moments. And yes I know those free moments should be spent finishing up my many WIPs that are sitting on my coffee table...three to be exact.

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Last day of vaca

It's our last day of vacation and on tap we have Grayson's six month pictures. How did that happen? How did six months already fly by? He has changed so much and has developed quite the personality as of late. John spent the last week working hard on the basement with my dad and his mom while I entertained the baby.

I only managed two runs in the last week. This summer has killed my mojo because its been miserably humid. We had one nice day and I managed to get the lawn mowed while the temps and humidity were down.


Got up super early this morning and was back at home by seven. I did my loop around the Parade and back up. It wasn't so bad out on the pavement, but in the woods the bugs almost sent me over the edge. The deer flies are at their worst right now and I got attacked whenever the dog slowed down. She didn't really seem to be into this morning and I felt like I was dragging her along the entire time. I didn't take John or the baby and Scout kept looking behind her for her family.

Been doing quite a bit of knitting this week in moments of downtime. I have half finished a drop stitch scarf and have almost finished my linen wrap. Both should be done in the next week or two.....

As you can see, Grayson is worn out from his almost constant playing. And I swear you give him this blanket and he knows its time to crash. He pulled it over himself and off to sleep he went. Now I can go get some things done!

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The dreadmill.....

We have been locked into high humidity here in New Hampshire the past several weeks and this week the high temps have joined in the fun. I get up pretty much every day between 5 and 515 am to get ready for work. I start with pumping, then it's onto making lunches for me and the baby, breakfast follows that and somewhere in the mix I get the baby dressed and get myself into scrubs. So in the blink of an eye it's time to head out the door and off to work. Simply put I just don't have time to run before work and after its just too gross outside when we get home.

Today I took to the treadmill. I got 35 minutes in and managed 3.75 miles in that time. The a/c was set at 64, but it was definitely a lot warmer in there than that. Doesn't help that there is a gaping hole in the plexiglass that is above the a/c. Really? Who thought that was a good idea? No wonder Charlotte decided to build her web right there...easy access to all of t he bugs that must stream in once evening hits.

And my goal is to hit the treadmill again tomorrow...I have a half I have committed to and need to get on with my training despite the weather. I need to stop making excuses and do it. But the pond will also be calling my name since temps are again supposed to make a run into the 90s. Resist the urge and get the run done!

Then it will be onto vacation and spending a week with our little boy! I cannot wait. I love the idea that daycare closes for two weeks out of the year and I am "forced" to use my time off. It's a new concept for me and I plan on taking full advantage of it.

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Location:Barnstead,United States

Weekend happiness

I finally began training for my next half. In reality I just started running again after a week of an upset stomach that was followed by a week of really ad allergies/and perhaps a touch of Grayson's cold. I didn't work out and I didn't knit.

Now that I am feeling better, we have started to get back into our groove. Softball has us on Monday nights and then the rest of the week is ours. But the weather in the past week has been warm and humid. I sweat just thinking about going for a run.

Yesterday we didn't workout, but knocked out the painting on the basement. Thankfully my parents and John's mom came up to help. My mom watched the baby and the rest of us managed to get the whole thing done in one day. Never did we think we would get it completed in one day, but we did and got to enjoy our Sunday.

Today was spent getting spit up on and playing with the baby. He is so much more interactive these days and we are really enjoying his budding personality. He loves his exersaucer which we jokingly refer to as his command post. He spins around in it playing with the different toys like it's his job. I love watching him grow and develop every day.

I have also managed some serious knitting this weekend. I am more than half done my lace wrap and almost half done on a sock yarn snake for the little guy. I have so many projects to get done in the coming month...I want to finish my wrap and start the drop stitch scarf. Both items will be perfect to dress up my favorite outfits.

And we got the laundry done! Now it's back to the old grind, but one week to go until vaca. Been back at work three months...it's definitely time to enjoy my little family for a week.


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It's only Tuesday and I have already crammed more into the last two days than I normally do in a week. First off I had scheduled a Fed Ex pickup for Monday morning for my first milk donation. Fed ex auto confirmed that they would be there between 730 and 530. Got home around 4pm and two boxes of keep frozen perishable breast milk are still sitting on my front steps where they have sat all day baking in the hot sun. A call to customer service was not at all helpful and when I got back from my 530 meeting the boxes were still there. I started fretting and started to unpack the boxes which were still completely frozen. Yay for styrofoam! Got up early today and filled the boxes up again. John dropped them off at fed ex for me and I haven't even made a dent in the milk supply.


We finally got out for our run at 645 pm and it was smooth sailing. What a beautiful evening along the Suncook River as we did our out and back. The sun was setting and a gentle breeze was blowing off the water. I have shaved off almost three minutes since last Monday on the same 4.33 miles

Our late run and even later dinner made it a late night before I even sat down to knit. One row in and I had my first mistake. Damn, but hoping it doesn't show. It's lace and very loose lace at that. I really really don't want to frog it. So just going to plow ahead and forge on.

Then my little buddy slept until 0430 this morning and did not see any point in going back to bed. Now it's just about dinner time and I could use a nap! Will be an early night for this lady!

Summer is here!

Last weekend it felt like winter had returned and now we are in full fledged summer mode. The air conditioner has been put in the window and the curtains are drawn to keep the sun out. The temps have been in the 90s and that means getting out the door super early to run before it gets too hot. And even then it felt too early to be out there. Thankfully we had a line of thunderstorms roll through late on Sunday to cool it back to seasonable temps. Grayson managed to enjoy an afternoon nap snuggled on me.
I am definitely a middle of the road person when it comes to exercise outside in the warmer weather. During the week I feel like I get up early enough as it is since the baby still doesn't consistently make it through the night. And often after work I have a ton of things to get done when I get home from work. It just doesn't leave a lot of time in my day.

But in a few more weeks it will be no more excuses...I have committed to a half marathon in October and I will have to serious training to avoid injury and actually enjoy myself come race day.

The warmer temps did mean I could actually have an excuse to sit inside and do some knitting. I finished up a pair of socks and casted on what will be a linen lace wrap. I splurged and spent way more on the yarn than I have in years. Not only will it be pretty, but I can also say I made it myself. I take pride in my handiwork and I love wearing my stuff.

Knitting mojo

I have recovered my knitting mojo.  I am back in my groove and have projects lined up for the rest of the year.  Currently I am finishing up yet another pair of socks...shocking I know, but I do love to knit socks.  I have the pattern memorized at this point.  After the socks are done I am onto a linen wrap for my conference in September.  I picked a color called pewter which I can dress up or dress down in those cold conference rooms.

Next in my lineup for the year will be six snakes starting with one for Grayson.  He already has his bunny which he loves and his turtle/frog which he doesn't spend enough time with.  But the snake will be perfect for a growing little boy and I have five nephews who will also like them.  Oh and I have to make a Christmas stocking for the G man before the holidays.  Guess I better stop writing and get back to knitting....I have a lot to do in the coming months!

Race Etiquette

Grayson had his first race under his belt and his first PR...who knows what the time was, but they finished well before Mom did.  Now this is a big race for seacoast New Hampshire and the proceeds go to a great cause so it fills up year after year.  They do not limit it to just runners and there are a fair amount of walkers to participate.  Great, I am glad you are out there, but you need to learn some etiquette! 

Megan and I posing before the race

This year they sent out an email to participants prior to the race outlining things like where to park, where to line up, and where to be in the lineup if you are a walker or a running with a jogging stroller.  Apparently 90% of the walkers missed the email or chose to ignore it.  The entire beginning of the race was jockeying for positioning and I did a crazy amount of the bob and weave to get around people who shouldn't have been in front of me to begin with.  Seriously I was ready to lose it if I had to pass one more person out for a Sunday stroll in jeans!!!  I think I lost at least a minute at the beginning.

Here are my hard learned lessons of road race etiquette.
1. If you are slow, don't line up at the front!  Leave that space for the fast people.
2. If you are going to pass someone, look behind you first before making your move.  You don't want to trip up someone who is already in that lane.
3. That being said, the runner in front of you has the right of way.  If you are going to pass someone, yell "On your left!"
4. Don't spit or blow a snot rocket unless you are well out of the way.  Nothing says gross like being downwind and getting hit!
5. Don't cut across everyone as you are heading into a water spot. You can usually see a water stop well in advance so plan accordingly.
6. Don't point out pretty scenery.  I once did this to a girl as I was passing her.  I said "Hey look at that pretty house."  She looks up to her left, then trips over her own feet and fell off the road.  I felt terrible.  How was I to know she wasn't all that coordinated. 
8.  At the finish line, keep moving.  Don't just stop...it creates a crazy bottleneck at the end. 
7.  Enjoy yourself.  I don't take running all that seriously and I like to enjoy my road races.  It's nice to see a whole group of people together who do the same thing you do.

On our ride home, John did mention that he has no desire to run that race again because it was such a cluster.  I kind of have to agree as I like the smaller races.  I also like to know where the proceeds of the race are going.  I think that was biggest reason we didn't do the Color Run in Loudon because I couldn't find anywhere that the proceeds were going to charity.  I have no desire to pay for a race (especially one that is over $25.00) where the money isn't going to help someone other than the race promoters.  I have a big problem with that!   I run because I enjoy it, I run road races because I know some of my hard earned money goes to a good cause.

Rain, rain go away!

Welcome to spring in New England.  We went from warm humid weather to a cold drenching rain with a chance of snow in the higher elevations tonight.  And to course we have a road race tomorrow.  Last night we went in search of a rain/weather cover for the jogging stroller and managed to get our weekly grocery shopping in.  Now we can kick back and enjoy the rainy holiday weekend.

The cover should do the trick since Grayson will be participating in his first of many road races and we want him to stay warm and dry.  A dry baby tends to be a happy baby.  We will be running as a family in a 5k that supports an organization near and dear to my heart.  Back in college I was lucky to be one of the first to intern at Steppingstones now known as the Krempels Center for those living with brain injury.  This day program offers its members a chance to relearn skills to enhance their quality of life.  They offer classes in cooking, writing, photography and much more.  It is a client centered approach and UNH students majoring in occupational therapy, speech therapy and therapeutic recreation all run the classes.  The program has come along way since its first year and it wonderful to see how successful the program has become.  I just hope it dries out enough so we aren't completely drenched!

And on another note I went on my first real call since the baby was born.  I had been to a medical call here and there, but made it to my first MVA the other night.  Felt great to be back in the thick of things.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hats off to Steve who finished 3rd in his age group at yesterday's Big Lake.  Yes it rained and the sun did come out for a few minutes.   I stepped out the door for my morning run and made it two minutes before the rain started.  Grayson went to his first of many races and then enjoyed a nice lunch at Lydia's in Wolfeboro.  It's been a great weekend.  I have been super productive and got all of the 0-3 month clothes packed away and the drawers are filled with 6-9 month clothes.  All hand me downs!  I owe a big thank you to my friends who have little boys just slightly older than Grayson.  He can go all summer and fall and probably not repeat an outfit more than twice.

I did get some knitting done in between loads of laundry.  I intended to get a lot more done, but a two hour nap won out.  I guess that is what happens when your weekend days start at five am.  Grayson had such a great day...he was in a great mood all day!  We did try to not swaddle him last night, but that lasted until two am.  After his second diaper change (he drank SO much yesterday) I put him in his swaddler to try to make it the rest of the night.  We once again made it to five.  So five am is my new eight am.  Although getting up that early does make the weekend seem to last longer!

Finally a happy Mother's Day to my mom and all of the moms out there.

big lake

Tomorrow is the Big Lake Half and I am having a serious case of runner's regret this morning.  Back in December I raised a fuss about not running because of the increased price and even then I thought I could still maybe do it.  Then Grayson was a week late and came via c section.  So no exercise of any kind for 6 weeks.  Even if I had been thinking about a half that plan went out the window with the surgery.  And I was ok with it as the snow continued to pile up outside.  Who wanted to train for a half on the treadmill?  Certainly not me...I had a snuggly baby at home to cuddle with instead. 

And once spring did come, I just didn't have the endurance.  I could handle 3 to 4 miles, but no way was I going to attempt more.  I was still ok with my decision to skip the half this year.  Until today that is.  Steve-O is coming up this afternoon and we will have our usual evening of pre race fun.  It will be spaghetti and the Bruins.  And I am making homemade brownies as my consolation prize.  Tomorrow we will get up and going through the usual morning routine.  I am going to pack up the baby and take him to watch his first of many races. 

The weather forecast is even Big Lake appropriate...partial sun and possible rain showers.  Which means it will probably monsoon in the morning.  A sunny day for Big Lake isn't usually in the cards. 
I am now in process of deciding on my next big event, it will either be the Applecrest Half on September 8th or the 9/11 stair climb on the the same date.  The Half might just win out this year because I have built in babysitting.  The race runs through the streets of my hometown.

Monday musings

It was back to work for me this am and despite Grayson's cold he seemed more like himself today.  He is back to conversing and smiling!  Much better than the continuously sleeping baby we had all weekend.  He still isn't 100 percent with his snotty nose and runny eyes, but he is definitely on the mend.  He does look quite sad and it's heartbreaking to hear him cough.  I had hoped he wouldn't get sick within the first few weeks of daycare, but that was not to be the case.  At least he wasn't alone in his misery with his dad also being sick.

Grayson fell asleep snuggling his bunny

I looked up my race times and finished my second 5k with a time of 32.05 which was a heck of an improvement over the 34.58 from a month before.  It's amazing what you can do ten pounds lighter.  I managed to lose all of my pregnancy weight in just about 13 weeks.  Pretty good considering I was not allowed to exercise for the first six weeks.  I am thankful I had a winter baby in what happened to be a very snowy and cold one.  Made those six weeks worth staying in.  Not that we completely followed the rules because I had wicked cabin fever.  Winter happens to be my favorite season and even though I couldn't be out on my sled or skis, we did enjoy some nice times outside.

Shaping up to be another busy week and I am already looking forward to the weekend.  We are going to head over to Alton to cheer on a dear friend who is running the Big Lake Half and I know I will feel some pangs of regret that I am not running it as well.  I debated a lot during December, but the c section sealed the deal that it was not to be this year.  I probably could have done it, but my heart wasn't really in it.  That and the two bras could not possibly be comfortable for two plus hours of running.  Maybe next year.....

Second 5k of the season

The last week has featured wonderful weather here in the Lakes Region.  Bright sunshine and cool breezes have been the highlight of our days.  With that, the fire danger has creeped up and brush fires have been popping up everywhere.  The black flies have also made their return with a vengeance.  John has been hard at work on a screen cover for the running stroller to Grayson from getting chewed up on our runs.  The picture to the right is from this past week as the moon started to set as the sun was coming up.

I joined up with Megan to run another 5k.  We did the Barrington Peeper 5k which we also ran last year.  It's a pretty course that winds out and back through a small neighborhood.  It was going to be my first 5k with the jogging stroller, but both John and Grayson have been sharing a cold.  They stayed home while Mom took to the roads.  I shaved off several minutes from my dismal performance back at the beginning of April.  By my watch I finished at 31.46 and probably could've done just a bit faster if I had put my mind to it.  But I felt good and managed to run the entire course because there were no steep hills like I had encountered in the last race.

Also started planning for the second annual Barnstead Firefighters Association 5k.  I secured permission to use the road from the select board.  Next our sponsor letters will go out and I am going to get started on pictures for our t shirt.  I am hoping to boost sponsorship this year by targeting more local businesses.  Who knew we had so many businesses right here in town.

Heading into another busy week and already looking forward to next weekend.  At least the weeks fly right by...hopefully the boys will shake their colds and Mom will avoid getting it!

Back to the old grind

I went back to work today.  It was easy and hard all at the same time.  I didn't do the drop off which made things a lot easier on me.  I drove to work happily drinking my mug of tea as I have done countless times over the years.  I got to work earlier than I usually do thanks to the 5 am wake up call from my little friend.  I had also made the effort to get my clothes out and my lunch ready the night before so I would have less to do come morning.  Made for a rather relaxed morning getting ready for our new adventure.

In short, I survived and Grayson enjoyed his first time at daycare.  I felt like I had never left and also like therapist on her first day.  I was welcomed back by my residents and fellow coworkers as I made my way around the building.  It was nice to know that I had been missed.  Made me feel better and less guilty about going back to work.  Sure I missed my little man, but at the end of the day I was so excited to go get him.

And then we came home.  After some serious fussy time, we took a walk and then settled in for the evening.  Tomorrow is day 2.

Back to the mundane

The excitement of Friday is over and it's back to the way life is supposed to be in New England.  Yesterday was a hurry up and wait sort of news day.  You couldn't escape the media coverage of the hunt for the second terror suspect since it was on from well before sun up to after sundown.  And thankfully just after the sunset it came to an end.

Scout figures she can assist in pressing the clothes...

We had a taste of warmer weather, but it was eerily overcast.  The weather seemed to reflect the gloomy mood we hearty New Englanders had been feeling all week.  I have been slacking in the past week with my runs.  No excuses, just slacking.  I return to work next week after a 12 week maternity leave and it will be time to alter my routine once more.  I will be packing lunches and a diaper bag in the evening so the three of us can get out the door in a timely fashion come morning.  Cleaning will be done in spurts around exercising and cooking dinners.  Hopefully I can keep up with the laundry because that little person who now shares our home wears a lot of clothes!  And who knows when I will be able to squeeze in a few minutes of knitting.

I spent the morning cleaning out bathroom cupboards and drawers.  I felt like I was dealing with a hoarder...and I was, but it just happens the hoarder and me are one and the same.  I just acquire too much stuff and am not really good about purging.  If it is out of my sight then it is out of my list of top priorities.  I also put the pack and play away because Grayson hasn't slept in it in over a month.  And now it is safe to brag that he is also sleeping through the night.

Now if you will excuse me, I have a few minutes to knit a round or two....

What a week of events...

I had a post already to publish on Monday about the mundane things going through my mind as I watched the Boston Marathon.  It was a beautiful day here in New England with the sun shining brightly.  I wrote about my need for routines and my last week at home with Grayson.  I usually wait to late afternoon or evening to publish my blog and Monday was no different.  As I was heading up to Concord to take Grayson to the doctors.  He is fine, just has some exzema that we need to get under control before he starts daycare next week.

Then I got an alert from our local news station that two bombs had gone off at the finish line of the marathon.  What??  And I have been glued to the news this week.  And then this morning it is all coming to a head.  One suspect is dead and another is on the run.

My question is how can someone hate so much?  How can you come to another country and decide to rain terror down on its citizens?  This is a free country and if you don't like it then just leave.  There is nothing forcing you to stay here.  I am perplexed and saddened to know there are people who hate my country and can come here to do evil deeds.  If you hate us, stay away!

My heart goes out to all those effected by this heinous crime.  And here is hoping for a safe end for the public safety officers of Boston, Massachusetts and beyond that are working to bring justice to the people of the United States.

Damn dogs...

Took Grayson for a walk on our rest day this past week.  We had made it just about 3/4 of a mile from our little house on the hill when a neighbor's beagle started barking at us.  No bid deal because if he is outside he will bark at us.  I noticed he wasn't tied up, but he is also pretty harmless.  The dog owner yelled hello for her doorway and we kept walking.  We got about ten more feet when her other dog came from out of nowhere and started to attack Scout.  Now Scout is leashed and the leash was attached to the jogging stroller.  My dog when leashed feels very threatened when another dog comes running at her and she feels she has no escape.  She started running around my legs and the stroller trying to unsuccessfully get away.  The owner came running out trying to get control of her dog.  Meanwhile someone comes driving by in an older Lincoln town car and he is beeping at me because he can't get around the scene unfolding in the middle of our dirt road.  Hello, he could clearly see that we were under attack!  I was yelling, the dogs were snarling and growling, and the other dog owner was running.  He should have been able to see that I was in no position to move to the side of the road so he could be on his way.  I was trying to make sure the stroller didn't get tipped over in the mayhem of two dogs fighting at my feet.  Finally the neighbor was able to get her unrestrained dog under control.  She was profusely apologizing saying this will not happen again and how her grandson must have left the dog out.

I waited for John to get home on Wednesday evening before we went for our run.  My allergies had been kicking my butt all day and I was feeling quite sluggish.  But off we went for a three mile run around the Parade.  It's an out and back for us that is almost all downhill on the way out and uphill on the way back home.  So feeling not up to par we were walking back up one of the hills when I hear the same beagle from the day before barking and baying at us, but it was coming from the other side of the road.  And it was followed by the corgi who had attacked Scout the day before and he was hellbent on doing it again.  John grabbed Scout's leash from me and I took Grayson's stroller.  John was able to run the dog off rather quickly, but he was able to witness firsthand what had happened to us the day before.

And if that wasn't enough.  The story has a backstory because back this winter during my initial recovery Grayson, Scout and I would get out on nicer days to get some fresh air and some much needed exercise.  We had been attacked by these two dogs in addition by dogs at two other houses.  I was royally pissed and decided to report these unrestrained beasts to our animal control officer.  I mean here I am walking on slippery roads carrying a newborn and walking my dog.  The ACO talked to each dog owner (one happens to be a selectman) and assured me they would keep their animals restrained.  It happens to be a state law that your dog can't run free.

Fast forward a month and the selectman's dogs are running loose and are back on the attack.  And to say I am done is a bit of an understatement.  I figure she gets one more chance and I don't really know why I am being nice about it before I call the police again.  I mean she is putting me, my dog and the baby at risk of being injured by her obnoxious animals.

It's frustrating to say the least...simple solution is just don't be lazy and put your animals on their runs. Follow the laws!  It's not a question of being above the law, just being too dumb to follow it.  And the joys of living in a small town continue.

Tracking mileage

I am the type of person who likes to see stats and progress through numbers.  I made some crazy resolutions at the beginning of the year regarding mileage for 2013 and since I was finally given the go ahead from my doctor I have completed 45.7 miles as of Monday.  And right now my legs are tired!  But I will keep on...

With that said, I am waiting patiently for the sun to come out so we can hit the road this afternoon.  We had some showers and a thunderstorm go through in the early hours this morning and it would be nice if it got a little drier before we go.  More for the dog than me.  Today is a non running day for us.   We will run tomorrow afternoon.

As for knitting, I have temporarily lost my mojo.  It happens and I would guess that in a week or two it will be back.  I will probably look back on my maternity leave and wonder why I didn't do more crafting.  To be honest, this happens every year as the weather warms up.  Who wants to be making wool socks when outdoor activities are calling?  Certainly not me...I have spring fever even if the weather has not fully cooperated.  Our temps have been slightly below average, but we went through a dry spell over the last week. The fire danger rose and the snow melted.  Hard to believe that we had record snowfall in February and March.

Well that was fun...

Sunday was bright and clear when I got up, but it soon clouded over and a breeze picked up.  It was one of those days when you can't decided whether you want short sleeves or do you layer.  I left the house wearing a thermal layer under a t shirt...all wicking layers.  And I threw a sweatshirt over it all for good measure.  By the time we finally got to the race course I had stripped off the sweatshirt and was debating on losing the long sleeve thermal layer.  Ultimately I took the long sleeve off only to put it back on at the last minute.  Wise decision on my part because my sleeve later became my nose wiping device as we ran into the wind.

I finished the moderately hilly course in 34:58.  Way off from my PR of two years ago...by almost 8 minutes, but not bad for someone who really hasn't run since last summer.  That and having a c section 10 weeks ago didn't really help my cause.  But it felt good to be out there with Megan.  We were able to get one of the last three parking spots at the high school where registration and number pick up take place.  I was able to pump 45 minutes before the race and that made the girls feel good enough under their double reinforcement of sports bras.

I feel great this morning and have already signed up for the Seacoast Series...the swag is better than the Capital Area Race Series.  And the races are spread out between May and October.  We will start the series on May 26 with the Redhook 5k after skipping the first race to participate in another local race.  The better part is they are all stroller friendly.  John is going to run with us so I won't have to worry about always pushing Grayson.  I figure when I do push him, I will burn a few more calories.  Today is our first run on the roads at home...I have been debating just walking the dirt sections to keep thr bouncing to a minimum and I will stick to running the pavement, but seriously in this town of incredibly poorly maintained roads it really doesn't make a difference between the paved and dirt roads.  There I said it...our roads suck here.

Now I just have to wait for my baby to wake up and my husband to get home so we can hit road.  I was going to say dusty trail, but our roads are muddy and filled with holes.

Hints of spring

I noticed the other day that my crocuses are up and my daffodils are starting to make their appearance.  All signs that winter is finally coming to a close here in New Hampshire.  We have had some nice wam days and then like the flick of a switch a cold blast will hit us.  Last night the winds howled and rocked our little house up on the hill all night long.  The day dawned cold and bright.  I would know since I got to witness the sun rise as it peaked through trees.  Sleeping in...what is that?  Grayson is an early riser and while he usually manages to fall back asleep in his swing by the fire, I find that I am up for the day.  I manage a cup of tea and some knitting while he gets in another hour.  I know they say sleep when he sleeps, but my body says otherwise.  I, too, am a morning person and a lack of sleep does not seem to change that.

Grayson is now ten weeks old and his night pattern has not changed since the day he was born.  He likes his schedule just like his mom does.  I just hope he is abit closer to sleeping through the night when I finally head back to work in a couple of weeks.  And he is developing quite the little personality.  He loves to talk to us and the smiles are aplenty.

Tomorrow is my first road race of the season.  It better be a little less windy come morning.  If there is one condition I hate running in its wind.  I always feel like I have to work harder and it just makes for a miserable time.  Will give a report on how it goes. It is just a 5k, but one has to start somewhere.

Back to winter??

So John and I brought our running stroller home from my parents' house over the weekend.  It was our goal to rig it up so our little guy can ride safely while we get back to running together.  I took the car seat bundle me that we never used in the car seat and put it in the stroller.  Since our stroller also reclines, I set it back as far as it can go and with the bundle me in place Grayson is secure without a lot of movement.  The bouncing around he does do is less than when we carry him in the Ergo or when he is being bounced to sleep.

We took it for it's maiden voyage on Sunday morning and it did well on our muddy roads.  Monday dawned overcast, but relatively warm for a change.  I knew from weather reports that conditions were going to rapidly deteriorate in the afternoon as a secondary cold front passed through so I got my baby ready and off we went.  I didn't run with him, but walked at a good pace.  I am happy to report that all went off without incident and we made it back to the house after a good hour of exercise.  Even the dog appeared to mildly enjoy herself even though she was tied to the stroller and had to learn real fast that she cannot walk in front of the wheel.  It will run you over if you slow

Now here I am on Tuesday morning and it's like winter is back.  Brrr was it cold taking the trash out and the wind has been steadily howling since about ten last night.  I decided yesterday that today would be a stay in and clean the house day.  Tonight I am going to take the little boy to meet my knitting ladies whom I have not seen since December.

Hopefully the weather will warm again as we get later in the week and we can get some more adventures out with the stroller.  I only have a few weeks before I go back to work and getting out to enjoy the early spring is high on my list for this time with my baby.

Bring it on

Just registered for my first road race of the year and first since Grayson came to join us.  I haven't gotten in as much running as I would like.  I am still figuring out the logistics of dealing with a baby and getting onto a schedule that works for us.  But I am up to over 2 miles again at a relatively fast pace.

We had our training burn on Saturday and it felt great to be back in my gear.  Grayson had his first overnight with his grandparents.  It was my first night of 7 hours consecutive hours of sleep since I think May of last year.  My concerns of how comfortable would my air pack be, how would pumping in the back of the ambulance, and could I physically handle the day were my usual worrying for no reason.  My SCBA was not an issue other than I couldn't get my waist belt tight enough and so the weight of the pack rested on my shoulders all day.  I had no issues spending some time in the ambulance to take of care of business and I even had cold storage for the milk so I didn't have to stash it in a snowbank.  And physically it felt no different other than I know I am still not in the shape I was in a year ago.  That is just a matter of time and

 conditioning.  Once the basement is finally complete and the TV is up I can get back to my video workouts that I started a few years ago as a good cross training.  Then I don't have to worry about getting the little one packaged up to go workout.

 

The last few days I have also made good progress on my sweater and I am happy to report that the body is almost complete.  I just hope I have enough yarn to complete the arms and the neckband.  I have four skeins left and well....we'll see.
             

Love me a finished project

Back in December I finished my last baby project and it just needed to be sewn together.  I am not at all good at assembling knit stuffed animals so I enlisted the help of my husband.  He finished sewing on the arms and ears of the cutest bunny around and just in time for Easter!

And yes he did the paws!  This is the second bunny we have worked on together and we do make quite crafting pair.  I'd say Grayson is one lucky little boy.

We also bought frames to start putting up his newborn pics around the house.  We hit Michael's at the right time since they were have a 50% off sale.  Then we got up to the cash registers and the girl asked if we were teachers.  We sadly told her we were not teachers, but firefighters and we got the teachers discount.  All in all it was the right night to go shopping.

Town meeting day....

Ahh the joys of small town life continue.  Today is town meeting day.  Simply put those of us who are rational educated people get to spend time doing some community service while we try to navigate the village idiots (these people get elected too) through the warrant articles.

 My gripe is with the continued reduction of firefighter/EMS pay.  The town sets aside x amount of dollars to pay the call members for coming out and risking our lives at all hours of the day.  What happens when that dollar amount is met and exceeded?  Does the board of selectmen expect us to show up and provide our expertise free of charge?  Do the townspeople understand that we are trained professionally who must continually attend continuing education sessions and keep our skills fresh?  It's time to think about those who show up when you call 911!  We show up on your worst day in your worst moment.

A big thing we hear in this town from our elected officials is that we should be treated the same as the highway department or the ladies who work at town hall.  This means they do not want to pay the nominal fee for the firefighters to be members of the state firemens association.  The association provides death benefits should we die in the line of duty.  When was the last time the town clerk ran into a burning building or cut up a car at a horrific motor vehicle accident?  However, in a small town such as ours the call department is more than firefighters and EMTs.  We all have day jobs in which we are therapists, managers, mechanics, plumbers, truck drivers, and students.  We are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters.  Yet we put aside our lives and duties when our pagers go off and help those who need us.

So to say we should be on the same level as the highway department...well will they show up to work if they know they won't get paid?  Let's cut their payroll and see what happens next time there is snowstorm.  I'll be the one waving from my sled as I zip past your house!

Monday Musings to WIP Wednesday

A year ago when I started my blog, I always had one on Mondays with the above title.  I usually rambled on about happenings in our small town and what was going on with us.  Let today's rambling begin as we somehow already got to Wednesday.  Then the title must become WIP Wednesday.

He sleeps so peacefully

So our hockey season is over...UNH finished in a three way tie for second and because of stats ended up in fifth place.  So no home ice for us this year.  It's been a lot of fun taking Grayson to the games.  I grew up watching the Cats and look forward to having Grayson do the same.  For the most part he gets passed around and sleeps through the games. I know this will not be the case in the seasons to come.  He has been easy to contain!

Got an email from my co director of the Barnstead Firefighters Association 5k road race.  I can't believe it is already time to get started on this year's race.  It will be held the same weekend as last year and hoping for a bigger turnout.  We will again be participating in a local series that helps our local food pantries.

And on my needles this week is a lovely green wrap sweater.  I have actually made some good progress on it this week while the baby naps.  And it just may get done this time!

Also got out to enjoy the nice muddy weather NH had to offer this week...Scout has definitely enjoyed getting back to running and hiking.  All in all life is good.  And with a baby who is so close to sleeping through the night...well it will sure be nice to get a decent night's sleep someday!

Off to a slow, but good start

I managed 9.89 miles in my first week of really tracking.  I started using Map my run to log my miles after I realized I needed a good way of keeping myself in check.  Ok so more than half of those miles were walking miles, but it's all good.  I think my first run since the baby was a bit more than I should have done and was quite sore for a few days after.  Should've stuck with a solid 2, but did my loop instead.  I did run more than half of it though.

The weather has finally started to warm up, but that means mud and lots of it.  I have brand new sneakers that I should be running in, but one trip down the road would make my pearly white sneakers a dingy dark brown.  Ahh the joys of living in the woods.  The weather forecast for the week to come is warmer temps and rain.  And we have lots of snow that needs to melt....and I do mean a lot.  Guess what?  More mud!  Our driveway yesterday was the consistency of pudding and the high was only 51!

Mt. Washington is off in the distance

On tap this coming week is town elections on Tuesday.  That means next Saturday will be spent at town meeting.  The wonderful joys of small town living at its finest.  Hopefully Master Savage will behave himself for it.  Guess I should pick up the town report while Grayson and I are off to vote so I can be familiar with the warrant articles.  And really it's only the selectman race that is of interest to me....I know who will be getting my vote!

And lastly Grayson visited his first fire tower today when we decided on a late afternoon hike to the top of Blue Job.  It is hands down one of my favorite hikes in NH.  The initial summit isn't the highlight, but once you head over to the backside....ahh it's wonderful!  It was wonderful taking our new addition on yet another adventure.  And Scout was ecstatic to be back in the woods with her people.

How many miles per week?

And I never managed to get out on my sled.  That is because the damn thing won't start and so there is sits on the trailer mocking me.  Thankfully I have snowshoes!  The plan was to get Grayson out this weekend and enjoy this fine New Hampshire winter.  And it turned out to be a beautiful morning in the woods.

On a happier note I managed to finish my second full knitted project of 2013.  I used up a skein of sock yarn and made myself a fancy lace scarf that was surprisingly simple.  It was a two row repeat that was a great to do.  Just enough to remember to keep it fresh throughout the project.  I just don't recommend a glass of wine while trying to knit.  Two glasses and two mistakes later....I am done and hopefully only I can see the errors.

The third project off this year is a wrap sweater in a lovely green washable wool.  The key is the washable part...with a new baby who spits up in a projectile fashion often...well I need to be able to get it clean.  I actually started it a year ago, but had to frog it and start over again.

So I finally got clearance to start living again.  My doctor said I can do everything except shovel.  Ok I am good with that.  I can't wait to lace up my sneakers and get moving!

And John just informed that if I want to hit 1000 miles this year..I have to average 30 mies per week for the rest of 2013.  Guess I should get on that or lower my expectations.

Feeling inspired

I was talking to Megan the other day and was trying to come up with a running comeback race.  She would like to do a 10 k in the fall and I would love to do this with her, but I am ready to be back soon.  Ok so I haven't actually started running because I am still healing.  But I am feeling inspired after a visit to the Cool Running website.  It it still early in the year, but race calendar is filling up.

I had originally thought I would be back with the Big Lake Half, but the race is under new management and they have jacked the price up to 65 bucks.  I cannot justify the money for a race I have done for last six or seven years. It's not like the course is going to offer any surprises or anything new for me.  But it really is a matter of convenience.  It's only 20 minutes away and thanks to Jay parking at the race end is never a problem.  And then there is my buddy Steve who always runs the race with me...its like a weekend tradition.  So basically it's a protest of the increased race fees, but I feel like I am talking myself into it.  Right now I am also contemplating the Bow Lake 15k...also right down the road, beautiful scenery, and I know the race fee won't break my cheap bank.  It's going to be just as hilly as the Big Lake if not more so.

And I am going to pass up on the CARS this year.  It did offer me a pre-planned running schedule and I know I could do most of the races with a stroller.  Maybe it was being pregnant midway through, but I felt like I was stuck in that race schedule.  I did finish even though the last race had to be on the most humid day of the summer and was one of the tougher courses in the series.  I don't think there is a flat spot to be had in the town of Canterbury.

So my goals for the next few weeks are to start getting back on the treadmill.  I have my fancy new sneakers ready, I have located my shorts, and my favorite sports bras (yes, they fit).  Now it's just a matter of getting the green light from my doctor.  In the meantime I will keep walking.  The breastfeeding diet is working well for me and my clothes are starting to fit again.  I really just want to be in my favorite pair of Levi's...

Project # 2 of the year

I finished my first knitted project of 2013....made myself a pair of socks after modifying my old standby pattern.  Instead of a plain knitted foot, I kept my ribbed pattern for the top of the foot.  My hope is to have a more secure sock that won't slide.  I am quite particular about how my socks have to fit and I do love my handmade socks, but there is always room for improvement.

Onto my second project of stash busting.  I bought some lovely sock yarn at last year's sheep and wool festival here in New Hampshire and I had decided long ago that it was too pretty to be wearing on my feet.  The color reminds me of the warm waters of the Caribbean with a hint of silver woven in.  I am making a lace scarf and its turning out quite lovely.  And it does not even require blocking when it's done!

Added another two plus miles to my 1000 mile journey on Friday.  We had a brief warm up this past week and then woke up to a fresh blanket of white this morning.  We need just a few more inches because John promised me a ride on my sled next week.  Anyone want to watch Grayson for a few hours?

But today we are spending the day inside by the fire.  The winds have been howling here for the last 24 hours.  John has been off at a structure fire in Strafford.  For once, I am thankful that I am out of action.  Too darn cold to be out playing!
995 to go....

997 to go

One very sad little dog.

I have hit some major accomplishments as of late.  I zipped up my prebaby winter coat without an issue.  I was able to actually wear sneakers and made it on our walk at a steady pace.  I didn't even have to stop to catch my breath so to speak.  I have also been able to play in the yard with our very depressed puppy dog.  And today I plan to start my mileage countdown for 2013.  I am still not ready to get back to running, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Today I am planning on walking a whole two miles and I am planning on doing it wearing Grayson and dealing with the beast on a leash.

My knitting projects continue and hopefully I will finish this pair of socks by the end of the week.  I have found a neat little pattern to use up all of my sock yarn scraps.  There are only so many pairs of little mittens I can handle.  So the pattern will eventually make what is called the beekeeper's quilt.  Each square is in the shape of a hexagon.  And since this year is using up what's in the yarn basket...and well there are a lot of leftover scraps of sock yarn from the years living here.

Grayson continues to thrive even though he has decided he hates breast feeding, but I keep making him attempt it.  He went out with us for sushi last night and did really well.  He would've done even better if I had timed feedings right and he would've slept through the entire meal.  Next time....

Happy to report it was 3 miles....only 997 to go for this year.

Revising resolutions

I made some lofty New Years resolutions back on January 1, but lets flash forward to January 24.  Grayson was born via c section and thus went my 1000 miles for 2013 out the window.  At least I think my goal seems to lofty as I continue to recover.  The pain is gone, I can almost lie on my stomach to interact with him during tummy time on the floor.  The swelling is finally gone...who knew my ankles to get so big.  And I have managed one walk around our neighborhood!  It was slow,  ask John.  I definitely have a way to go, but figure I can start out on the treadmill in the weeks ahead.  That way I can start tracking my miles.

I have managed to start working through my yarn stash in between feedings and diaper changes.  Thankfully he sleeps well so I can usually get some knitting done at some point during my day.  And he doesn't require constant holding until usually evening and then it seems to be fussing for the sake of fussing.

And I have found that I have to be doing something during nursing or pumping and started to download audio books. I sure hope the movie Argo is better than the book because I am having a hard time focusing on all the history behind the rescue.  The who is who of Iran almost needs a diagram so I can keep everyone straight and their role in the hostage crisis.

So that seems to be the long and short of it in my little world.  On a brighter note, I get to finally drive again tomorrow....yay two weeks was long enough.

What's in my yarn bowl

So here I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Savage.  In reality I am bored out of my mind.  I am not someone who sits around easily and really there is only so much knitting, reading, and napping one can take.  I worked right up until my due date and beyond.  I fully expect to be back in the rehab room again tomorrow.  I miss my favorite winter activities....snowshoeing, cross country skiing and I even miss running in the cold with the snot freezing down my face.  Ahhh in just a few weeks I should be able to get out and start finally enjoying this season.

What am I knitting you wonder.  It is the year of stash busting at Chez Savage so I am finishing up a pair of socks for John and yesterday I managed to put legs and the head on Baby Savage's bunny.  Not so sure about my sewing skills to get the critter's ears and arms on, but that is why I have John.

What am I reading you ask.  Well right now I am reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  I am over halfway through it and am still not sure if I like it.  Some of my friends who use Goodreads have read it and it was available through my library.

As for napping, it hasn't been until this past week or so that I find I need to lay down when I get home from work.  It's as much for edema control as it is for rest.  My water intake has been great and that has made a lot of difference.  I am thankful it is one of my favorite beverages or otherwise I would be in trouble.  But I have a new habit and that has been constantly crunching on ice.  It's bordering on full out addiction.  I just cannot get enough.  I did read somewhere that ice crunching is a sign of anemia, but I am eating plenty of iron rich foods as well as taking my dietary supplements.

I guess my time out from knitting is over and I need to get back to my yarn bowl.  I am halfway down with the second sock and other balls of yarn are itching to be placed in the bowl for the next projects.

Note:  I was having trouble getting my iPad and blogger to connect so I decided to put then blog down and walk away.  Well life has sure changed since January 20 when I originally tried to post this.  The socks are done and obviously we have a baby.  There is a new project on my sticks and more waiting in the wings.  I already have to make him some new hats because his head was a bigger than I anticipated and brrr it's been cold here in Barnstead.

Knitting Resolutions...

I am trying very hard to stick to my resolution and have finished knitting up the bunny.  It just needs John's help in being sewed together.  I am not at all confident in my sewing together of stuffed animals.  He helped with the last few I have made and he has offered to help again.  I also dug out a a second sock to a pair I had hoped to have finished for Christmas, but just never got done in the end.  John did get one pair under the tree this year.  As I was folding laundry this morning I realized that he  has about eight pairs and counting of hand knit socks.  And the best part is that he wears them practically every day of the week in the winter.  It is so nice to know that your time and effort are truly appreciated.  Makes you want to go pick up your sticks and carry on.

So often handiwork goes unappreciated.  I hate when I hear "oh you have to make me (fill in the blank)."  It makes me cringe!  No, I don't have to make you anything.  I don't think people realize just how long it takes to make a pair of socks using sock yarn or how long that sweater took me to knit.  Because I have a million other things going on in my life, I am lucky if it only takes me two weeks to finish a pair of socks.  And if I wanted to knit something for someone that is of my own choosing.  Just because you know I knit, does not mean you entitled to the fruits of my labors.

Ok so back to the use of my stash.  I have yet to go through it all and decide what is going to made.  I know I have enough yarn to make at least 10 pairs of socks, several hats, and two sweaters.  And the only thing I have promised myself that I will be making this year is new Christmas stockings for my little family.  So I best get working so I can justify buying the yarn to make those stockings!

Resolutions Y2k13

I was debating about resolutions the other day and how far out on a limb should I go for this year considering all that I have going on in my little world.  So I came out with a realistic resolution and another one with a loftier goal.

First I decided to use up all of my yarn stash and not buy any more until the last ball is gone.  I have plenty of little projects that can be completed and two more bigger projects.  Yay for more sweaters for me.  And several pairs of socks for John!  Oh and lots of new wash clothes to replace old nasty one that we have kicking around here.

The second is my lofty goal for 2013.  I want to put in 1000 miles of running this year.  Is this realistic for me considering I have not run since last summer?  It was the end of July to be exact.  And no I haven't done any since.  And then of course I am not going to be able to start until four weeks after the baby is born.  And we are going to have to start our mileage log on the treadmill as our stroller is not designed for a newborn and it will still be way too cold for outside distance for the little guy.  At least he will have some entertainment at the fire station while I run....