Weight Loss Challenge

I'm excited to be involved in a challenge from one of the www.toolstolife.com groups. This is something I really need.

Even if I wasn't involved in a formal challenge, weight loss for me has always been a challenge; a hurdle to get over.

My entire approach is different for 2008. I have chosen to better plan my day with enough breathing space for "me" time as well. All this includes proper foods and exercise.

I gained 5 lbs over the last month. Much of that in the last 2 weeks due mostly to inactivity! I know better and will change this one area of my life.

I started today with 15 min of yoga. Nice and slow with really good stretches. My goal is to be able to do a full 60 min practice! This is to happen this next year!

I've planned my food well, with good veggies and fruit. Lots of fresh, green foods to keep me healthy. The candy and chocolate is all but gone. I've saved a wee bit of chocolate so that I don't feel deprived but that's ok because it's my choice to do so.

The picture here is my back yard...all white and fresh just the way each day is in my life.

Today the snow falls gently and although I'll get myself together and off to work I feel no stress or anxiety about it.

I trust your day has started well and will continue to bless you as mine has blessed me!

til again

Waiting...

As we continue to get the normal, winter weather the song "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" is ringing true. All is white, fluffy and rather beautiful..in that...it's too cold for me to enjoy outside kind of way.

The choir sang "Like a Child I Wait" on Sunday. That's me right now. I'm waiting for the week to progress; more rehearsals, more lessons to teach; the house to get ready for a party on Sunday; decorations that need to be looked at, repaired or replaced; and for holiday which I really need right now. Waiting is not something I do very well. I've learned patience over the years. I mean, why keep the rocking chair moving if it's not going anywhere? Right? But, it's the childlike anticipation I'm feeling. Wondering if the weather will hold so that I can see my family sometime this month. Wondering if the rest of the musical engagements will sing merrily by?

So what do I do while waiting? Bake, rest, exercise (well, in my mind at least), check the bank account (will the post office ever find Nick's missing cheque?) Perhaps if I picked up the sock I'm working on the urge to snack on saltly, yummy, yet terrible things would pass...along with the time.

I'm in the process of recording some old Christmas carols...old enough that I don't need to worry about royalties. Also, thinking of creating another new one for this season. The creative side of me needs to be nurtured, molded, and if not practiced, exercised.

With all the food and fun ahead my goal is to remain, at all times, grateful for the many and rich blessings that make up my life.

Christmas is coming. Are you ready? Are you waiting?....

Really?

I had no idea so much time had passed since my last post...really!

Life has been and is very busy. My music studio is now half full and more advertising is going out soon. Choirs are rehearsing and singing up great tunes. I continue to attempt to make crepes that start out as nice round shapes. We've packed, moved, and are in the process of unpacking.

I'm still searching for some of my fibery items but most have been accounted for.

Currently working on a pair of socks for a DF for Christmas and have swatched for a pair for DH. Now if I could just find the time in my day to knit.

Spinning wheel is sitting quietly and my spindles call to me in loneliness.

Life if full; life is good! I am thankful!!! REALLY!

Hugs and blessings to all.....til again!

Since April 1st!

With April comes one of the busiest times of the year for anyone involved in weekly church services. This year has been no different. Extra choir music, extra rehearsals and a really great duet rounded out Easter weekend. What a blessing for all!

Between work at the church and at the restaurant my fiber time has been sorely lacking. I'm still definitely in need of my hand knit socks. Two new holes were found today. I have 1 and 1/2 socks finished in my next pair...which actually will be for me.

I have some really nice grey shetland on the wheel that I try to spin about 5-10 min each day. Most days it's a bit more...some less. Still thinking it will be socks but also thinking about dyeing 1/2 of it with black cherry KA. Always a great combo.

I did manage to get some shopping in for my SP just before Easter and the surprise will be in the mail early next week. Isn't it exciting to shop for someone else? I think so!

I now have my holiday time booked with all my jobs and am looking forward to some vacation in July. Perhaps a trip to the east coast. I haven't been since 1983 and feel it's about time.

Well, the creative side of my brain is telling me it's time for my pillow and blanket. Will write again when I'm much more alert and ready to handle a more literary task here.

Til again,

Doll

Spring?

I think that spring is finally here. Warmer temps, lots of sunlight and very active singing birds. I love the spring and enjoy watching the earth seemingly come back to life.

I've finally finished the first sock in the sock knitting competition. Needless to say I didn't make it into round 1 and from what I've read they're already completed the 2nd pattern. I'm not necessarily a slow knitter but after 4 or 5 false starts I finally decided that I would alter the pattern enough to make a wearable sock for me. by the time I came to that decision I had lost, hopelessly. The sock is very pretty and one I will definitely wear.

My hand knit socks are wearing out so it's time I knit some for me again. The last 3 pair I completed I've given as gifts...so the next gift is mine. There comes a time in a sock's life when darning is just no longer practical. On the other hand, the holey socks are my favorites.

Off to cast on the next sock. Won't have this sitting around as a single.....

Til again

Friday and the end of the week........

For most folk Friday is the end of the work week allowing for some down time on the weekend. For me it's not quite so. I work at the restaurant for a 2 hour shift on Saturdays then 3 hours at church Sunday a.m. and now also about 2 hours in the afternoon as we prepare to present a family musical for Mother's Day. How exciting!

I always have a dilemma though....my 2 favorite things to do...music and fiber. The question?? how to blend the 2...pun intended.

I'm currently finishing up a sock that has been started for, well, about the 3rd or 4 th time and was part of the Sock Madness competition. Did I mention that I'm no longer in the running? Life is just way too busy for me to knit fast enough to catch these awesome knitters. I'll knit on however and finish the socks.

The question has been posed: "what is your favorite knitting accessory?" I think mine is the ranger beads my husband put together for me in order for me to count my rows. Like an abacus I'm able to move a bead from one end to the other as I complete a row. Certainly easier than trying to keep track on paper while being a passenger in the car.

Perhaps I'll get a pic to put in here.

Now.........on to my weekend...more fun...more crepes and lots of music.

Blessings to all
Til again.
Doll

I knew it would happen...

The tears. It's plain, simple and always true. When I say farewell to any of my girls there are tears. Tears of joy for the time spent together and some sad tears for the goodbye until next time. There is always such great excitement when we visit. We renew our relationships on so many levels. Amazingly wonderful!

My baby (who is 17 years young) and her friend were here for the weekend. Lots of giggling, planning, teasing and just plain fun. Just how many ways can Mom lose at Dutch Blitz??? Just how cold is it standing by the ice sculptures at 9:30 pm in the wind?? How many times can the little Aerio turn in the church parking lot?? Driving lessons should be left to the pros? Si?? or Oui??

My bad french aside...alles ist gut!!

Pictures to follow...

I finished the last of my pink socks knit ala magic loop. Just need to kitchener the toe then on my feet they go! Yummy for sure.


Til again...
Doll

It's a Saturday Thing...

Time to be up and at 'em. Right?

The day is cold and sunny and sometimes on days like this I just like to hunker down and work with my hands. Hands that are often happy while working with wool or while creating something warm and wonderful in the kitchen. Not sure yet which this will be.





The pink and white fiber: white is kid mohair
pink is unknown that I dyed last week. I started with a natural dye bath using cooked red cabbage. Very pretty but on impact with vinegar turned a yucky pink. I then began adding Wilton's red and the end result is what you now see. I'm currently spinning this and plying to 2 ply for sock yarn.

On the right is the blue/purples that I'm spinning possibly again for sock yarn. This is the blue for my PS2 project.

For interest only: the main part of the living room is a. natural tones on the walls and floor and b. black furniture (which was here when we moved in). Not sure I would even have chosen black and am enjoying adding the red! The room is bright and cheery. Lots of windows and natural light which makes it ideal for reading, spinning, knitting, or just watching the birds as they come to the window.

Gone back to my Sony Mavica camera. The display on the back is broken so when I take the pic I have no idea what it's going to look like until I pop the disk in the pc. It's a rather big older style digital that takes a full size floppy. I really like it except for the disply thingy. It also has a 10x zoom but without being able to see where it's zooming to you could be taking a pic of the bark on the tree.

Well...off to do what needs done and a few things just because I can.

til again,
Doll

T-T-T Tuesday, and it's still cold

Cold enough to want to wear wool. Right? It's February and it's winter. Did any of us really expect other than cold? Look here to see what's happening in my neck of the woods..

I've been knitting and spinning and knitting some more. Trying to finish off some projects. I've made the decision about 1 sock...now frogged and a 2nd that will be frogged. I continue to work on a vest for Nick in nice light and dark browns. He figures it should be a memory vest. (one that has different fibers from different places that we remember) Well the end product might not be what I had envisioned but just the same I will continue to knit and change fibers and tones as I go. This is again about the process and not the finished item.

After realizing just how many are in need of hats and mitts this time of year I've decided that I will definitely plan better for next winter and get a head start on a bag of goodies for the street folks in Ottawa. For now, a trip to the store to purchase some long johns for them might be in order.

For project Spectrum: I'm currently spinning some lovely blues in an unknown (possibly romney) nice fiber. Will get a pic soon. Not sure what it will be yet although the above mentioned mitts might be a good start.

For now...I'll just keep spinning...

til again......

Starting Over....

I've decided to move my blog. My old blog at singingtoes is still active but since I was having some difficulty to get it to look the way I wanted to I figured it was time to move on.

Actually there's a really big part of me that loves starting over. Fresh page, new day...everything bright and clear ready to face any and all challenges.

For today:

worship was inspiring
reading has instilled in me a sense of wholeness
there will be fiber in my day: spinning and knitting
nice hot soup to warm the tummy and the heart

Enjoy this "Super" day. (for all you ball fans out there) I will be working on some socks for CIC while my dearest watches.

And just for fun a pic of my bookshelf taken yesterday. How many sheepy things can you see?