Knit One, Knit Two

Are you up for a bit of an adventure????   Someone sent me this link - if you have an issue with heights - don't bother to open it, but WOW - that would be an adventure. I am NOT sure I could do it.


A "walk" in the park?????


What did you think?????   Pretty awesome, but absolutely terrifying at the same time!


My big adventure was watching a documentary last night during spin class. Well it is a series of documentaries on various subjects that they run from time to time at the gym. They run an hour and a half and we cycle (at our own pace) for the entire time (I did a lazy 26 miles). Last night, the documentary was Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.    Oh boy - what an eye opener that was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    (I think you can watch the video on line - but check out his web page) Basically an overweight guy (Joe Cross) decides that he is going to take charge of his body. He does a SIXTY DAY juice fast. NOTHING but fruit and vegetable juice for sixty days. What a change!!!!!!   And he meets a trucker (who weighs over 400 lbs) who also decides to do the fast - he started with 10 days. Was so excited about his change in life (after JUST 10 days) that he decides to do 60 days as well. He ends up losing over 200 pounds!!!!!

What is really sad is that while people know that eating fast foods, pop, processed foods is bad for them, they don't care enough about themselves (or their importance to their family) to make any change!!!!!!!!!!!!    Now, like any documentary - there is a slant to it - to make his fast look amazing. Because there are an equal (if not more) number of people who do care. But people know they need to change, but why bother?

At one point in the video - the truck driver started to give seminars in his local area. He had lost the equivalent of FOUR bowling balls at this point (I think they were 15 pounders). And he had FOUR bowling balls on the table. When you see what extra weight he was carrying around - it makes you think. Imagine how much harder everything is when you carry that extra weight. Imagine carrying even something like a 10 pound of flour with you EVERY WHERE - EVERY DAY!!!!!!!!!!     That sure puts that in perspective!!!!

But I have to say that while I will never be a total health nut - I do agree  - the more you move, the better you eat, the LESS medication you need, the happier you are, the more energy you have and the more you can get done!!!!!     My little FitBit was working overtime yesterday - I did over 21,000 steps and 39 flights of stairs!!!!!!!!!!!!!        Yes -  I firmly believe that ENERGY breeds ENERGY. In other words - the more you move - the more you want and can move!!!!!!!!


It is a personal choice and I leave each of you to figure out what works for you!!!!!!!    But next time you think "how come Elaine has so much energy, how come Elaine get so much done?"   - think about my activity level. It is VERY HIGH. And I try to limit screen time - NO TV - it has been OVER THREE YEARS with NO TV and I do not miss it ONE BIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   If I have a few minutes, I DO NOT even think about turning the TV on. I am not sure I even know how. TV is no longer in my vocabulary - I wish I could say the same for sugar!!!



On that note - I decided that this was the year to branch out. I don't want to be branded just a QUILTER, so I joined the local knitting group!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I know - who knew!!!!!!    I have knit for YEARS - I remember making sweaters when I was a teenager, I once knit a bedspread (in little squares) and sewed them together, afghans - you name it - I knit it. OK - so I never knit socks!!!!!!!!!!  


I "let" myself get conned into buying some yarn from time to time when I visit Ruti's Needlebed (which besides being an excellent quilt store) is an excellent yarn store. I bought yarn to make a cowl for M for Christmas LAST YEAR (make that 2012). I CANNOT cast on worth anything so I had the girls at the store show me how to do the long tail cast on. Hmmmmm - this looks easy. Well somehow that project got put on the back burner.

So I pulled the project out just before Christmas this year (2013). I will finish it. Well when I pulled it out - I see there were 18 stitches on the needle (nicely cast on with the long tail method), but I needed 25!!!!!!!!    I got out this great book that Susannah had recommended I buy (with methods of casting on and casting off). With the book, I managed to get the rest of the stitches on. I got about half of it knitted up and then ran out of time.

I took it with me yesterday and I FINISHED IT!!!!!!!!!!   I was hoping to get the cast off done at the store and then I would sew it up at home. WELL - Ruthi showed me a way to graph the end stitches to the beginning so I didn't have to sew it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I think I am going to LOVE knit club - so much to learn!!!!!!   I've never had easy access (while knitting) with an expert!!!!!!!!!!!   I am so excited!!!!!!!

The knitted cowl

The grafting!

And the happy recipient!!!!!!

I already have my next project ready to go. The group meets the second and fourth Friday mornings at Ruti's!!!    You should come - it is a lot of fun.


My kid went back to the mall to get the rest of her data transferred to her new phone. It is a LONG process because she has so much stuff on the phone. While waiting she goes to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory right beside the phone kiosk.


Hmmm - so much for healthy eating - she brings home this amazing dessert thing.

Well - there is an APPLE underneath all those marshmallows!!!!!    She gave me the back half of the sheep and well I had to eat it before the apple turned brown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    (Good thing I went to that cycle class!!!)

OH MY GOD - I don't have a phone to take a picture (to add to the THOUSANDS) that she has on her phone, so she drew a picture of the sheep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had an appointment for yogurt tasting yesterday. Oh boy - there are sure some differences between brands of Greek yogurt!!!!!!   Back home to get some quilting done. I have to say that I miss (NOT!!!!) the physicality of fighting with the machine. It practically glides across the table!!!!!!!!!!!  

On that note - I have to get some stuff finished today. I am a bit behind this week - there was a LOT going on and now I am behind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!