Yankee Stadium - December Totals

I've have tallied my numbers for my Yankee Stadium Distance Challenge.

October 2007 - 19.8KM
November 2007 - 54KM

Of the 662KM it would take to drive to Yankee Stadium, I've only 588.2KM left to go!

I'm okay with the distance I covered for November, but knowing it could have been better is a wee bit upsetting. I will work towards my December goal and hope to do 1KM more in December than I did in November.

December 2007
5 - 3.6K
6 - 9.6K bike
6 - 4.8K treadmill 8/36 minutes
7 - 2.5K
8 - 4.9K treadmill 10/40 minutes
8 - 3K bike
12 - 1.2K treadmill
12 - 8.4K bike
19 - 10.9K treadmill
22l - 5K run (street)
Total - 58.9 KM

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

It's starting to feel a bit more like Christmas too. I'm usually in the Christmas spirit long before this, but this year I'm dragging a bit. I'm there now and I'm there with a bang.

I pretty much finished all my shopping today. I have a couple things left to get, not much and not much money needed which is always a blessing.

I finished decorating the upstairs tree about an hour ago. It is so beautiful, if I do say so myself. It is decorated in red and gold colours and appears very regal and classy. I am still debating whether to do a tree in the rec room or not. Lily really wants me to, so I probably will. That tree will have a more homey feel to it and be more country themed, which I absolutely love. You see the problem is, I don't want to have to buy a new artificial tree and that is what is needed for the rec room. The tree from last year just had nothing left to give so it was trashed. Lily would like to get a real tree, but as much as I love them, they are so much work. I always struggle with disposing of the tree after the holidays and stuff. Oh, I dislike this indecisiveness.

The shopping is done and the tree is trimmed! Oh, I said that already didn't I. Now, all that is left to do is some baking, visit friends and enjoy the wonder of the holiday season that I fondly like to refer to as CHRISTMAS!!!!

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Love with a Capital L - 140 hours

Love is really moving along in all ways lately. You can't believe how happy I am to know my instincts were right about this one. This piece has come to mean so much to me for so many reasons.

You stitchers out there, or some of you anyway, may understand the dreaded feeling of those last few sessions with a piece. Questioning whether it will ever get finished, until you're really close and then it's full steam ahead. In light of recent happenings in my life, I now have a renewed desire to get this piece finished and it will be a new found appreciation for my life that I do.

Stitching is a time consuming, and for the most part, a very relaxing and therapeutic past time. Thus far in my life there has yet to be a piece that represents as much of that to me, than this one. It stands alone in its significance of my life and personal growth. This is now a piece I will look back on and truly feel blessed to have stitched at this particular time? Is that what makes a piece an heirloom?

Happy stitching days to all!

Sweet Dreams to you too!

I'm just so happy right now. I seriously want to say something profound and words that will come close to conveying what I'm feeling, but I don't know that I'm that gifted a word wizard.

I look back on my life, to some of the things that put me right here and I know I'd do it all over again to be in the place I am this very minute. Okay, maybe not THIS very minute since I'm at work doing a midnight and I'd much rather be in my bed! I've said it before about being happy for every tear and moment of sadness I've suffered to come out the other side of a divorce and be blessed in the way I am right now. You just never know what is awaiting you around that next corner!

I used to live my life and just live it. I didn't really embrace much in the way of being passionate about things. I mean, I love my daughters without measure, I'm passionate about my health and love working out, but to live and take notice of things around me, I didn't live or think that way. I was too busy pleasing others (still doing that too much), to know there were deeper meanings in things than just doing them. I've since discovered, as much as I'm still running non-stop, to see there is more to life than just being. Embrace the life you life. Tomorrow is a gift yet to be opened. Don't let the hurts of yesterday get in the way of today's happiness. It may be a feeling or moment you never get back. You could very well miss out on something you didn't even know you were missing until it is there. Trust me it happens.

As busy as I am always, I love my life and I love you! Thank you for teaching me to be stronger than I dreamed. Thank you for allowing me the freedom to be me. I love you for the many things you've yet to realize you represent to me. In due time you will! I thank you for you!

Sweet dreams

OMG! Can you hear me screaming

I don't know whether I should cry or scream. My youngest daughter just gave me the best Christmas present that money can buy. I say 'that money can buy', because as much as this is the coolest present ever, I'm trying to teach the girls (and failing miserably) that Christmas is not about money!

Lily just gave me two tickets to see Keith Urban in concert in Ottawa December 14th! I'm blown away. She ordered the tickets through Pam and gave them to me today! I'm soooo excited and so proud of her, you can't even imagine. Included in my gift box was the little turtle from a few days back. She bought him for me as well! What a cool gift! Is it December 14th yet????

Off to my sweet dreams of Keith and knowing that I'm truly blessed with 2 amazing daughters that are fast on their way to becoming incredible women!

What Kind of Flower?

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You?

"When your friends think smile, they think of you. There is not a day that goes by that you can't find something good about the world and your fellow human."

Stitching Plan Version 125

I think I'm funny, eh?

I'm always messing around with my approach for tackling all the pieces I currently have started. Trust when I tell you there are many. 15 pieces is insane no matter how you look at it. 15 pieces! What was I thinking? I don't think I was thinking, but I was definitely starting. A little funny again, eh?

I'm now dividing my huge list in to 2 lists, a focus piece list and a UFO list. I will work primarily on the focus piece until it is complete and work 1 hour per week on the UFO list piece until it is complete. My focus list pieces will be long completed before those on the UFO list, so I will then move some of those pieces up to my focus piece list. Follow me so far? I don't forsee many more starts in my future (funny, eh?), so I'm thinking this 15 should start to shrink rather than grow in the next year. Without further adieu, here is my lists:

FOCUS PIECES
Love With A Capital L
Hydrangea Harvest
Job's Tears
Summer Breeze
Wildflower Rhapsody
Enchanted Fairy

UFO PIECES
Halloween Fairy
Treetop Sampler
My Stocking
Giggles Girl
Middy
Angel Proclamation
Be Warm Be Welcome
Bubbles
The Bride

This post was prompted by the fact that I've worked on Halloween Fairy for 2 weeks in a row, 1 hour per week and I'm amazed at how much I've accomplished in only 2 hours. This is going to be a lot of fun. Why didn't I think of this before? Oh, I know, I was too busy starting things to worry about finishing things. I'm really very funny, I think!

Another Start? You're not Serious?

I feel a new piece comin' on! I know I'm supposed to be working towards finishing Love with A Capital L, and I will.


My new piece is going to be Enchanted Fairy

You see Pam and I have started a new piece together every Boxing Day for the last 7 years. This is 2008's Boxing Day piece, but a little early. We aren't sure what our work schedule is going to be like for Christmas this year, so we're shaking things up some. I was looking at our schedule and Pam and I are working together next weekend 2-10 and 6-2, so we're starting it then! I've been bugging her for a bit about starting it early, but is was all in fun and done just to get her going. In case you're wondering, it worked. I've not even seen nor touched the fabric as of yet, because she doesn't trust me not to start it without her. Has she no faith in me whatsoever? Anyway, work being what it is, we are starting her December 1st, only because of the work schedule and not because I'm a pest.

I also happened upon Chris' blog, I'd Rather Be Stitching and she has talked about doing a UFO challenge for 2008. She did have an ezboard started for it, but it has been closed. Not sure why. Her idea is to work on a UFO piece for 1 hour per week . You can focus on one piece or any of your UFO's. I have too many pieces to list every time I talk of them, but suffice it to say I had more than enough pieces to choose from when deciding to join in the UFO challenge. My UFO challenge piece is Mirabilia's Halloween Fairy. I'm going to do an hour on her today for the 2nd week in a row. I love it and don't know how I let her get to the point that she is an UFO. So sad and very silly. The challenge I face now is putting her down after the hour, but I did the first week and will do so again today! Not putting her down would defeat the purpose if I kept working on her, right? I would then finish her and in my excitement to do that, move Love to UFO status.

Who ever thought stitching could get so complicated?

I'm off now to find bobbins so I can start winding floss for Enchanted Fairy. This kind of high is better than any drug I could ever think of, not that I'm prolific in drug use! This is my addiction of another kind!

For The Love of Reading

I'm a big reader although I don't read a near the amount I used to when I was younger. Blame the needle. My reading time has severely dropped off since I've discovered the needle and thread. I love both equally so I try and spend my time doing both. Sometimes it works out well, sometimes not. Anyway, I'm getting off topic a bit.

I was on the Indigo/Chapter's website looking for this Clean Eating Cookbook that I want to buy and one link always leads to another and I stumbled upon this interesting, but disturbing fact. Our school's bookshelves are empty or fast becoming so. Indigo has implemented a program For The Love of Reading, that is trying to raise funds to assist in stocking those empty bookshelves by selling little stuffed animals, such as this little cutie This joins my love of turtles with my love of reading! What could be better than that for me? I'm thinking I need to get myself this precious turtle, maybe after the holidays I will treat myself to a little post holiday pick me up.

There is an online Petition you can sign in support of this program. Reading has always been a passion of mine and it is just heartbreaking for me when I see people that are able to read and don't.

What is worse to me is not the ability to read and not using your ability, but not being able to read period. The thought of never being able to escape to another place via my novels is more than I could handle. I can barely watch commercials pertaining to illiteracy. When the people speak of the shame of not being able to read and the fear of being discovered angers me so much. Not because of the person themselves, but because of the system that put a person in a place that they could continue in school and not be able to read? Did no one notice in Grade 2 when 'See Spot Run' was a challenge? It tears at my heart because I'm sure this person would love nothing more than to read and I think of all the joy my books have brought me and this person has missed out.

I'm off to sign the petition! Will you join me?

What Is A Workout?

A workout is 25% perspiration and 75% determination. Stated another way, it is one part physical exertion and three parts self-discipline. Doing it is easy once you get started.

A workout makes you better today than you were yesterday. It strengths the body, relaxes the mind, and toughens the spirit. When you work out regularly, your problems diminish and your confidence grows.

A workout is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastinations. It is the badge of a winner the mark of an organized person who has taken charge of his, or her destiny.

A workout is a wise use of time and an investment in excellence. It is a way of preparing for life's challenges and proving to yourself that you have what it takes to do what is necessary.

A workout is a key that helps unlock the door to opportunity and success. Hidden within each of us is an extraordinary force. Physical and mental fitness are the triggfer that can release it.

A workout is a form of rebirth. When you finish a good workout, you don't simply feel better, you feel better about yourself.

I went to the gym this morning at the gross ugly hour of 5:30. I'm sorry there is no other way for me to describe that hour! I slept well last night, if you can call sleeping well and waking every hour sleeping. I woke up energized and full of life. Very much in a bad mood but eager to hit the gym, I was.

Krista and I hit the mats to work our abs and then the weights. I did a bit of cardio (4KM). I was in a very bad mood as I've already stated and whether or not I get in to why, I'm still undecided. I was hoping the work out would help ease the mood and it did in some small way. That was until I headed to work, but more of that later.

I talked with Krista about setting up a weight training schedule and in her true enthusiastic way, was on board without a moments hesitation! I have a date with her every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:30am. I'm really looking forward to this, as I know she is.

The timing of finding this document "What Is A Workout?" was perfect. This is going to be a new day for me. I want to do things a bit differently than I've been doing lately, and one of those things is making a committed effort to better myself mentally, emotionally and physically.

Tribute to Turtles and Me

Taking their home with them wherever they go, Turtles remind us to remember our roots while still welcoming new places and phases in life.
They teach us to appreciate life's simple, true necessities; shelter, food, drink and most importantly, faith.
The Turtle's slow gait requires the animal to have faith that it will eventually get where it is going and that the needs will be satisfied along the way. ~ From ancient American Indian Philosophy

I like the idea behind this and for the most part, think it very much represents who I am and things that are important to me.

The turtle I used to be and the turtle I am now are very different, although I must say they are both represented in the person I am today. Turtling is what I used to do when in tremendous pain and heartache and I was dubbed with a 'TT' nickname, that I now love. It has been quite the journey for me from the turtle of yesterday to the turtle of today and one I'm glad I was able to travel. What started out as a very sad day and life path has turned in to the most beautiful and exciting time of my life. I couldn't be happier and more thankful for the heartache that put me right here right now.

I will be forever tied to the turtle and in the most personal of ways, since I now sport a turtle tattoo on my left wrist, bottom side. It is sitting just at the spot that you place two fingers to take a pulse, which was chosen for that exact reason. This turtle is a symbol of my life in the simplest of ways - life!

Thanks Zeena for the reminder of why I love turtles and the special place they hold in my heart. All this from a little e-mail about a very unique pair of stitching scissors. Isn't life funny like that?!

A Lifetime of Secrets

For the past three years Frank Warren has invited people of all backgrounds and nationalities to send him creatively decorated postcards bearing secrets they have never before revealed. He has shared these PostSecrets on his award-winning blog, http://postsecret.blogspot.com/, in an internationally traveling art exhibit, and in three electrifying books: the bestselling PostSecret, My Secret, and The Secret Lives of Men and Women.

Now, in his most extraordinary book yet, Warren again delves into our collective confessions, presenting a never-before-seen selection of provocative and moving PostSecrets. A Lifetime of Secrets lays bare our private fears, hopes, regrets, and desires, from people as young as eight and as old as eighty. From painful admissions of infidelity to breathtaking revelations and endearing sentiments, Warren’s latest collection will shock and move readers of every age, revealing secrets that have haunted their creators for a lifetime.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I read through this book once already. It took me about 45 minutes and some of what I read will probably remain with me forever. I may not remember the exact words, but the thoughts and feelings brought to the surface through the words will be their legacy.

I will list a few that struck me. The impact will not be as astounding without the art accompanying the text, but I shall give it my best effort.

My momma bear Thank you for never, ever leaving me alone with him. I wish grandma had protected you. (The post card is the face of a grizzly bear with block lettering)

I saved stamps the whole year long so I could make my grandmother a real crafty christmas present. She didn't make it that long. I can't stop saving them. (The postcard is a mish mash of stamps)

You are what I never knew I have been looking for all along. (Smiling mouth of a woman)

I handed the most important person in my life the drugs that killed him. (Printed on a piece of paper with type written words scratched out and a large sunflower coming up from the left corner of the paper)

New Stitching Goal Layout

I've come upon the idea from another blogger, Chris, that I'm going to try for a while. I stumbled upon her blog and in reading discovered she is trying to work 1 hour per week on her UFO's. Seeing as I have many UFO's myself, I thought this would be a great idea for me, as well. Chris has started a UFO 2008 board. I've yet to introduce myself, but I will at some point.

I'm posting a pic of Mirabilia's Halloween Fairy that I will be focusing on for completion.

Here she is as of this morning at 5 hours
I'll be back with an update in another 5 hours or so.

I had many pieces to choose from as you will see by the following list:

Angel Proclamation
The Bride
Halloween Fairy
Be Warm Be Welcome
Bubbles
Middy
Treetop Sampler
Giggles Girl
My Stocking

Hmmmmm, always thinking, always planning!

Metro Girl - Janet Evanovich

Wild Bill is up to his gonads in trouble. Never the brightest spark, he's hired himself out as a boat captain to some shady American investors who have him ferrying unknown objects -- and the occasional Florida politician -- in and out of Cuba. Everything's going well, until an honest politician realizes the boat-trip will land him deep in Castro's pocket, with Bill's bosses netting a lucrative Cuban real estate package as their reward for securing his vote. When the politician threatens to go public, all hell breaks loose -- and Bill disappears. Dispatched to Florida to find her worthless baby brother, Alexandra 'Barney' Barnaby, the brains of the family, isn't too happy about trading her well-paid-if-boring job in Baltimore for the bugs and heat and bad-hair-day humidity of South Beach. Doing the rounds of Wild Bill's broken-hearted bimbos, she's thinking things can't get much worse than being unemployed and sunburned in Florida. Too bad for Barney -- she's wrong about the getting worse part.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Entertaining and funny at parts.

Love with a Capital L - 130 hours

My most recent updated photo of Love. I'm starting to feel that the end is near on this one. I know in all actuality I have a lot to do yet, but it's easier to believe I'm almost finished.

I'm coming to the realization this will probably not get finished before Christmas, but I'm still going to continue on with it as a focus piece until it is complete, whenever that may be. It's about the journey, not always the destination.

Lest We Forget

I'm posting this a day early because I won't be around tomorrow.

Thank you to the service men and women that afford us the luxury of the life we live. Your sacrifices are much appreciated.