PRs and Modifications

Creating new records for yourself is such a moral boost. 

The way my Crossfit Coach is having us train for heavy lifts has us increasing weights about ever 5-6 weeks.  This week and next are the heavy weeks meaning I will be lifting close to or higher than my last heaviest weight Ive done for that movement.

This week I had my heaviest Back Squat, 140#. So motivating!

Today we are doing Front Squats and my goal is 130#.  I can squat the weight, its holding it on my shoulders that may be my limiting factor for a while.  I did 120# last week and still feel a bit bruised.

I found out last week that I have tendonitis in my left forearm, which makes lifting any weight over my head with a bar painful.  Im wearing a brace most of the time, not during workouts due to the sweat I create and I only have the one brace.  So far I dont have an issue with the main weight lifting part of CF as those are either squats, deadlift or bench press and none of these require my arm to twist as doing any press over head will do.

Im not allowing the tendonitis to stop me from working out.  It is causing me to think a bit harder for workout prep, for what I can change in the workout that will allow me to do close to the same movements the workout is focusing on and gets me sweating.

Instead of barbell lifts, I can use dumbbells or a band.  Plate situps instead of burpees. 

With these modifications I still participate and get my sweat on.

Still Listening

Happy Day After 4th of July

Im still around, knitting, crossfit, cooking and all the rest.  As much as Ive wanted to keep writing here something always comes up and it doesnt happen.  Hasnt happened for a year.

Boy what a year.

I got my passport and actually used it – twice.  Both times to London.  Both times for work and not much site seeing was done.  May be going back later this summer, we’ll have to see. 

But on that note Ive got two words for you Virgin Atlantic. I flew with them my first trip.  The stewards were awesome, even in the cheap seats.  Second trip they were really expensive due to the short notice and I flew on Air Canada.  Dont.  Just dont. I thought that maybe I had cranky stewards on the way over, anyone can have a bad day.  But same on the way back?  Im stuck for 10+ hrs just as they are and thats too long to be stuck with bitchy people. Dont care about the cost of VA, thats who I will be with next time, if there is a next time.

D and I are still doing Crossfit.  18 months now and have been going 4 days a week for a year now.  Still loving it. Im getting muscles which is cool but not losing weight as fast as I would like which sucks but still fits with how my body likes to screw with my brain.  Being in medical menopause, being over 45, this flesh bag holds on to fat like feathers on tar. I will get skinnier, it will just take me a long time to get there.  Im ok with that.  I may look fat but I can back squat 150+, bench press 100+, front squat 130+ and deadlift 200+.  Not many out of shape, almost 50yo can do that – female or male.

We tried doing a keto diet.  I lost 15 lbs pretty quickly but my workouts tanked.  Couldnt keep up in the workouts and my weight lifting took a big hit.  I should be lifting heaver than I am, I was close to these numbers last fall, before keto.  Had to start over in Mar/Apr when we stopped.  For me, carbs help with my workouts.

Ive stopped looking at the scale and even measuring, going off of how Im feeling and how loose clothes are.  Keeping carbs low but not Keto low, no sugar, whole foods with veggies, no pasta. Close to Paleo.

This summer Im teaching DL how to cook.  I taught P when he was 14, DL got to wait until 17.  With summer Im not battling school & homework.  No excuses for him and the meals are much easier.  P knows the way around the kitchen and a recipe and enjoys cooking.  I can be assured that he can survive living on his own and not only have box mac & cheese or ramen every night.  Now the work is for DL to do the same.

Knitting – I got my first sock done in 2016 and Ive started my 24th pair this year.  I love wearing my knitted socks and wear them almost daily.  The AC in the house keeps me cold.  And they are great for gifting! I am knitting other items, mostly shawls and socks though.  Sweaters take me too long and those need to be somewhat fitted and that can take too much braining.  Since its summer, Im in a kal for socks.  So far Ive knitted 3 pairs with #4 close to gusset and #5 finished with toes and working on the foot.  I love having a pair of socks close to the foot for easy brainless knitting.

Signing off for now.  Hope to keep this at least a weekly talk and not a yearly talk.

Progress

Crossfit this week was really good.

P and I started going to the 6:30am class. Its hard really getting moving that early.  First thing is to get food in the bod, prep for the workout to happen.  Sticking with easy oatmeal is nice.  Quick to get ready, add some berries and down it goes.  Next is getting my protein drink for after the WOD and water for during and after ready.

Then its a wait until needing to leave for class. 

On the Fourth, the whole family joined the class where we did Hotshots 19 in remembrance of  the Nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots firefighting team tragically lost their lives on June 30, 2013, while fighting a fire in Yarnell, Arizona. 

WOD

• Six rounds for time of:
• 30 Squats
• 135 pound Power clean, 19 reps
• 7 Strict Pull-ups
• Run 400 meters

I didnt go running, I did 400 meters on a rower and was on my 5th round of Power Cleans (55lbs) when time was called.  P just finished his 5th round, D finished all 6 while DL just started his 5th.  Great way to celebrate the day.

Ive been doing Crossfit for 6 months now and Ive lost ~8 inches.  Weight is more difficult to judge as Im making muscle while I know Im losing weight but so far its been an even score – which Im totally ok with.  I can feel clothes fitting better or looser

Too early?

P wanted to switch up when he did crossfit as the 4:30pm class was cutting in his day weird.

So this week we are doing a 6:30am class.

Getting up that early isnt bad for me.  Im usually up at 5am as the duo of chaos start demanding their morning food that early.  Now its thinking time.  Can I get food in my bod with enough time between eating and working out so I dont get a cramp?  Answer for today is yes.  Oatmeal (zombie brains) with blueberries made a perfect breakfast and one I could scarf down and give myself time before the workout.

Workout was good.  No hot or humid like its been during the afternoon class.  And now its done!  No more workout until tomorrow.

Socking

Not even close to the heel on socks I started last month, I started another pair over the weekend.  Im totally blaming D for this.  Went out to the dollar store for cleaning supplies and he asked if I was going to the yarn store.  Well hell wasnt planning on it but know its in my brain and must go!

I went to Craft Warehouse looking for one color, didnt find it but came home with Premier Vegas Lights

Wonderfully bright colors and screamed to be made into socks for a friend.

Knitting over vaca last month got me confident with my knitting and Im no longer tied to looking at everything I knit as I knit it and can now read (a sentence or 2) before having to look.  Knitting by touch – booya!

Personal

So Friday I joined D for the 4th day of Crossfit for the week.  Friday’s weight-lifting is deadlifts and strict press.  Its been forever since Ive done a deadlift as we never went to the Friday class at this particular box and I didnt know what my max for strict press was either so I spent time during class to find my one rep max so that next week I can work to do more than one rep close to that weight so I can pass it.

in Feb, I did a 105lb deadlift and that was hard.  Since then, working at this box, Ive been working on other weight lifting and my body as a whole is stronger.  As of Friday, my new one rep max for Deadlift is 205 lbs! 

The strict press is a bit more difficult for me due to a flu shot a couple years ago that hit a nerve.  Ive had movement issues with my right arm and because of that, getting my right arm straight while pressing a bar up with weights is a struggle.  That said, I was able to get 75 lbs lifted over my head a couple of times and now I have a goal to work towards.  More movements and recovery exercises will get the arm moving how it should some day.

Saturday I pampered myself with a massage.  60 min of getting muscles a bit back to happiness and boy was it worth it!  I can bend, sit, walk, move without my lower back making me pay for each bit.  Havent had a massage in months and may do this monthly just to say thank you to all my muscles for putting up with me placing them in the Cross fit world. 

Spectrum

Quick update to share my progress on Spectrum

Just started part 5 of 6.  Not sure if I will have enough of the dark pink to finish the shawl.  Will have to wait and see.

Ugg

We had a week off from Crossfit thanks to a wonderful vacation at the beach.

Well we did try to do the metcon part of the WOD on Monday, did pretty good workout, but the winds the rest of the week were crazy and we were on vacation so didnt really push to do any part of workouts.

Bad adulting us.

Its Tuesday morning and Im already feeling yesterday's WOD in my legs.  Lots of squating thanks to wall balls and back squats.

I did make a PR for back squats, 100 lbs!  

Knitting

Not much knitting done yesterday.  Had bad restless leg syndrome issues after dinner.  Almost hurt to try and stay still.  The legs finally calmed down close to bed time (thank gods) and I was able to get a few rows in on my Spectrum shawl by Joji and found a new design element that Im just leaving in.  Im up to ~100 stitches a row and the new element is 6 rows back.  It doesnt impact the design too much and Im not tinking back that many rows to fix it.

Hello World - Again

Im still around, just havent been blogging for over a year.  

Ive been knitting and hanging out with family and got into Crossfit.

Knitting

Looking back at the blog, yes - I did finally make socks in 2016.  In fact since my first pair, Ive made 10 pairs of socks.  2 for gifts and the rest all mine.  Ive gone from making one sock at a time to two at a time (taat).  I prefer making taat as you get a pair of socks ready for wearing when you're done.  How cool is that?  Ive also dialed in to what is the perfect sock for me;  2.5 mm needles, using 2 circular needles (prefer Chaigoo to Addi but those two over all others atm), sock construction is always toe up, vanilla pattern (stockinette and boring) and the sock yarn needs to be at least 80% wool, 20% nylon. 

Socks are now my 'go to project that I dont have to do any thinking on and can just zone out'.  I always have at least 1 pair on needles and close by so I can pull them out for a few rows.  

Im almost shocked at the number of people wanting/expecting me to make them a pair.  Its worse than shawls.

Hand knit socks arent cheap.  The good yarn is ~$20+, then the pair takes a minimum of 2 weeks to complete and that is only if nothing else in life is going on and I have motivation to only work on socks.  So thats time cost in addition to the yarn.  For me the min I would charge is $50 a pair and the min time would be a month for completion.

Current socks Im working on:

Pattern: Sundae Socks by Shannon Squire
Yarn: Knitted Wit - Death to Sexism colorway

Non-sock projects are all shawls. I have yarn for sweaters but I have braining to do for those to make sure all the work done ends up with a item I can actually wear.  The one sweater I had on the needles for me has been frogged as I hated how it looked.  The fabric I was ending up with sucked.  I need to go down a needle size and make sure the yarn/stitch count works for the pattern.

Crossfit

D and I started working out with a plan late in 2016.  We wanted/needed a class where you werent just a number and you could reserve a spot for and not just first come last no working out for you today.  A place with structure and a plan to get you where you wanted to end up.

He came up with Crossfit and we went to a couple sessions and have been hooked.

I love it.  I get sorta stressed right before class.  Will I be able to complete the WOD (work out of the day) and/or without having an asthma attack (its happened once so far).  But after class and we are all home and gooey gross from the WOD I feel so pumped!

Its not just all weight lifting but that is part of the workout.  Its getting you moving and stronger and healthier.  Im not seeing much in the movement of the scale but I am getting more weight on my lifting and getting more WODs done without feeling like Im going to die.

We have the boys going to the same classes we take - its the only 'gym' they are getting and since they come with us I feel better they are getting some exercise.

Taking a turn at sewing

This Sunday I finally took time and made the cover to my bullet journal and here is the results

front

inside front

inside back

Of the 5 fat quarters I purchased, this only took 3 and Ive got quite a bit of left overs of the 3 I used that can be made into pockets or doo-dads on the front if I decide to make another.

I did use a piece of muslin, which I already had and I finally found ribbon I wanted to use for bookmarks. And I used the orange elastic to keep the book closed.

I mostly followed the directions found here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Sewing-composition-book-cover/ 

I have two pockets on the inside front.  My next one I will use a stiff interface so they are a bit stronger.  The pen holder is a bit too big for what I thought it would be.  It does have a bit of wonderunder in it cause I didnt want to mess with stitching and then turning it inside out.

I used wonderunder for the orange stripe on the front – again being lazy and wanted to get done with all the stitching.

I did do the 1/4-ish inch stitching along the whole edge when all was done.  It was just a bit too baggy and doing the edging removed the excess I didnt like

It was fun and in total took about 4 hrs from start (ironing the quarters) to final stitching.

Make Cover

At least one.

I have a bullet journal I use primarily for work.  Using a simple/basic composition book (quad) as I just cant bring myself to spend the cash for the expensive ones and I hate books.  I can bend the spine on the basic comp book back as many times as needed and can still write in the damn thing.

But it is b o r i n g as hell.

I cant find a cover that is within what I want to spend and a search on the web for DIY covers tossed me in to the deep pit.

Oh the possibilities! I had to create a new Pinterest board for all the ideas I was finding.  This didnt even cover what I found on YouTube.

And off to Joanns I went!

Here is what I picked up

5 fat quarters and elastic.  I could have got more but trying to keep it somewhat simple.

showing finds with my journal

Now to work out in my gray matter how I want this to work.  I would love to have the solid green as the outside but the black of the journal cover shows through.  I may add a muslin backing to the green just so I can use it.  The green pattern use for the pockets of the journal cover and the orange for an extra pocket for notes if needed on the inside, possible pocket on the front cover and to use for the pen/pencil holder on the side.  The elastic is to be sewn on to keep all of this closed.

My need for control means I need to chart everything out before bringing scissors anywhere close to fabric.  Hopefully it wont take weeks/months to get it all figured out.

RCYC 2016 Clue 2

Clue 2 is completed!  Late Friday nite but done

Clue 3 was released Wed and I have hardly worked on it. 

Sat was spent shopping and no knitting.  Sunday was strangely spent doing other things and no knitting

Today I had the pleasure of getting 4 fillings replaced.  Not fun with TMJ but its one of those things Dentists are wanting to get done these days. Spent a good part of my day sleeping (no knitting) then a trip to Joanns to get fabric for a journal cover and more yarn (cause sales people! and no knitting) then getting dinner ready.  In between all this is counting down the time to when I can take MORE ADVIL! (no knitting).

I would like to spend sometime tonight knitting as really is the only activity I can do that lets/causes my jaw to completely relax.

D made a joke this weekend (Sat in fact while shopping) that “oh you have to knit do you” and I answered yes immediately.  Really – it is the only thing that allows my jaw to relax.  Else I am clenching those jaw muscles till they cry.  Even when sleeping I will wake up cause I am clenching that hard.  Thank god for my mouth gard!

So – Find that one activity that will let you relax completely as you cant even count on sleep letting you do that.

RCYC 2016

Socks are on the back burner so I can blast through the RCYC 2016 KAL.

This year its a cowl using a bike ride through Portland, Or as its theme and using two colors of yarn.  Mine is a gray blue and a rainbow-ish blue and both have cashmere.  Sooo soft.

As of this week 2 clues have been released that have 3 different stitch patterns.  I have 1 & 2a completed and started 2b tonight.  Im hoping I can stitch fast (but nice) enough to finish by Wed when the next clue will be released so I can stay on task and finish in time to wear mine to the crawl this year.

Now for the pics!

Colors: Knitted Wit-Oregon Sky and Dream in Color-Cloudy

Clue 1 completed

Clue 2a completed – this was with flash so the second color would show up a bit.  They both have bits of the same blue gray tones.

Socks take 2

I have a toe!

Reduex after the nasty start of yeasterday.  Much thicker yarn and bigger needle and single sock.

I can see that my only main issue from yesterday was missing the one kfb that I really couldnt go back and fix since I had two socks going.  The fact that only 2 rows in and it was looking fugly was ok and it would work all the fugly out in due time – I just needed to give it that. Oh and get all the correct stitches in.

So I will work on this sock and see if I can get it finished.  Work all the kinks out so to speak on a sock that wont get a sock-friend but will be cherished as being First.

For those interested, here is the pattern Im ‘working’ off.

https://libbazet.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/how-i-knit-socks/

Im not doing M1 but kfb instead. 

M1’s and I have agreed to disagree and stay in our separate corners for now. 

Socks

I couldnt wait and tried casting on two socks on one circular needle AND proceeded to miss a stitch in row 2

And my transitions look like shit.

But this is all in the time honored tradition of learning right?

Its why I am playing with large box store yarn and not my Sassy Santa by Knitted Wit or Octoberfest by Zauberball.

So if the yarn Im playing with gets split to hell or breaks its only $6 and not $20.

Bring it on

Happy 2016!

Hello and Happy beginnings to 2016!

2015 was a busy year for me craft wise.  It was all knitting all the time.

Starting in Feb a new project with the RCYC got the shawl bug going.  It was during the crawl that I decided to make shawls for giftmas and lots of shawls were made!

In total, including the RCYC KAL shawl (not pictured) I completed 6 shawls.  Wonderful way to battle stress and get relaxed.

 

 

For 2016 I have a couple of shawls for ME that are using the patterns of the last two shawls pictured above, Nurmilintu and Groovy.

And as per crazy I started a new project on 1/1/2016 but I am keeping quiet on it for now as it is a surprize for a special friend and Im not sure where they lurk.

SOCKS – 2016 will be the year of the sock for my knitting learning.  I have a couple skeins that are screaming for Socks to be made from them.  For my Birthday, D drove me to the shops and I was able to get wonderful Twist circular needles so I can do two socks at a time.  Yup – go full out sock crazy or go home

October

I cannot believe it is already October. 

One more shawl down and the 5th one of the year started

I finished Carrie late Sept

It still needs to be washed and blocked but the blocking on this one will be easy. 

And here is the next shawl Groovy!

This one loves to curl in on itself and I cant wait to see how it looks.  Its normally a 600-800 yd project but Im going for only 1 skein of 420.  There are others who have made them small like this and they look fine.

Im working to get this one done as quickly as I got Carrie done.  I have another shawl or 2 I would like to see if I can complete before Christmas.

Carrie Update

Update on Carrie.  Just getting started on the 5th lace repeat 

#knitting 

Quiet but not gone

Hey All

I havent been posting here as Blogger hasn’t been as cross-platform friendly as I would like.

Ive been posting to Tumblr and using Instagram to get pics done and shared but neither are Blogger friendly

Until Now!  I have two new pages up on my blogger site that will take you the reader directly to either site as wanted.  New pics can also be seen to the right in a new widget for Instagram.

I may get back to posting here regularly when fall/winter hits but too many things are going on to sit down and think out a long post.

For now, shorter thoughts or pics will be done on Tumblr or Instagram

April Challenge Finished

Final post for the April workout challenge.  This week I set goal:  Try and get as close to 28 miles as possible with having 2 days less than a full challenge week.

As of today, Ive walked 26.4 miles for exercise!

Im thanking the beautiful weather this strange spring has brought.  The wonderful sun pulls me in to getting out and moving so I try and get out for a minimum of a mile for lunch.  2 miles if I can squeeze it between meetings and have 30-40 min to spare.  Add to the pacing while waiting for trains and the three miles every morning and it all adds up.

Today’s 2 mile walk took me to the waterfront and the toddlers were out in force, playing in the sun and in the fountains and other fellow office dwellers were getting out running, walking and biking.  I love taking in these sights.

Total miles for April was 106.2

The May challenge is minutes exercised.  I will be using my Fitbit active min for that, a bit less tracking noise that way.  And I need new shoes

I have another success for April, I finished a thing!

Washington Park Shawl

And then I started another thing!

Nurmilintu shawl

Its wee in the pic but its growing fast. 

Week 16

Another wonderful workout week completed!  My goal this week was to at least match or go over the workout miles from last week.

I was pretty damn close - 28.16 miles for this week.

Im starting to feel changes, stomach tighter, thighs stronger, cheekbones showing more.  Now the long wait for the bod to start showing it in inches lost and lbs going down.

Im having to get up at 4am (yes FOUR A. M.) for the next couple of days.  We are down a vehicle and Im determined not to let that muck-up my current morning routine.  So Im up earlier so D can drop me off for the train to work and not be too late getting to his.  This should only be a few more days (Im hoping) but it does mean I get my butt to bed earlier.

In other projects; I am “thisclose” to being done with my RCYC shawl!  2.5 repeats and it will be ready for washing and blocking. 

I tried to get it finished today but the usual Sunday happenings took over (shopping, running around, dinner, getting breakfasts ready for the week).  And due to the change notice above, its almost bed time for me.

Hope to have a finish to dance about with next time