Holidays and running

I've been on annual leave this week and so managed to get some things done, including a few sewing projects...to be blogged soon.

But most excitingly today we did our first running session. We went and got trainers yesterday, the one hurdle we had to get over before we could start on our mission. Well its my mission really and Ben is kindly keeping me company. You see I want to run a marathon. Its one of those things that i think would be a real achievement - more of the mind than the body but I'm sure I'll be telling a different story once I'm complaining of all my aches and pains.

I'll let you know how we get on....

Knitty

I've been meaning to upload my knitting projects for a while now but have only just got around to it. So I present the Phillie collection!

This one the beret from Kim Hargreaves collection. It took me a few attempts to figure out the instructions and even now i think its smaller than it's meant to be but I like it

The weird ballet wrap type thing below is another Kim Hargreaves design and yet again I had a few attempts and I'm still not sure about it. Its that chunky wool that makes it a bit,.. well..... chunky. As Ben said, its the wrong season for it, so its gonna stay in my wardrobe until winter and then we will have to wait and see....it may be re-incarnated. Watch this space
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The anarchic gloves, or peace gloves depending on which way you hold your hand - are owned by a lucky Bento. He says the fingers aren't quite long enough so I need to work on another pair..and this time make sure I have enough wool to finish them this time

I can't resist it....floras again

OK this one is growing on our balcony, it only just opened. The colour is amazing! I like it and the good news is there are plenty more which have yet to bloom

Today was a good day - tennis (I lost but nothing new there); allotmenting (yum rocket's ready) and in the afternoon a beautiful walk under blue skies with brief stops for reading under a tree.

The picture shows our donut! Its the big tv mast that tells us that we are near to home.

I'm so lucky to live where i do.

2007 List

At the beginning of the year Ben and i set out what we would like to achieve in 2007 - a slightly more positive and lax version of new year resolutions seeing as we have all year to achieve them.

So as we are 6 months into the year I thought I would re-assess to see whether i'm on track.

• Do yoga twice a week - hmm just started this week, but plan to carry on.

• Go street dancing - we've just got a dance mat - does that count, probably not but i can't seem to find any street dancing classes in oxford

• Knit a jumper - yay! Done that one, twice!

• Make two wearable items of clothing from scratch - so this doesn't include the jumpers and I was thinking more of a sewing type thing. Not done this yet but i've ordered some material

• Stick to a budget and decrease debt - I'm trying! and I'm getting much better and being much stricter and watching what i spend and trying to account for every penny. I have high hopes for myself with keeping this one going.

• Become a master - tick! Graduation on July 12th

• Get a tattoo - being birthday number 30 i wanted to treat myself, but of course in accordance with the goal above i have to save up some money for it

• Basic car maintenance - hmm kinda. I'm getting a bit more knowledgable but not quite there yet - if i needed to change a tyre could I? No. But i know where the oil goes now.

At least I've completed some of my tasks, and have plenty more to focus on for the rest of the year. The only one i want to add is to start running. I have it in my head that i want to complete a marathon in 2009 - so that gives me two years to get my fitness level up to the job. I've said it out loud now so I have to do something about it.

floras 2

The peonies

Floras

OK here it is first post and the topic.......flowers.....now tulips are my favourite flower by far, the shape, the boldness, the history and the power but i must confess Ben got me some awsome peonies I'm just waiting for them to burst open, the colours are great..all good inspiration for the next tattoo design