Knit Free Or Die

Week 2, Day 1

2008-06-19T08:43:00.002-04:00

Day 7 continued:

Breakfast/lunch: 6 points
I somehow ate another 6 points here I can't remember...
Grilled chicken (5 points)
Corn with orange-basil butter (2 points)
Salad with f/f balsamic (0 points)
4 oz. wine (2 points)
Tapioca pudding with strawberry rhubarb sauce.

Week 2, Day 1
Starting weight: 145.2

Food log:
Fat free yogurt (2 points)
Turkey chili (3 points)
Salad w/ f/f raspberry dressing (0 points)
Slice whole wheat baguette (2 points)
Nectarine (1 point)
Grilled cheese (whole wheat bread w/2 slices American) (7 points)
3 oz. baked fries (2 points)
1 c. butternut squash soup (1 point)
1 shot gin w/diet tonic water & lime juice (2 points)
TOTAL: 20 points

Exercise log:
1.5 mile walk w/Chris & Franco

Water:
8 cups

Notes:
Scale at 144.4 this am! More on that later. Al in all the week went well. Okay with food, good with tracking though not always staying within points. I need to get motivated to exercise!

Weekly goals (by July 2):
Lose 2 pounds
Track all points + flex
Go for a run

Day 7

2008-06-17T13:02:00.002-04:00

Starting weight: 145.2

Food log:
8 graham crackers (2 points)
2 slices whole wheat bread w/ 2 oz. ham & mustard (4 points)
3 oz. baby carrots (0 points)

Water:
20 oz.

Exercise log:
Need you ask?

Notes:
Feeling a bit hungry, as I jumped right into work and skipped breakfast again. I definitely have to make time to eat breakfast at home, since this has been happening quite a bit lately. I still have a yogurt and some fruit to snack on (and 14 points!), so I should be okay.

Weekly Goals recap:
Stick to healthy eating with treats in moderation
* I was okay with this, but had a couple of days when the snacking got out of hand.
Lose 3 lbs.
* 2.8 so far, still have until tomorrow morning :-)
Run 2 times
* This is something I DEFINITELY have to work on... getting active again
Do something active this weekend: gardening, hiking, and/or a bike ride
* We got called away to Boston unexpectedly, but definitely did a lot of walking. Not fun in new sandals!

Day 6

2008-06-16T15:58:00.001-04:00

Starting weight: 146.4

Food log:
Fat free yogurt (2 points)
8 graham crackers (2 points)
2 slices cheese pizza (10 points)
Diet Dr. Pepper (o points)
13 carrot sticks (0 points)

Exercise log:
I am such a lazy butt, honestly.

Water:
5 cups so far

Notes:
Supposed to run 2 times before Wednesday. Hmm...

Days 4 & 5

2008-06-16T09:44:00.002-04:00

Day Three, Part II

Food log:
Breakfast & lunch: 10 points
56 pringles crisps (6 points)
24 peanuts (4 points)
1 cookie (1 point)
1 oz. cheese (3 points)
4 graham crackers (1 point)
some peanut butter (about 5 points)
Pork w/balsamic cherry sauce (6 points)
1/2 c. couscous (2 points)
TOTAL points: 38
Flex: 18

Days 4 & 5 (aka...the weekend)
SATURDAY:
Fat-free yogurt
Burrito w/rice, black beans, corn, grilled chicken, salsa
Watermelon mojito
2 hush puppies
Pulled pork sandwich w/potato salad and beans
Kiddie size scoop of "cow tracks" ice cream
about 40 oz. of good beer

SUNDAY:
4 sm. pancakes w/maple syrup
39 peanuts
About 3 oz. baguette
11 points worth of lasagna
1/2 bottle cheap wine

Notes:
Went to Portsmouth & Boston on Saturday to visit friends + Chris' brother. I definitely indulged, but we also walked a lot, played frisbee, etc... And I was at 146.4 this (Monday) morning... but more on that later.

Day 3

2008-06-13T14:07:00.002-04:00

Starting weight: forgot to check*

Food log:
Fat free peach yogurt (3 points)
8 graham crackers (2 points)
2 oz. turkey on 2 slices whole wheat w/ mustard (4 points)
23 grapes (1 point)

Exercise log:
Walked Franco this am, and gave a tour of the school & WRJ... does that count??? I should get a pedometer.

Water:
20 oz. so far

Notes:
* It may seem I neglected to weigh in due to my over-indulgence with the Chinese food yesterday. But no, it's just that I usually weigh in every morning before stepping in the shower, and I didn't shower this morning. Not avoiding the scale, just dirty and forgetful!

Also, the 2:19 snackies are coming on... I'll try to keep it reasonable.

Day Two, Part II

2008-06-13T10:12:00.002-04:00

Food log:
Morning time: 6 points
Chinese food for lunch(!)
- 2 c. veggie lo mein (14 points)
- 1 c. chicken and broccoli (4 points)
1/2 oz. turkey pepperoni (1 point)
1 c. butternut squash soup (1 point)
Whole wheat english muffin (2 points)
1 slice american cheese (2 points)
12 oz. coffee stout (3 points)
TOTAL POINTS: 33 (ouch!)
FLEX: 13

Exercise Log:
Not so much.

Water:
7 cups

Notes:
The chinese food for lunch, not my best plan ever. Oh well, that's what flex points are for! Gotta get moving on the exercise front!

Day Two

2008-06-12T12:16:00.002-04:00

DAY ONE, PART II:

Food log:
Breakfast/lunch: 8 ponts
2 slices home-made pepperone mushroom pizza (8 points)
Lettuce, tomoatoes, f/f balsamic dressing (0 points)
3 cookies (3 points)
1/2 ciup 2% milk (1 point)
FOOD TOTAL: 20 points

Exercise log:
1 hr. walk on rail trail w/ Chris & Franco

Water:
8 cups

Notes:
Pizza from WW Take Out Tonight book... I made some modifications and shaved 7 points off the recipe!

DAY TWO:

Food log:
FF raspberry yogurt (3 points)
23 grapes (1 point)
8 graham crackers (2 points)

Exercise Log:
Nyet.

Water:
20 oz.

Notes:
Lunchtime approaches... wish me luck!

Back to Fighting Weight Attempt, Day One

2008-06-11T15:30:00.002-04:00

Starting weight: 148
Goal: 130

Food log:
8 graham crackers (2 points)
Panera:
- garden veggie soup (1 point)
- half strawberry poppy seed salad (1 point)
- side whole grain baguette (2 points)
Apple (1 point)
23 grapes (1 point)

Exercise log:
None yet, just walking around town and the office

Water:
3.5 cups so far

Notes:
Had no time to eat my yogurt for breakfast, but I snacked on some graham crackers at around 11. I had some chores to run in West Leb for work, so while I was out I grabbed lunch at Panera (and bought some Born sandals on sale at TJ Max....yay!). The Panera salad was yummy--greens with strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mandarin orange and a poppy seed dressing. The soup was a little bland, but was good with the baguette dipped in. And you can't really beat a filling 4 point lunch.

Weekly goals (by Wednesday, 6/18):
Stick to healthy eating with treats in moderation
Lose 3 lbs.
Run 2 times
Do something active this weekend: gardening, hiking, and/or a bike ride

Book Clubbing again

2006-02-02T10:55:00.000-05:00

Things have been hoppin' in book club world! The uvBookClub is on a new cycle of one month fiction/one month non-fiction. Our first non-fiction book was Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. To be honest, I didn't finish the book, but it did lead to some interesting discussion about Mormonism, and religious extremism in general. I thought the writing was eh, and the journalistic ethics severely lacking - I also felt a bit icky reading the book since it justified any snarky thoughts I'd ever had about Mormonism and raised me an extra snark. Our next book is Only Begotten Daughter by James Morrow. I had some trouble tracking the book down, but the book store has a copy in for me, and it seems like an interesting read.

I slacked a bit with my other book club and did not read our January selection, Zadie Smith's On Beauty - between getting engaged, holiday traveling and being broke as a joke, I never got around to procuring or reading it. But my local library finally got a copy in for me (ironically, exactly one day after my book club discussed it!) and I'm really digging it now. Next week we'll meet to discuss Ursula, Under by Ingrid Hill - a really wonderful book, highly recommended! I'm excited to see what everyone else thought of it.

Oh, yum

2006-01-26T09:53:00.000-05:00

I just knit my gauge swatch for Tempting in the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, and it is so soft and luxurious! I''m also loving the color, Wine (those of you who know me will probably not be surprised that I am enamored of a color with that name). I can't wait to see how it all turns out...

Mellow secret pal

2006-01-23T09:56:00.000-05:00

Although my superb Holiday Secret Pal is still unrevealed (sniff), I am now a proud, card-carrying member of the "mellow" SP round on the knitty boards. I am very excited to have an SP who, like me, is new to the concept but embraces it with gusto! I've recived an two ecards, and two lovely snailmail cards from my SP, along with a package that fit me to a tee and made me feel totally spoiled! Adorable socks that feel like a hug on my feet, which I wore all weekend long (gross, I know); delicious mocha java coffee from a local shop in Grand Forks, North Dakota (mwahaha, a clue) that went very well with brunch yesterday - plus a mug to drink it in; Night, by Elie Wiesel, the most recent selection in Oprah's Book Club; and a book I tore into right away, and that contains SO MANY good ideas, 1,000 Best Wedding Bargains. All so thoughtful, useful and perfect for me...thanks SP!

Requisite cute cat photo

2006-01-23T09:48:00.000-05:00

It seems that every knitting blog requires some cute photos of cats posing with knitted objects. Alas, though I once had a cat, and even cat-sat for Ms. Figandplum's superb felines for a few months a couple of summers ago, I am currently sans cat. So, to fill the void, Laura has graciously provide these shots of Earl Grey - hard at play and then resting - with the Feline Dim Sum I knit her (Earl is a her) for Chanukah (if indeed Earl is Jewish). I couldn't ask for cuter requisite cat photos!

p.s. Valerie is aware that said Dim Sum bears only passing, if any, resemblance to the wonton it is intended to be. But, it's filled with catnip, so Earl Grey likes it anyway.

Go Steelers

2006-01-19T10:51:00.000-05:00

Holiday knitting pics

2006-01-19T10:26:00.000-05:00

First off, I knit some Puppers for my friend (and secret santee) Laura. These were so fun to make, and I did learn quite a bit about sewing, embroidering faces on toys and creating bits and pieces like ears, trunks, puffy tails and the like. They DEFINITELY look home-made, but that's half the fun! Not pictured is a little catnip "wonton" I knit for her kitty, Earl...perhaps Laura can be convinved to supply a pic of Earl at play with said wonton. If it isn't already torn to shreds.

Next we have my first originally designed pattern ever...beer coozy sweater's for Chris' bros in the colors of their favorite football teams (Dolphins, Vikings, Colts). Nothing earth shattering here...just knitting in the round on DPNs...but I did learn about gauge and measuring out a pattern, and I'm pretty proud of the evenness of the stripes. Plus, the bros each got a cheap Pittsburg Steelers-commemorative can of Rolling Rock, courtesy of their dad, inside the coozy. Cheers!

And the holiday knitting project that will never go away...a Gryffindor Scarf in the works for my sis. I was hoping to have it done for her 30th b-day on February 5, but as I have only 3,870 of the 50,310 knit stitches it takes to complete this scarf (YAWN!), it may be longer. Plus, I have to learn how to crochet the fringe at the end. I'm also having a bit of trouble where I'm joining the scarf during color changes...some unevenness and small-middling holes going on. I shall discuss with my kniting gurus (yes, I have gurus) when I see them next Tuesday.

Sadly, no pics of the cute Noro hat I knit for mom exist yet...but I'll try to get some when I'm down in NY for sis' bday in a coupla weeks.

First sweater

2006-01-11T17:18:00.000-05:00

In some exciting news, I have decided to knit my first sweater, Tempting! I received a very generous gift certificate to yarnmarket.com from my fiance's folks, and bought some lovely Debbie Bliss Cahmerino Aran in Wine (color 617). I've read some good stuff about the yarn on other people's blogs, and I'm pretty excited to get it on the needles and start this super-cute (and seemingly simple) sweater pattern. Hurrah for progress!

p.s. I forgot to mention in my "holiday redux" post that my secret santee at work also got some Feline Dim Sum for her super cute kitty, Earl. Vote for Earl!

p.p.s. I should be getting some pictures up and running soon. Hurrah!

Secret pal still secret

2006-01-04T17:57:00.000-05:00

My holiday secret pal from knitty.com has still not revealed her super-secret identity, but I've been reassured that it's only because there is something on the needles for me. She's been awesome, so I'll just bounce in my chair a bit and await the final gifty and big reveal!

Holiday redux

2006-01-04T17:45:00.000-05:00

So...I am still having some problems with internet access at home, and thus the lovely photos I've taken of various holiday knitting will have to wait. But I did knit some Finger Puppers for my secret santee at work, a lovely Noro one-skein hat for my mama, and my first original pattern: three beer coozy sweaters in various football team colors (Vikings, Colts, Dolphins) for my boyfriend's brothers. More on all of these when photos get up.

Speaking of the boyfriend...we are now engaged. Hurrah!

And speaking of holiday knitting...I'm still working on one last gift. A PoA Gryffindor Scarf for my darling sis. Will it be done in time for her 30th birthday on February 5. By all the knitting gods above, I hope so!

Secrets

2005-12-13T16:40:00.000-05:00

The blog has been a bit quiet lately, as everything I'm currently knitting is a big, fat holiday secret! Also, having internet drama on my home computer, making uploading photos and blogging from home mostly impossible. So...as soon as the holidays have passed, there will be photos of gifties revealed. Also coming soon...a photo of the unweildy mess that is the burgeoning stash. And, when I get my final Holiday SP package and reveal you best believe it will be shown off here. But for now...sadly little to note.

Luxurious swag

2005-11-27T21:11:00.000-05:00

Super-duper secret pal swag (I should be learning her (his?) secret identity soon - so excited). Some Baby Cashmere and Peruvian Highland Chunky yarn from elann.com, lovely stitch markers (pictured on needle) and some excellent newbie tools - a needle sizer and some yarn needles. I'm so spoiled. I can't wait to plan what I'll do with these and my previous gifties!

Hoppin' the hound

2005-11-27T21:02:00.000-05:00

There's nothing better for FOs than a 7 hour Greyhound bus trip! On the trek home for Thanksgiving I finished my Wavy scarf (she made her NYC debut, ooh la la!), and at my folks' house I was able to knit a left mitten (except, as you can see, for the thumb). The mitten is pretty long - I may frog and re-size. Or I may find a larger-handed friend and give them away. But I suppose a thumb and second mitten would be necessary for that plan :-)

Happy Turkey Day!

2005-11-23T14:43:00.000-05:00

I'll be off to NY for the holidays... I hope everyone has a good one! Hopefully there will be some progress shots from all the knitting I get done in my travels!

I knew it!

2005-11-17T14:46:00.000-05:00

You're The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis
You were just looking for some decent clothes when everything changed quite dramatically. For the better or for the worse, it is still hard to tell. Now it seems like winter will never end and you feel cursed. Soon there will be an epic struggle between two forces in your life and you are very concerned about a betrayal that could turn the balance. If this makes it sound like you're re-enacting Christian theological events, that may or may not be coincidence. When in doubt, put your trust in zoo animals.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Book Clubbing

2005-11-17T09:36:00.000-05:00

In an attempt to meet new people, be introduced to new books and unlock the secrets of what I'm thinking about a book through discussion, I've joined not one, but two book clubs.

So far we've read The Icarus Girl and The Kite Runner in one book club (with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as our "pre-holiday, not as traumatizing as the others" next choice). The discussions have been pretty good, intense and unfocused at times but hitting on most of the points that people have wanted to bring up and, I think (hope), everyone leaves with some new food for thought.

In the second book club, until now, there have only been a couple of us reading the book (myself included, I'm proud to say). We've read Ghost World and Fight Club, and watched the films of both. It's been a nice social experience, having dinner together and watching a movie, but with little or no discussion of the actual book. Last night's meeting was really nice - a small group who all read The Time Traveler's Wife and came to book club with things to say, a great dinner (no movie) and discussion. Hurrah!

Secret Pal Swag

2005-11-17T09:20:00.000-05:00

Better late than never...a peek at the excellent swag I got from my SP. Cute and knitty card, a copy of Knitting Without Tears, KnitPicks color-your-own yarn + Kool-Aid (LOTS of Kool-Aid!) and some soft, pretty hand-spun and hand-dyed wool. Am I a lucky gal or what?! I can't wait to tackle the whole dying with Kool-Aid project.

The return address on the package was in Portland, OR. That and the hand-spinning and -dying are my only good leads. Oh, and that my SP is more experienced of a knitter and quite empathetic to my newbie status (hence the Zimmerman book). Who are you Secret Pal???

p.s. The wine bottle hiding in the corner was not part of the SP package :-) The photo was just taken sitting atop our bar.

Round and round we go...

2005-11-16T10:13:00.000-05:00

To the right, we have my first attempt at knitting in the round, pictured with the book that both helped clarify the process and aptly describes how I felt the first three times I tried to do it and had to pull the whole thing out. You know what they say, fourth times a charm. This lovely 6-row tube will eventually be the aforementioned kpixie mittens. Thanks again, Secret Pal, for the generous gift and the chance to learn a new skill!

In other knitting news, we have the boyfiend scarf - a shot of the whole thing, and a closeup of the mock-cable work.

Hopefully we'll get some shots of the scarf in action, along with it's pals Coif and Wavy, all blocked and happily worn in Montreal this weekend!

On the first month of knitting...

2005-11-11T10:44:00.000-05:00

Well, I've taken the plunge and started knitting. I comfort myself that it is not at all hip to take a six-week course at Dartmouth College to learn to knit...in fact, it's downright useful and productive. It's cold up here in New Hampshire!

I've started off with the basics: cast on, knit, purl, add a second color, increase, decrease, bind off. So far I have successfully found a great LYS (Country Woolens in Lebanon, NH), and finished one object (cute little Coif hat from knitty, above). WIPs include the Wavy scarf for myself (also above), and a mock-cable scarf for the boyfriend from Vogue knitting.

I have some big holiday knitting plans, which may or may not come to fruition...I won't mention them here, in case any recipients stumble upon them, but will post FOs (assuming they actually get finished) post-holiday.

I've also jumped right into the knitty spirit and joined a mini Holiday Secret Pal round. My SP is great, and has sent me a gift certificate to kpixie, where I found some fun yarn (above) to use for a cute mitten pattern. (I'd post the free pattern, but not sure what the copyright issues may be, since you have to create an account with kpixie to view it - but I'll definitely post a photo when they're done!) She's also sent me Knitting Without Tears, some dye-your-own yarn from knitpicks (complete with the necessary packs of kool-aid) and a beautiful bit of her own hand-spun and -dyed yarn (ooh...I'll get a pic to post next time). I have to figure out a special way to put it to good use.

So that's all the kniiting news for now. I'll hopefully have a finished boyfriend scarf to post by the end of the weekend (I'm on a deadline - it's for his birthday on 11/20).