In Recovery

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep---and it wasn't raining---yet.

About 5 o'clock the rain started and never quit till in the afternoon.  My 7:30 AM 10 K race was run in the rain.  I have been running for about 4 years and have never had a problem with a stitch in my side but just after the 2 mile marker it happened.  I don't know why but it hung with me until about the 5 mile marker, then finally let up.  I slowed my pace a bit but still finished in a respectable one hour and 7 minutes which got me a second place medal which I felt pretty good about until I checked the results in the afternoon and found out that only two people in my age group were crazy enough to run 6.24 miles in the rain.  I  guess that it was something I  ate or didn't eat or the way I breathed or didn't breathe...well whatever it was I do hope it never happens again---stomach pain all afternoon.  I think I am finally feeling better and am looking forward to a good night's sleep.

I treated myself to a manicure and pedicure and plan to wake up in the morning and finish getting ready for the trip to Vermont.  I am watching the Emmy's tonight but don't think I will make it to the end.

Good night!!!

Saturday night---home alone

This has been a quiet weekend---hubby is out of town so it is just me and Fred, the dog.  I picked up my race packet today and am planning to be in bed early as I ave to be up about 4:45 in the morning to get ready and drive to the Plaza.  It rained alot today and am hoping it is dry in the morning.  6.24 miles---here I come!!!

I bought a great new carry on bag today at Marshall's---a  Liz Clairborne suggested retail $300 for $59.99.  I liked it because it was lightweight and will look different that all the black bags out there.  I am not checking it as I am already checking two big bags with wool supplies---1 1/2 weeks of clothes will have to fit in my carry-on.

Wool is on it's way to Ohio and has already arrived in Vermont...on I am getting so excited!
Are the leaves turning colors in the East?  I sure hope so---I love fall!

Picture time...

Sorry it sideways---hooked by Carol---taken at the Angela Pumphrey workshop in San Antonio in August.  Happy Fall!

Friends

Here is something I received today in my e-mail from a friend---when I receive these mass e-mails I hardly ever read or respond to them but this is one that i think has some truth to it.

Vitamin F Some real truth here Why do I have a variety of friends who are all different in character ? Some of them have obvious flaws, but then, so do I?. How do I get on with them all ? I think that each one helps to bring out a "different" part of me... With one of them I am polite and as refined as I can manage. I joke a lot with another. I talk about serious matters with one. With another I laugh a lot. I share a glass of wine with one , And dance on occasion with another. I listen to one friend's problems and give them advice Then I listen to another advising me. They are all like pieces of a jigsaw, When completed they form a treasure box. A treasure of friends! They are my friends who understand me better than I myself do,  who support me through good days and bad days. They are the anti-depressants that I need to make it through life. Doctors tell us that friends are good for our health. Dr. Oz calls them Vitamins F (for Friends) and recounts the many benefits of friends to our well being. Research shows that people in strong social circles have less risk of depression and terminal strokes. If you take Vitamin F constantly you can be a lotyounger than your physical age. The warmth of friendship reduces stress and can decrease your risk of cardiac arrest or stroke.    We should all value our friends and keep in touch with them. I'm fortunate to have a plentiful stock of Vitamin F! Thank you for being one of my vitamins! So if you are reading this---take the time to contact one of your vitamins.  In my life I have found that friendships just don't happen easily---they take some effort to keep them working. So thank you friends for helping keep me healthy!!! Even though I don't know a lot of people who are reading my blog I hope that if you are reading it that there is something here that will bring you back to read it again. So now on to rug hooking...I spent Tuesday packing and shipping 6 big boxes of wool to Vermont which should arrive there tomorrow.  Today I plan to dye some more wool and ship 3 boxes to Ohio---what is left from Vermont will makes its way to Ohio in a rental car...oh what fun! I am hoping the leaves are turning and am looking forward to some lovely fall color! Sunday is my 10K Plaza run---so at 7:30 Sunday morning think of me as I pound the streets running 6.24 miles.  I never did get a 6 mile training run in but did to a couple of 5 mile runs so I am hoping for the best.  I wish it was this morning as the temperature is in the low 40's---Sunday it is supposed to be low 60's. Here is a picture of my daughter Chelsea and her hubby at the San Jose Opera grand opening.  She assisted the costume designer for the production of  Mozart's Idomeneo.  I think they look GRAND! Here are pictures of some  fall to inspire you. These rugs were hooked by Cheryl---the top one and the Mighty Oak runner---thanks Cheryl for helping me at the Warsaw Hook-in!!!

Hook-in Warsaw Mo

Here I am in my booth on Friday night after we got set up.  We had a wonderful time and Patty and her crew did an amazing job.  There was a wonderful rug show as well as many good vendors.   The crowd  was enthusiastic and had a great time.  Here are a few more pictures I took on Saturday.

I love this new paisley top I found at Marshall's---I fit right in with my booth.

Paisley, anyone?

First Place rug show winner above

Second Place rug show winner

Third Place rug show winner

congratulations---great job ladies!

These ladies were part of the wonderful entertainment---they sang Baa Baa Baa baabaabarann---sorry I don't know how to spell it!  But it was fun!  

there were about 10 of them all together.  So cute!

Thanks Patty for a successful Hook-in!  A lot of hard work was put in to making it a success.

Drawing a blank

This morning I am drawing a blank as to what to title my post---hence "Drawing a blank" will have to do.

Yesterday I received this photo of Harriet's rug from a workshop last May.

Thanks Harriet---I love it!

My legs are still sore from Sunday's run---hopefully today will be the last day so that I can get a good run in tomorrow before heading to the hook-in on Friday.  I have lots of packing to do today.  I dyed a lots wool yesterday and today I will let someone else do the dyeing on my hair.  I learned my lesson a few years ago that I can dye wool much better than I can dye my own hair.

Well it is time to go get busy!  

It is another beautiful early fall day.

Another beautiful morning---perfect weather!

My Labor Day run yesterday was a good one, but my legs know today that I pushed harder than my normal  runs.  Sore legs today!  I spent much of my run yesterday trying to get away from people around me who were making guttural  noises that were driving me crazy and the more I tried to pull ahead the louder the noises got.  I had taken my iPod to listen to my music and it was dead---so it was up to me to make my own music...I came in second in a time of 29:53---not my fastest but considering the heat of the summer I felt good about it.  The lady in my age group who came in first is a real runner---probably been running her whole life---came in under 24 minutes.  Impressive!

  

Her I am before the race just leaving the house---a little fresher than in the finish picture.

I love it when students send me progress pictures of their rugs...here is an update of Sherry's rug from Texas.

It is a Bea Brock pattern called First Time Spring.

Well this will be a busy week getting ready for a Hook-in in Warsaw Mo---a first time event that hopefully will turn into an annual event.  It is on Saturday the 10th so if you are in the area be sure to come.  Here is the link to the information.  Check it out!

http://saltboxprimitivewoolens.com/Events.html

I will also be getting ready to pack up wool for two camps in Vermont and Ohio.  I will be flying to Vermont for the Fall Foliage workshop in Montpelier then driving to Ohio to teach a workshop at Bass Lake, the flying home from Cleveland.  Lots of logistics to figure out on this one but I am so excited about both workshops.

I am also continue my training to run a 10K on Sept. 18th---this will be my second 10K but it is around the Kansas City Plaza and is supposed to be flat---flat is good---and the scenery should be great.

Yeah!!!   Fall is here!

Down right chilly this morning

Well I got up early this morning because I am going to run in a Labor Day race this morning.  Having a cup of coffee and just stuck my head out the door---pretty chilly.  I may need to take a jacket to wear until it is time to run,  It will feel great when I am running.  We are having friends over tonight for brats---should be perfect weather to sit on the patio.

I have a few more photos to post from the other day when I set up my hooks and reorganized some things in my rug hooking studio.

I used to keep a lot of my hooks in this case so now I put my shuttle and punch hooks in it---I don't ever use these but it is still fun to collect a few of them as well.  I have picked up a few old latch hooks but I don't display them.

Lots of collections of stuff

Well, I have to go get ready---I'll check back later.  I hope every has a wonderful day with family and friends.

Check out my hook collection!!!

Last week I bought a Spool cabinet on Ebay.  I have wanted one for a long time with glass front drawers to display my antique hook collection.  The bottom drawer needs a new piece of glass and I used some antique restorer on  it after cleaning it up.  Most of the time they cost way more than I wanted to pay---I got this one for $77 plus $55 shipping.  What a deal!  Here it sits in its new home filled with my hook collection.  I also received my rug hooking magazine yesterday with an article on old hooks---how timely.

Enjoy these pictures.

This is the bottom drawer and has newer hooks---the rest are old ones.

Wool from Friday's dyeing---a fun, but sweaty day.  so glad the weather turned cooler!

Tomorrow I am running in a Labor Day 5 K---supposed to get down to 50 degrees tonight!  Heaven!

My daughter and her husband got two new kittens yesterday.  They are so cute...I'll post a picture later...gotta run now as i am on y way to go see "The Help".

Have a great day!