SAL Update

Well I’ve had this project for probably at least twenty years, but this year a friend told me that there was no way I could have it done by the end of the year. Of course, me being me, I immediately decided I had to have the stitching done this year. I have no idea of having all the back stitching done too!

I counted approximately how many stitches I had left to do and determined I needed to do 100 stitches a day. Most days I get more than that done, and thankfully there have been very few days where I haven’t gotten that done.

The design is Paula Vaughn’s Quilts For All Seasons: January.

While this doesn’t suit my house, my mom came up with the awesome idea of making it into a project bag. I think it will work really well for that!

Here’s where I was last time:

And here is where I am this time:

I feel like I have made good progress. I really wish I had an app that gave me the percentage done as I know I would be motivated by that, but I’ll just have to keep on with my 100 stitches a day:)

Make sure to check out everyone else in the SAL’s process:)

Avis, Claire, Gun, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen

Tuesday Trot

I need to rethink my blog. It has always been so that my mom knew what had happened in my day, but now that I talk to my mom on the phone each night, I find myself not writing and then I feel bad. Hmmmm🤔

Teaching:

Today was quite the day. My behavior kid was unmedicated and my assistant was away:(😢. We got through calendar, our phonemic awareness warm up, and printing in the morning quite well.

I hear recess and lunch was nothing but troubles outside.

We tried counting by 5s for the first time as my class is amazing at 10s- both forwards and backwards. It was a learning process, but they were already starting to improve.

We also had our hip hop dance lesson which was very interesting😜

This afternoon we had planners, reading group, chalkboard spelling and then the kids went to music. I got some more posters organized. This feels like the never ending project.

After school I had a phone call with my doctor that was pretty useless. I get to try a different form of iron and go for another blood test in February. Oh yeah🙄

I picked my mom up and we went to Michaels where I finally found yarn for my friend’s afghan and some more floss for my project. As I sit here I realize this is the first day where I have missed stitching.

I then had run clinic. We did five long intervals of three minutes. I did four of them hard – challenged myself to keep up with Karen and then went and hung with Sarah for the last one because she wasn’t feeling great. My stomach wasn’t feeling great either since I left school. I hope that goes away quickly!

I am now home, ensconced on my couch very happily:)

Have fun!

AJ

Lest We Forget

Remembrance Day has always been a big deal in my family- seems to be bigger than Thanksgiving even, but this year, while lovely, was weird!

Our local service was cancelled. I understand it as you don’t want all those seniors in a big crowd, but it was still sad. I have been at every service my whole life, so it just made the day feel weird.

It was a nice day though, don’t get me wrong.

I started with a run with Sarah and Dennis. We did a different route where we walked up the big hill by my house and then ran down through the trail and my old neighborhood to the lower road and then home along there and the inlet trail. It was awesome to have the first 2.5 kilometers downhill! I would love to do it again and see how fast I could come down that hill. It definitely helped that we had perfect cool, dry running weather this morning!

I then got home and tidied up my place and myself.

I then joined my two friends Melissa and Em for brunch. We had to wait in a lineup for 45 minutes! It was wonderful food though. I had the Hipster Hash in the big pancake.

I enjoyed the socializing, but brunch was super exciting because Alexa- one of the designers of Tin Can Knits was diagonal to us. I had noticed the two ladies knitting in line outside while we were eating and was dying to talk to them about knitting, but then I realized who it was and that was just even more exciting! I didn’t disrupt her brunch, but did send her a message on Instagram.

After my lovely meal, I had Brenda over for knit night, the afternoon version. It was lovely! I did a stripe on my Christmas socks and then worked on my baby sweater which is a Flax Light by Tin Can Knits.

Since Brenda went home, I have been knitting on my test knit. I can’t wait to be done so I can wear it!

Well, I’m off to knit more on this lovely bonus day, though I do also plan to do some upper body strength training this evening still.

Have fun!

AJ

SAL Update

I started a cross stitch many moons ago and this stitch a long has really been helping me get it done. This week I learned a second thing that would help me get it done- having a set up area. I was complaining to my mom that I never seem to stitch because I have to spread out my threads, hoop up, make space, etc. she reminded me that I live alone so why don’t I just leave an area set up. I’ve learned that the older I get, the smarter my mom is, so I took her advice, and… it worked! I have found myself sitting down more often to stitch because it’s there and ready!

Here is where I was on my Paula Vaughn- Quilts through the Seasons last time:

I am doing January and here is where I am now:

There is a rather large mistake in it. I am wondering if you can tell where it is. I don’t think I’m going to fix it, but am wondering how noticeable it is.

Make sure you check out everyone else’s progress as there are some amazing stitchers on here!

Avis, Claire, Gun, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen

Moving On To Urbandale

I can’t believe I missed last month’s update! Though on the bright side, it makes for a lot more progress this month.

Two months ago I had just set out from Kathy in Rapid City to visit Mildly Granola in Urbandale, Iowa. I had gotten to Okaton and this month I have made it to Welker Lake outside of Alexandria, South Dakota.

Alexandria has a population of 644 people which makes for another small town stop on my trip. It has been around since 1885 though before it existed as Clarksville. It was named after Alexander Mitchell who was a banker.

It was kind of nice to see such a big jump in my location. I’ll just keep running from here:)

Tuesday Trot

It was a busy day, but thankfully better than yesterday!

We got through the printing of c and a poppy poem. We also did some chalkboard spelling and a fire and earthquake drill. I then had to sit through a meeting that was useless:(

I finally got home and set up a stitching area for myself. I have determined that I don’t stitch because it takes forever to get everything out and ready. I am hoping that this will get me to stitch more. It definitely worked tonight as I did some stitching and then wanted to do more.

I also did some knitting. At lunch I worked on my first pair of Christmas socks. I am supposed to do one stripe a day but I’m loving it so much that I think I’m just going to knit it straight through.

I also worked on shawlography this evening. I can’t wait to be done this shawl. It’s tough to keep going when I don’t think I’ll wear.

I showed up for run club and it is pouring and it’s hills. Ugh what a night. It was dark and pouring rain and windy. We did a 1km warm up, twenty minutes of hill repeats, and then a 1.5km cool down. I then quickly rushed home for a hot shower. As miserable as it was, I really do love run clinic!

Now I get to sit down and do some more crafting with a cup of tea:)

Have fun!

AJ

Time Gets Away

I can’t believe I didn’t get a post done this last week. It was just super busy and crazy with Halloween! Today was worse though- my behavior boy didn’t have a great day and actually ended up sitting out gym because he tried to trip a boy!

We did get a lot done today though- we created a monster in journals and wrote about them. It’s amazing how exciting eyeball stickers can be!

We wrote about our Halloween for the hallway. This afternoon we did phonemic awareness and chalkboard spelling, then the ill fated gym.

Our principal was away so staff meeting was cancelled and I have to say I was super happy about that!

I walked home and got right into my knitting I am working on clue four of shawlography. It sure is another clue with lots of knitting. I’ll be lucky to be done by Friday!

I wound the yarn for my first pair of Christmas socks today so I would like to get the toe done on those tonight too!

I have also roasted up the pumpkin seeds for my students to try tomorrow.

I managed to wear my fancy shawl today.

I felt very put together in my matching skirt, boots and sweater, but unfortunately I was on supervision so my feet ached by the time I got home. I can’t believe I used to wear heels everyday!

I also made myself do a fifteen minute NourishMoveLove barre workout tonight. I was really conflicted because I wanted to work out but I don’t want to be sore for my run workout tomorrow. I guess fifteen minutes is better than no minutes:)

Well that’s my life and I’m going back to knitting:)

Have fun!

AJ