Pause Ended

I got the clarification for the sleeve count on Cloud City, so I can officially un-pause it. However, Michael flies home tonight and knitting lace with him around is almost as impossible as knitting lace with the kids around, and today (after school) marks the beginning of the kids' March break, so I've officially re-paused it. They have a week off school, so I won't be touching it at all for at least that long. Once they're back in school I will work on it while Michael is off gallivanting or whatever. I just don't expect a lot of progress over the next two weeks.

In about an hour and a half I have to head to the airport to pick him up. Well, I don't really have to leave that early, but I keep trying to get the truck to the car wash but every time I drive by there's a HUGE line up. I'm thinking there won't be much of a line up at 11:30 at night. HA. Winning.

His 3rd flight of the day ... and the longest three hours ever

I finished the baby hat and cast on for a baby cardigan. I figure I might as well have something on the go I can concentrate on while I've got busy people around me.

I hate waiting. 

Like the Wind

There hasn't been much knitting at chez Running Tangled, but there has been a little bit. It's just a wee little baby hat, but it's something. I have been busy, though I can't pinpoint what I've been busy doing.

I ripped back the start of Cloud City. I hadn't gotten far, but I realised I messed up, so it got frogged. I'll cast on again shortly. It's going to be so pretty once it's done, but for now it kind of looks like this.

My run streak is going wonderfully. So far my run tally is 88.3km. I haven't missed a day and there are only 10 days (including today) left to do. The finish line is in sight!

Speaking of finish lines ...

Do you remember how I had booked a race for Family Day? Well it went better than I could have ever dreamt! I had hoped to run my 10km in under an hour, but was thinking 59:59 would be sufficient. My dreams came true and then some! My official finishing time was 54:51 and ... yes AND ... I came in first place in my age group (35-39) and got a gold medal! It's not real gold, but the feeling of elation is the same as if it were. :)

Grimsby Family Day 10km

Michael's half marathon was cancelled because of extreme temperatures. Did I mention it was -26C with a wind chill of something much colder. The officials weren't worried so much about the runners who would be constantly moving and keeping warm, but the concern was for the volunteers who would be sitting (or standing) at the different stations along the route for 3+ hours. The half marathoners, hubby included, ran their own 10km race along the same route (at the same time as mine, but the results were calculated separately). He finished in a stunning time of 49:55. Like the wind. Both of us.

Grimsby Half-Marathon 10km -- 49:55

My truck is at the garage getting fixed. The fuel sending unit took a crap and started spewing gas all over the place when under pressure (so every time the truck was running). The part is somewhere in the area of $500-$700 plus labour. Yuck. I can't complain too much though. She's almost 11 years old and hasn't caused us too much trouble since we've had her. Also a $1000-$1500 garage bill is much easier to swallow than the cost of replacing her. Hopefully she will be home later today. I miss her.

Last Day

Today is the last day of the kids' winter holidays from school. Back to the grind tomorrow. Two out of three kids are thrilled by this. The other one? Already plotting a way to stay home. "What if I'm sick?" "What if I don't sleep well tonight?" "My throat feels funny *fake cough*" ... that sort of thing ... it's total BS. Lucky for me I have a sense of humour and a sense of adventure. I can hardly wait to see what the creative imagination will bring as the day goes on.

So while they're relaxing, tv watching and playing video games, I'm playing catch-up on laundry; aka making sure the kids don't go to school naked.

After a short hiatus of not running, I'm back at it again, and as crazy as this sounds I am only signed up for one race so far this year. I'll be running the 3 person relay of the Around the Bay Road Race. My team mates are my sister, Vickey, and my BRF, Jenny. Jenny is running the first leg, Vickey is running the second leg, I'll be running the third and final leg. Each leg is 10km.

I officially started my training yesterday. My goal is to run my 10km stretch in approximately 58 minutes, which is a pace of 5:48/km. I'd love to run as fast as Michael, and man oh man he is fast so this will be a huge challenge. He will be running the 30km race. He ran the 30km last year in 2:45:19 which put him at a pace of 5:31/km and this year he plans to do it faster. So good luck to me. I know, right?

6km in 41:12 = 6:42/km

My run yesterday was a nice easy (read: fairly slow for me) pace. I plan to do some speed training later in the week. Hopefully I can break the sound barrier by the time Around the Bay gets here. LOL

I need to get my ass signed up for more races.

Biscotte Booties

I've been a slacker in the knitting department over the last week or so ... the actual knitting bit, I've been hanging out on Ravelry a lot ... and I've actually narrowed down my Ravellenic Winter Games project to ONE thing. That's right folks, I've decided.

I'm going to be knitting Waffle Blanket for the Ravellenic Games. I will be using Wandering Cat Yarns Big Cat in Sprout (which is as green as the name depicts). I got the yarn waaaay back when my sister was pregnant with her 2nd son and started knitting a leafy lace blanket for him. However, I saw something shiny, got distracted, totally forgot about it, lost my pattern (thus my place) and it had to be frogged. Now I have the opportunity to knit it into a blanket for another baby boy (he's due in April, coincidentally my nephew was born in April 2013).

I don't know the baby or the parents and in all likeliness won't meet them. The dad is Michael's co-worker in Saskatchewan. I just like knitting baby stuff. :)

Today I knit a little pair of booties. I just have to seam them up into shape. I think they're adorable. I will probably add these to my booty rotation. Too cute. The pattern is Biscotte Booties. I used Patons Decor on 4mm needles, the colours are Rich Grey Heather (dark) and Grey Heather (light).

Biscotte Booties
A Photo A Day #35

They don't look like much right now, but soon they will be super cute, I promise. :)

Speaking of super ... here's a picture of Jenny, Michael and I as we crossed the finish line at the race on January 26th. I bought this from the photographing company who was at the event ... I'm getting prints made. I especially love it because none of us is touching the ground, it looks like we were flying. :)

Robbie Burns 8km - Jan 26/14
Finish Line Photo

Michael headed off to Saskatchewan this morning. His flight left super early, so we had to be up and out of the house by 5:30am. It's been a long day. Thankfully I don't have much to do, so I watched the Season 6 finale of Sons of Anarchy and knitted booties. :)

On My Mind

With my mind on my money and my money on my mind.

Thanks to my post title that song (or at least that line from that song) will be stuck in my head all day. 

I shall post a link now so you can all be tortured. Disclaimer I've never watched the video, so I have no idea what the content is. LOL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeZTWZHtknI I don't even know all the lyrics, only the part I posted above. It could be horrible and awful. 

Back to our regularly scheduled posting ...

Yesterday Michael and I went to Costco. It was REALLY busy. I guess people didn't go when the weather was horrible so yesterday when the weather was good again they all barged in. We still made it out in good time -- under 1/2 hour. We knew what we wanted and just got that stuff. Under $100 too. Miracles CAN happen at Costco if you let them. 

A Miracle at Costco
A Photo A Day #29

After having such a great race on the 26th there has been one predominant thought on my mind -- More Races! I was already signed up for three more (each 5km) but I decided to up the ante. I've signed up for the 10km Sulphur Springs trail race in May. 10km for me is a long distance. However, it's a short jot out for my sweet hubby. He is doing the 50mi (80km) race that very same day.

So, now that's four races. One in March, one in April and two in May. Then I have a big space ... I'm going to have to find something to keep up my motivation because in October I have committed to doing the 50km relay race at Run for the Toad. I have a team of four so I will only be doing 12.5km, but keep in mind, 10km is long for me. I've done a half marathon (21.1km) but I don't have the ambition for that kind of distance again -- yet. So I'll work up slowly and have fun doing it. :) 

Bibs and pj pants from Robbie Burns 8km
A Photo A Day #30

I'm not in it for the win or break any records, finishing is winning, I'm in it to have a good time. I discovered last year when I injured myself that it's no fun to run if you're doing it for the wrong reasons. So now I do it for the right reasons, because I enjoy it. If I don't feel like doing it I don't do it. I'm not going to force myself to train for something I know I won't enjoy just to have that race under my belt. It's all gotta be fun. :)

And fun it will be!

My team mates are super great people -- Best Runner Friend Jenny, her awesome hubby Derek, my sister Vickey and I will each do one 12.5km lap. My husband, who I think is awesome and crazy, will be doing the 50km run solo. 

YAY fun!

Alone Time

Yesterday it was late in the day and I realised I hadn't yet taken a photo for my Photo A Day collection, so I grabbed my phone, pointed it towards Michael and took his picture.

Say cheese!
A Photo A Day #27

I guess he didn't want his picture taken. LOL

Today after the kids headed off to school and I was done my morning meeting we headed out for a lunch date and a delicious burger joint in town. It's called The Works. The menu is super creative and cool. I have to be careful what I order, because of a garlic allergy, but there is still tonnes there I can eat. It's a great place for a once in awhile treat, but I couldn't imagine eating there very often ... omg the calories! It's all so tasty though. I love that they use glass measuring cups for drinks. Super neat.

The Works
A Photo A Day #28

The next stop was the tattoo parlour. At Christmas I bought Michael a gift certificate for a new tattoo. After some careful planning and pouring over a zillion fonts we took his idea to our tattoo artist and they worked out the last couple of kinks and then it was time for pain. *insert evil laugh* I have two tattoos and they didn't hurt to get, but the area Michael was getting his was a little more sensitive. On his inner forearm.

Michael and our tattoo artist Allan
Today we found out they're birthday buddies!

His tattoo is a tally of his long distance and ultra running races. The ones he has done are already on it and in May he is running an 80km race. It will be a lifetime of tally marks on it. I love this idea. Very cool. Very Michael. He had it tattooed on so he can read it when he looks at it so he will always have the motivation of pain adding another check when he's running.

New Tattoo

I don't have any knitting on the needles right now. I have to buy some yarn so I can get prepared for the Ravellenic Winter Games. Hopefully I'll make it to the yarn store later this week. :)

Robbie Burns 8km 2014

Today was the annual Robbie Burns 8km race in Burlington Ontario. Jenny (BRF) and I were ready to go, bright and early ... as was my best girl Valerie, who woke up extra early, on a weekend, to come watch my rugrats for me. Thanks again Valerie. :)

I started out my morning a little earlier than most, but like all other mornings I had a quick conversation with my husband, via text message. I felt so bad for him. He's been really sick with a cold these last few days and he's at work in Saskatchewan so there was nothing I could do to help him. Poor guy.

Once Valerie arrived to sit on the children, Jenny and I hit the road, eagerly anticipating freezing our butts off in this exciting running event. It was -16C with a windchill of -26C. Brrr.

Highway 403 heading to Burlington
A Photo A Day #26

We were all geared up and ready to run ...

Ready to Run!!

We headed to the start line and hopped in place and were thankful to be in the middle of the pack (but nearer the front) because the warm bodies around us blocked the wind.

Until 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ... AIR HORN!!! GO!!!

We were off to a great start. Chatting about last year's Robbie Burns race and how Michael was so great because he drove the Tahoe along the race route and played motivational music to pump us (and the other runners up). It was great.

What we didn't know was happening was this ...

Sneaking

We were being sneaked up upon. 

By who you ask?

By Michael.

Yes, that Michael ... 

My wonderful and romantically amazing husband surprised me big time. I guess on Wednesday he decided he needed to be home for my race, so he arranged getting off early with his boss and flying home three days early. The race sold out on December 3rd, 2013 so he contacted the race director directly telling him his plans to come and surprise me. The race director said it was too good a story to NOT let it happen and arranged a race bib for Michael.

All day yesterday Michael was sending me texts telling me how miserably sick he was (and had been for a few days) and that he had to go to bed early. 

HE LIED.

He was not sick and he was most definitely not going to bed early. HE WAS CATCHING A FLIGHT HOME. He arrived in Toronto at 1am and took a limo to a hotel in Burlington. This morning he took a cab to the race and then he waited. The race event is held at a high school in Burlington and everything race related happens on the main floor. He was hiding on the 2nd floor. SNEAKY SNEAKY.

So, back to the above picture of our bums ... that was around the 1km marker. He must have been really running fast because he crossed the start line (we found out later) a whole minute after us. He came up behind us and said "Think we need to pick up the pace here," I spun around shocked "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" He has a video. It's hilarious and wonderful and every time he watches it his face lights up like a million candles. 

Me and Jenny

Chatting about something.

Seriously, it was the best surprise. He has outdone himself again. I know I'm bias but I have to say with all sincerity I honestly think I have the best husband ever. :)

Jenny, Michael and I running to the finish

My sweet hubby and I.

Team Awesome.
Michael, Jenny and I

I finished the race with a time of 47:59, one second before Jenny who ran it in 48 minutes flat, and Michael made up good time in that first kilometer because his chip time was 47:14. 

It was a kick ass day. My favourite race of all time. I knew starting out it was going to be fun, because Jenny and I always have a blast running together, but now it tops everything. When people ask me what my best most favourite race is I'm going to tell them this one. 

I'm still in shock.

Oh. And Valerie was in on it.

Samanthaisms

I'm sure my husband would describe me as endearing.

Positively.

Sometimes maybe as a bonehead.

But always endearing.

Anyway I'm his bonehead and he loves me.

Today I sent him this picture. It's the dash of the Tahoe. See the little light that looks like a trailer on the top right? Well I somehow got it into towing mode and didn't know how I did it. So I took a picture (while stopped) saying, to paraphrase, what do I do to make it normal again? LOL

Help me! LOL
A Photo A Day #24

His reply? "Button on end of gear shifter."

What do you know ... there's even a picture in the exact shape as the light on the gear shifter.

That was easy.  

Lazy Saturday

My kids were given the strict instructions to not let me sleep passed 9am this morning. I woke up at 8:20am and thought "I'll just close my eyes for a minute and then get up." The next thing I know my daughter is knocking on my bedroom door at 10:30am and my husband is giving me a wake up call ... on his break at work ... ooops. I must have been tired.

Yesterday I got the call that my ring (the beautiful sapphire and diamond ring hubby bought me just before Christmas) was ready to be picked up. I had worn it over Christmas (too big) and then taken it back to be resized. So rather than waiting, right after work I threw the kids in the Tahoe and drove 40km (80km round trip) to pick up my ring. I couldn't wait ... lets face it, I like my beautiful shiny ring. It sparkles and I wanted it back. :) I wear it in place of my wedding ring. Michael hasn't worn his wedding ring for about 8 years when he had to have it cut off, but we recently got him a (temporary) replacement. My wedding ring is yellow gold, but my tastes have changed and I much prefer white gold and I much prefer sapphires to diamonds, so yeah, this works out well. :) I say "temporary" for Michael because his ring is silver and while it's nice I'd like to get him something nicer, something white gold, like mine, but without the stones. I'm hoping to pick something out for him for our anniversary this year.

Yay shiny!

We got a little more snow last night, as it was coming down it was beautiful huge flakes. Not so much fun to shovel, but we didn't get that much, so it's okay. My neighbour has a snow blower and is kind enough to do the entire side walk on the block. It really makes a huge difference. We have a one hundred and some-odd foot long frontage so it's really helpful -- and appreciated. :)

Mr. Snowblower
A Photo A Day #18

As well as today being lazy because I slept in, it's also a bit lazy because once I had a few household chores done and got supper in the slow cooker (honey, ginger ribs) I sat down to work on Pogona Too and watch an episode of Sons of Anarchy. I've been watching about 2 episodes a day, while I knit or do housework. It's great laundry folding entertainment, not so good when I'm running the vacuum though. ;)

Knitting and Sons of Anarchy

My nails look like crap right now. I've had fake ones for about 5 months and have decided it's time to let them grow out and let my real nails have a breather. I hate this stage.

Saskatchewan, Here He Comes!

Today was the day Michael was flying back to Saskatchewan, to our "summer home", so he can go to work. I love that he is able to have a job he loves, make a good living at it and provide for the kids (and I) like he was never provided for growing up. It just sucks he has to go 4000 kilometers away to do it. It's a lifestyle choice we made, but that doesn't make the day he leaves any more fun for either of us. 

At the Airport
A Photo A Day #14

I dropped him off at the airport around 3pm and then headed home to meet the kids ...

I miss him already!

I beat them home. I hadn't planned on beating them home, rather I'd planned for Owen to walk the other two home and them to hang out until I got here. No worries, he's old enough to babysit and Lily is old enough to be on her own for a little bit.

"Hi Mom!!"

And now it's dinnertime. 

B.A.N.A.N.A.S.

This morning I felt like doing a little baking so I whipped up couple of loafs of banana bread. Michael leaves for work tomorrow afternoon so I'm sending one of these delicious delights with him. He's going to take it in his carry on luggage on the flight so hopefully it survives all the way to Saskatchewan without getting any nibbles.

Banana Bread for my spoiled hubby
A Photo A Day #13

Yesterday I got to work on Mom's Pogona shawl. I made some good progress and am planning to have it all knit up, off the needles and blocked by the end of the week. 

Pogona Too

I will have lots of entertainment while I'm knitting this beauty up -- I found out season five of Sons of Anarchy *is* on Netflix. I won't begin watching it until Michael has left for work (he has not seen any of SOA and I think if he's going to watch he needs to start from the beginning). After I'm done SOA I think I'm going to see if I can find Downton Abbey. I've heard it's great too. :)

Adventures of Being Mom

I missed posting yesterday, but I promise I didn't do it on purpose. I had a bit of a situation ...

To make a long story shorter ...

Michael's Tuesday flight was cancelled due to the Polar Vortex, so he booked himself into a different flight Wednesday. Yay. Wednesday I got a call from the school that Owen was feeling unwell and needed to come home. He had several symptoms of appendicitis so I called the family doctor, there were no appointments available and they suggested going to the after hours clinic. I didn't think I should wait so I called Telehealth. Telehealth suggested (after about 30 minutes of over the phone diagnosis) going to the ER. So I called the school and had them get the other two ready so I could drag three kids to the ER.

There was lots of waiting, but not too much, they were really swamped and they were keeping everything moving the best they could. After about two and a half hours my sister came and got the younger two kids so they wouldn't have to hang around and be bored and exposed and whatnot.

More waiting, blood work, an xray and more waiting later it turns out Owen does not have appendicitis. He has a viral infection and his body is working exponentially hard to get rid of it.

Whew.

Michael arrived home shortly after we arrived home from our adventure in the ER.

Pictures? Yes!

My photo for yesterday is one of my favourite bits of a dog. Big floppy ears.

Dozer's Ear
A Photo A Day #8

This morning is another of my favourite things -- a sign that Michael is home! The only time Tasimo Latte is used is when he's here. I don't drink it.

Michael's Latte
A Photo A Day #9

I didn't get Pogona done yesterday as planned, due to the above situation, but I only have the bind off row to do. Yay! Hopefully today!

I'm finished Sons of Anarchy season 4, and now I'm in need of the 5th and 6th seasons. I'm not going to be able to wait for them to get on Netflix. I will need to buy them. NEED.