Fruit and Fitbit, Thank You Darling Daughter

Yummy.  My Mother's Day Edible Arrangement.  It arrived just as I got back from a walk, perfect timing.  The fruit was refreshing, just what I needed as I cooled down from my steps/miles.  THANK YOU DARLING DAUGHTER!  Love you, and so appreciate you're thinking of me.  I was so anxious to dive right in, I had pulled out what I was going to eat right away, before grabbing my camera for a picture.  The vase was a cute red Martini Glass.  Anyone who knows me, knows I love a good Martini, and I LOVE making them.

This banner is from the fitbit blog.  If you click on the picture it will take you to the fitbit page.  I've worn out countless pedometers and decided to buy a decent one.  These units range in price and style and color from $60-$100.  I got the zip, the cheapest one and am loving it.  It counts your steps, calories burned, miles walked like most pedometers.  But, it synchs with your phone, your ipad, and your computer.  Some units have re-chargeable batteries and monitor your sleep as well, mine will need a new battery, somewhere along 4-6 months.  I'm ok with that, it's getting hard keeping track of all my cords to charge all my stuff as it is...

In my last blog post I indicated I had joined yet another blog challenge.  Well, that fell by the way side.  I find it too hard to write blog posts every day for this blog, as well as my Travel Blog (where I am blogging about my recent trip to Spain), and to keep up with blogging on Bridge and Beyond (my charity blog which normally is also daily).

Since purchasing the fitbit have been trying to sit here on the computer less, and walk and move more.  It's good for my arthritis and hopefully will lower my cholesterol.  You can log your food and know how many calories etc you're taking in vs what you're burning up also on the fitbit page.  I'm finding some days I eat more then I burn and some days I burn more then I eat.  My downfall is cocktails, and wine with dinner.  I do fine through out the day; so starting today going to see if I can trim by pouring smaller glasses of wine and making smaller martini's.  It's a start.

Through fitbit you can join groups, have friends and cheer each other one.  It's fun and takes the drudgery out of "exercising".  You have virtual buddies.  I found a group of fitbit'ers who knit.  A couple actually successfully walk and knit at the same time.  WOW...can see me falling if I tried that.  I've also joined a group for folks 60+.  Exercising as you age takes on a little different note of trying not to hurt your body.  AND through fitbit I found you can walk virtually across the USA.  CLICK HERE
Everyone starts somewhere in Virginia, you log your daily miles and it tells you where you are.  I've logged miles just about 2 wks, and currently it says I'm 12.86 miles from Glendale, Virginia in Charles City County, and have traveled 47.6 miles.  You see a little picture of where you are on the road.  Kinda fun.  The website is a bit slow though to load, so be patient.

And if you want a different type of virtual travel, do join me over on Traveling Suitcase

Why I love Friday

Late to the challenge as I didn't know about this one til after the month started.  I was visiting through my Travel Blog, Traveling Suitcase where I just finished the annual A-Z Blog Challenge for April.  I had so much material from a recent trip to Spain, I decided to continue blogging a-z May with my Travel Blog.

Probably nuts trying to do another one; but this blog has been very quiet of late and so I thought it might help to kick start it again.

Here are the prompts...and though it's Friday...it's evening so am really getting into late.

1. I love that's Friday, that's it's the end of the work week, and hubby and I can spend more time together and things are more relaxed.
2. I love that this Friday, I made my step goal (through fitbit), AND I got my first 50 mile badge on fitbit.
3. We always have Martini's on Friday (glasses are in the freezer and will be nice and chilled.
4. I love that this Friday I had a much needed massage.  Thank you Frank!I
5.  love that I bought a dress for $8.00  at a re-sale shop today on a whim, had a few minutes to spare before the massage and decided to look around, the shop was just a few doors down from Massage Envy.

Click the badge and join in.  Here's the list of prompts.

Day 9, Friday:  5 things you love on a Friday.

Day 10, Saturday: A fashion, beauty or life tip.

Day 11, Sunday:  Go for a photo walk.  (It’s a walk where you take lots of great photos and share them.)
Day 12, Monday:  Tell us how your blog got its name (and tagline).
Day 13, Tuesday: Write a poem or piece of creative prose.
Day 14, Wednesday: Make us laugh.  Share a funny story or picture.
Day 15, Thursday: Create or share a poster, card or artwork that shares a message that inspires you.
Day 16, Friday: Blogging is about sharing the love.  Tell us about 5 blogs that you love reading regularly.
Day 17, Saturday: A day in the life.  Photo journal your day today.
Day 18, Sunday: 10 things that make you happy.
Day 19, Monday: Dream job?
Day 20, Tuesday: Who inspires you?
Day 21, Wednesday: What’s on your plate?
Day 22, Thursday: Share a video clip that you are loving at the moment.  It could be as simple as a song on YouTube or an inspirational speaker on TED Talks.
Day 23, Friday: Write a post about a particularly good or controversial comment someone left you.
Day 24, Saturday: If you could have 3 people to dinner tonight, who would you invite?
Day 25, Sunday: A list for the week ahead.
Day 26, Monday: Invite someone to guest post for you.
Day 27, Tuesday: Share a project you’ve been working on.
Day 28, Wednesday: Family.  What do you love?  Best traits? What crazy genetics do you have in common?  Fave photo?
Day 29, Thursday: What have you said ‘yes’ to today?
Day 30, Friday: Best advice you’ve received lately.
Day 31, Saturday: Gratitude.

So, will you join me? Go on, you wouldn’t …

PS. There will also a grab button available for you to display on your blog to tell everyone that you are trying to complete the challenge.  (Better still, at the end of the challenge, I’ll give you a button that tells everyone that you’re awesome and you did it. High five!)

Steps, Miles, and Calories...Fitbit

Ok, this got my attention the other day on Facebook, so thought it was worth reposting.  Thought it's been almost 2 months since my last post.........probably the longest ever I've gone without updating (life's been busy).  In my last post I posted my tennis shoes and talked about trying out apps on my phone to track my walks/steps/mileage etc.  That was a complete bust.  I tried 3 different apps.

Firstly, Windows phones don't support the most popular apps you hear people talking about and the ones I tried (only free ones), didn't work all that well, weren't user friendly, and many of items you needed on the app were ONLY available if you upgraded to a paid app.  Errrrrrr.  I so dislike false advertising.  If it's not free, don't state it does x y z.  And, who wants to pay for app before you try it out and know if it will meet your needs...not me!

I've killed far too many cheap pedometers over time, which is why I thought I'd try the apps.  Several problems with that, if you really want to track all your activity throughout the day, the phone is not the way to go.

So, I bought a Fitbit.  It's a wireless unit that replaces the mechanical pedometers I've had in the past.  It's battery is suppose to last 4-6 months.  You can synch it with your ipad, your iphone, and most droids...not windows phones (should never have  listen to the salesman who pushed the windows phone).  You also get a free webpage connected to a forum where fitbit folks support each other.  Similar to Facebook, you can friend someone.  You can even challenge each other, though I've not yet done that.  The unit I purchased was their cheapest one, $60.00, several others units are around $100.00.  Didn't quite want to do that; but they do track a bit more including your sleep habits which I think could prove to be very helpful to some folks.

You get a weekly email with your stats, plus there are all kinds of graphs on the webpage and some with app.  Most I'm not yet up to speed on how to read, lol.  It's a process.  You can set goals of steps, weight loss, food...whatever it is that's important to you.  I'm trying to lose a few pounds, but mostly I'm interested in eating a bit healthier (possibly high cholesterol), and increasing my exercise to aid with the arthritis and the cholesterol.  Tracking food and steps etc makes you so much more aware.

Got my first email of weekly stats yesterday (wk 4-28 through 5-4...not sure I really recorded everything or even had it on the whole time as I was still learning)...possibly not a real accurate weekly reading.

52,026 steps, 21.93 miles, burned 11,347 calories, 0.5 pounds weight loss, #362 calories in vs out....I think that means I ate too much?

And you get cute little badges to make you smile...different colors for different things you did good.  Who doesn't like a pat on the back.  I have a couple, not sure what one is for though, lol.

Walking with my Pedometer

This is the longest I've ever gone without posting on this blog.  What's up with that?  Life?  Been busy keeping up Bridge and Beyond, kick starting the Traveling Suitcase for up coming April A-Z Blog Challenge and this one has just gone silent.  I've not been knitting much either, and typically blog about knitting.

These are the wild shoes I got primarily for work to help diminish the swelling I have in my knee, thanks to Arthritis.  They're very supportive.  Got fitted at a running store, Front Runner which was suggested by my physical therapist.  He thought better shoes would be helpful.

Because these puppies were rather expensive, I've been reluctant to wear them anywhere but to work......until lately.  I'm not as active as I used to be.  Aside from gaining a few LB's, my cholesterol has jumped and one of the best ways to bring it down is exercise.  Sooooooo me and my Mizuno's (shoes), and my Feetures (socks) have been putting in some miles.  I LOVE these socks.  There is no seam to rub, they're very stretchy and almost massage your feet while walking and or at work.  They fit so well, there's no extra fabric to cause problems either.

I've had more pedometers then I can count, and they just don't last... so loaded an app on my phone called Pedometer Master.  There's a free version (the one I'm using) and one you have to pay for that does more.  I have a windows phone and there aren't nearly as many apps to choose from.  Hubby like's one on his Droid phone called Cardio Trainer that really does a-lot.

Todays stats:
Distanc:  2.48 miles
Duration: 41 min 38 seconds
Steps: 7,138
Average speed 3.57mph
Calories burned: 162

Wow, not many calories burned, but from what I've read the way to burn more calories is walk faster.  Maybe I'll work up to that?  I don't like to overdo, then the knee hurts and swells.  Arthritis doesn't do well when you over do, but it also doesn't do well when you sit.  The balance of it, apparently is the key.  I'm looking for the key.

I'm also not totally convinced I've got my stride correctly measured and will re-do it a couple of times to see how that goes.  Currently my stride is listed as 22 inches.

Parents Failed Her!

Did you read my previous post, if not please scroll back.

A book is suppose to make  you think, stick with you awhile right?  Well, that book surely did.  I find myself thinking about it off and on too much.  I find my emotions continue to be mixed.  Anger, sadness, and more.

I mentioned I couldn't accept her (her being the authors) perspective that her parents weren't to blame, that she didn't blame them....they simply didn't know.

• Maybe she's not being honest with herself, maybe it's easier to think that way, maybe she's a better Christian and has forgiven them?  But, to say they didn't know?
• Parents have 1 primary job and that is to take care of, to keep their children safe.  They most certainly failed to do that big time.  Why?  Too interested in climbing the corporate ladder to think what was right for their children.  Does anyone really think moving every 2 years, pulling kids out of their neighborhoods, making them start over in school, making them try to fit in and make friends every 2 years is a good idea??

1. They didn't have many close friends, couldn't.
2. They didn't really know neighbors, couldn't
3. They didn't really know teachers well, couldn't

Likewise, the parents didn't know their children, their children's aquaintenances or their teacher...why, they couldn't and or choice not to.  They didn't participate in school functions, didn't attend school activities their children participated in.  If they had, they might have conversed with other adults to realize something wasn't right.

Your daughter, your young 15 year old daughter creeps out of the house at all hours of the night and early morning for a period of 2 years and you don't hear it?  Seriously, you don't hear her on the steps once she 's left her room, you don't hear the door opening or it closing when she leaves?  You don't hear the door opening or closing when she comes back?  The door opens and closes 4 times on each occurrence and this happens over 2 years and you fail to hear it every single time?  Wait, lets back up a little....prior to her creeping down the steps, the phone rings, so you don't  hear the phone, or the door? night after night for 2 years? So ok, maybe that night you're really tired and you don't hear it,  but neither you or your spouse EVER hear it?  WOW!  I can not accept that.

But, there's more.  You don't hear the phone because you don't like to answer the phone and talk to any of your children's friends, so to keep your distance you buy them personal phones for their bedrooms.  Perfect solution to staying un-involved in your kids lives.  Even had nothing horrific happened, this would be a parent fail.

In my dating years, back in the dark ages; our house was left un-locked and when we returned from our dates we locked it up.  I can guarantee you my parents heard each and every-time I came home, knew what time it was and whom I had been with.  We had a specific time to be home, often they would ask as we passed by their bedroom door...did you remember to lock up?  Yes, they heard us, heard me and my two parents every time we left the house.

There's more to consider though.  I grew up in a nice small house; her parents were climbing the corporate ladder.  She lived in a large house so hearing might have been a bit harder.  Wouldn't that just mean you had to work at hearing a little harder?  Her parents "entertained" a lot, apparently that was part of the work of climbing, so often weren't without the influence of adult beverages.  This was eluded to when the police brought her home..........so perhaps under the influence keeps you from hearing on some nights......but still night after night for two years two adults don't hear their children.  Don't check on their children?  Unacceptable.

Wait, so the police brought her home, so they did know she was "out"?  That's another whole rant, please pop back in to find out about the police and their involvement in this tragic story of human trafficking.

Ipads, Reading and eBooks

I got an ipad a few months back as a birthday gift from my DH.  I'm still feeling very much like a newbie at it; but am enjoying having it.  Normally I don't read all that much ....beyond knitting or crochet patterns, or blogs...lots of blogs; but since getting the ipad have found I read more then I did before.

Why?  Maybe it's the novelty of the gadget...if so, no doubt that will wear off at some point.  Maybe it's the ease of having things at your finger tips.  You don't have to go to the book store, you don't have to go to the library.  In fact you can spend 10 minutes or less and look through what Amazon has to offer pretty quickly.  I narrowed my search to free or $0.99 cent books, then selected a genre I like wow......the number of offerrings is pretty staggering.  Then through Amazon, I saw something called Book Bub.  It's even better.  You don't have to know what you're looking for, or who the author is.  Again you plug in a few things, like how much you want to spend and what genre's you like and each day in your email box you get a notice of 2-4 books...Generally I've gotten 3.  There's a snipet about the book and how much it costs you click buy or not.  You don't need to buy a certain number of books in a certain time frame like a book club.  Selecting books couldn't be easier.  Once you click in your email, you're taken to your amazon page, where you click buy with one click...AND you are DONE!

Each time you turn on your ipad or Kindle or other e-reader the bok loads and you're ready.

The above book is one I recently finished.  I paid 0.99 cents for this book; not the normal price but it was the special of the day.......another advantage of Book Bub.

Have you read this book?  I'll be doing a review, prbably in several different blog posts, as there is much to discuss about this book.  Please join me.  Its a serious topic, one that needs to get attention and truly needs to be discussed.

Though in my last post I mentioned I joined a new blog challenge, that has gone by the wayside.  I'm trying to get back into blogging with more regularity and that challege wasn't going to do it for me.

The New Year

The New Year is a time for resolutions and starting fresh, so why not start with a challenge to kick off the new year! I have come up with the #2014bloggerchallenge. The challenge is to write a blogpost twice a month about different topics. The #2014bloggerchallenge posts will go live during the 1st and the 3rd weeks of each month. Everyone who signs up will be sent an email with the post topics. The topic ideas are there to give you new ideas and encourage you to write about things you wouldn't normally write about.

Well, I've done it again.  I've joined yet another blog challenge.  Which is probably good, as it's been awhile since I've blogged regularly on all 5 of my blogs.  Sometimes you need a kick start.  

I'm at #388 on a list of 409 bloggers who signed up for the challenge over at Another Girly Blog.  Gaby wrote the post about the challenge back in Nov, giving us all time to gear up.   Several weeks later, she sent out emails with the topic...again giving us time to write our post.  However, I'm just now on January 1, writing my post.  Life's been busy is my excuse.

Welcome to 2014, and the challenge.  I'm looking forward to getting out and about and visiting lots of new blogs and making new blog friends.

The topic:
The topic for the first post of the #2014BloggerChallenge is going to be "New Years Inspiration" - the idea is that instead of writing new years resolutions on your blog you share a quote or a picture that inspires you and you think will inspire others in the New Year. 

That little logo, inspires me.  It inspires many others as well.  Why?  It represents kindness, caring, and loving hands coming together to accomplish something that is near and dear to my heart.  It's the logo for my charity.  It's a ministry that reaches homeless people in need.  It reaches Men, Women, and Children living out doors in central Ohio; as well as those living in temporary shelter situations.  For 5 years knitters and crocheters and others have used their time and talents to keep people warm with making and donating hats, scarves, mittens, slippers, and other warm items.  Through a wonderful team effort we've been able to warm thousands of people in 3 different family shelters, people in food lines, and people living outdoors....under bridges and beyond.  If you knit, or crochet, or want to be a part of something that truly matters...check out the blog HERE.  (the logo is also an active link).  You do not need to knit or crochet to help.  

**edited to add, please folks kill your captcha's, when trying to visit lots of blogs it's beyond a nuisance and time consuming**

Knitted Green Kimono Style Sweater

Saw this on Facebook and it made me chuckle, so while it's been a while since you probably had left overs from Thanksgiving, I thought I'd share this.  lol  Actually I think the best part of going to someone else's house for the feast is not having left overs to deal with.  I'm not much of a fan of left overs, and the meal itself really isn't one of my favorites.  What I like is having time with family.  I hope you all enjoyed your time with family and friends, with or without leftovers.

I'm doubling up today with this post, why?  Cause I'm several days late getting the post up for YOP, and today is Wednesday soooooooo .

**All badges are links, click and join us, link up and share some linky love along the way**

This green sweater has been a long time in the making.  I barely got started on it last year right after Christmas, as it was suppose to be a belated gift for my DD.  It kept getting put away.  Been trying to get back into it so have been working on it now for awhile...large piece is the back and the smaller piece (the one still on the needles is one of the fronts.  I'm wondering when the time comes if it's best to laundered, and block before stitching together or stitch together then launder and block.  Love some input.

Hope you're all busy and enjoying the projects you're working on from your list (YOP), as well as projects you're trying madly to get done in time for Christmas Gifts.

If you've got time, would you consider making something for Bridge and Beyond?  We're getting more requests this year.  Seems more are living out in the cold, and the weather turned colder then normal earlier then normal here.

If you're cold, got snow on the ground and want a warm thought..........please check out a post from a quest blogger on my Travel Blog, I promise you'll be glad you did.
Here, and or HERE.

It's for Me and Mine

 Please disregard the scary face, it's not meant to look like Halloween; but the previous face had faded so I attempted to draw one...egads, truly no talent there.  This is the completed hood/cowl I've been working on.  First I'm pleased to say it fits, which is always a chore for something small enough to fit my child sized head...but I think it needs one more section to be long enough to work well as a hood.

 Alternating sections of garter and purl gives you these rolls.

 Wearing it as a cowl would certainly keep your neck nice and warm.

 Here you can see the side view, the sections, and how stretchy it is; but you can also see how a bit more length on the back to keep the neck warm would be an improvement.

So, this is my first selfish knitting for YOP and it will be warm and stay on, so all in all a successful project.  I would add one more section next time I make one though.  And for folks with regular adult sized heads I would suggest using larger needles or adding to the cast on. I think the sizing on her pattern is a bit lacking.

Sorta selfish knitting project here is a green kimono style sweater.  I say sorta selfish because it's not for my charity as 99.9% of the items I knit and or crochet are.  It's for my DD...so while it's not for me, it's for my family.  Actually........terribly late.  Started this last near years as a belated Christmas present......and as I do far too often put it aside while doing my charity stitching.  I am really going to try and get this finished.  I'm about 5 inches from finishing the back which is largest piece.  I purposely started with the largest piece thinking I'd feel I really had made headway that way.

It's Sunday, what's everyone working on with regard to your YOP list?

I must shift gears and get busy assembling some afghans again too.  I've just not been as productive with yarn in recent months, having gotten involved in research for multiple family trees for folks.

They called it Mellow Yellow, Memory Monday

I remember when I crocheted this sweater for Mom, one of the first I'd ever made.  I remember how jazzed I was at being able to match up the striped and how excited I was when I came up with the idea of stripping it to solve the.........I don't have enough of the mellow yellow yarn.  Yellow was Mom favorite color, she always said yellow was a happy color.  This was a Christmas present long ago, see those really big glasses........remember when those were in style?  Made everyone look like an ant with great big eyes.  lol

I wonder what happened to that sweater?  Mom's gone and so is the sweater.  I've lots or loaned the pattern and have looked many times to find and purchase it again.  The sweater is a raglan sleeve sweater and so well written, would love to make another sweater or two using the pattern.  Though it was crocheted it had the look of a knitted sweater, I thought.  I remember the picture on the cover/leaflet that the pattern was in was a woman wearing this sweater in a pretty soft almost minty color.  It's basic dc and the yarn used was sport weight yarn............long before we had all the wonderful choices of fibers we have today.  Does anyone have one of these vintage patterns?  Pretty sure it was a Leisure Arts Pattern.

Miss Mom and miss the pattern.

(wish this was a better picture)

What's your Memory Monday?  Post a picture and tell us about it, add the blog badge with a link back here.  Be sure and add your name and blog post url to the linky and let's have fun and get out there and visit.  Let's see if we can get others to look back...doesn't have to be eons, at fun memories.

Christmas Eve Memories

This isn't the best of pictures, it's small and granny.  Most pictures we took with those little Instmatics with a cube for a flash were.  This was Mom long ago in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve.  My family always did the family exchange on Christmas Eve while Christmas morning was saved for the presents from Santa who came during the night.

I don't know what year this was, she looks so young.  The afghan she's unwrapping was one I made for her that I had sorta forgotten about until seeing this picture.  It was really heavy I remember as it was made with rug yarn.  It was really colorful though all you see here are shades of brown.  It had blue, red, green and gold I think from memory.  The afghan was made with octagon's and sewn together.  No idea what happened to it this many years later, it could still be there at home somewhere I guess.  She used it for awhile on the sofa which was brown then later as a rug to coordinate with her oval braided rugs.  Remember those?

I love looking at old pictures and remembering the details, particularly nice when Mom isn't with us anymore.

Got memory?  Please share.  Post your picture and story, add this badge to your post

and link back here.  Add your name and url to the linky, visits others and have fun.  Apologies for those I couldn't visit from the last Memory Monday.  I was having blog issues.  I will visit you all.

*If you get here before the linky, it just means you've beat me.  Please pop back, as it will be posted when I get up.  Wish you could post them ahead but you can't.*

**You can also visit any of the previous Memory Monday's by clicking on the Memory Monday Tag**

• Had issues with my old blog and had to change templates.  Not thrilled with this one, as my other one was a 4 column style; but trying to make it work
• Anyone know how to make the facebook, twitter etc logo's in the upper right go to my pages vs where they go now?