My New Baby

Okay, the title is deceiving. hee!hee!

I have been ‘babying’ a plant called Meyer Lemon Tree. I bought the plant last fall. It’s about 1 foot tall when I got it. I’ve heard good things about Meyer Lemon, so I thought I’d want one. The fruits are supposed to be very sweet.

So I watched this potted plant closely for any signs of life or distress. I left it indoors for the winter. At some point the leaves started to fall out then. I read that it’s because the spot where it was at have gotten much colder. So I moved it close to the heater vent.

Once the daytime temperature surpassed 45°, I moved it out on the deck for sunshine and air. Then late spring, here’s what I got.

Late May into June, I’m excited to show, these are just a few of what I’m getting.

 

It will take 3 to 4 more months before fruits ripen.

So why am I excited about this potted tree? Almost always, I have a tendency to kill potted plants, be it indoors or outdoors. Just to prove that, I had killed an already 5-foot fig tree in a whiskey barrel outdoors.  Over a period of 3 years from planting time, I thought the fig tree was thriving. How sad! It never flowered. It didn’t die in vain though; I fed it to the compost (minus the roots of course).

KIP #4 Completed

KIP #4 was completed 2 weeks later than target completion time of April 25th.

I wanted to keep this tank top for myself but I owe my dear college friend this one. AWR will be surprised, but she deserves it. She remembered my birthday, but I forgot hers and didn’t even send her any card nor called her that I received her card. Her birthday was just 2 days after mine, in April! I’m such a bad, bad person!

Hopefully, AWR will like it. It’s on its way to her. Even when this project was finished, it took me another month to put on the buttons and more weeks after, to take photos. That’s how bad I am. Doesn’t that prove to you what a great procrastinator I am?!

Absent Blogger I’ve Become

Hey folks! I’m still around! Don’t go away!

I apologize for not posting for…..over a month?! Such a shame, huh? My website must have gotten soooooo boring, I can understand if my readers (who were few to begin with) decided to abandon me.

So, what have I done during my blog absence? Nothing really boring, mind you. I have kept up with knitting, dancing, still working nights, still on track with my walking training for the Portland Marathon in October. I’ve incorporated jogging a bit in my walk training, but am trying not to aggravate my knees.

This past Wednesday, I went to a knee/hip specialist to find out what the status is on my knee condition. Had x-rays done. The doctor took one glance at the x-rays and told me I have no ligament nor bone problems. I don’t even have any sign of arthritis. That’s wonderful to hear.

However, because I have Baker’s Cyst on both of them, there’s something that’s generating fluid build-up to the back of knees. I’ve known that I had Baker’s cyst ever since my rowing days. The first specialist I went to told me to stop all physical activities and see if the fluid would go away. I did that, stopped ALL activities for 6 years, until I got sick of the over-25 pound weight I put on. That first specialist also recommended that I had a choice of pain killers (steroid-type) or fluid aspiration or surgery to overcome the Baker’s cyst. I didn’t like the choices so I just laid off physical activities.

The fluid never went away on both knees. I dabbled with safe workout, but reality check was I’ve put on extra weight that I hate. I wanted to be fit again. Six years of exercise hiatus will not make one fit in a matter of months though. It finally hit me that walking IS a form of exercise. So, here I am today, excited and stoked about getting back to fitness.

This knee surgeon I went to this time around suspects that I have a tear in the meniscus and recommended an outpatient procedure called arthroscopy. Although it’s an outpatient procedure, the recovery may take a bit longer. I cannot afford that, as at this time when such a procedure would take me out of the marathon. I will have to postpone the procedure till after the marathon, if ever I decide to go forward with it.

This walking business seemed to have taken over my life. I even joined a fitness school, right after the Eugene Marathon, for my cross-training. The fitness program is SUCH a killer. It involves a combination of weights, aerobics, gymnastics at high intensity with emphasis on safety for 45 minutes. But it can be scaled to your ability and any physical, or health issues. I love, love working out on weights. I’m really enjoying this fitness school. I have a long ways to go though, as I get winded just 10 minutes into the workout.

So, there you have it. This is my excuse for being away from writing my blog. I can’t wait to resume it though. I’ve missed mentioning alot of stuffs happening around me, my life, my family and friends.

I hope you all come back, all 5 of you, to my blog. hahahaha!

Off The Knitting Wagon

I have fallen off the fast-moving knitting wagon. Let me assure everyone (that is, if anyone is still out there checking out my blog), that I may have fallen off  but I’m brushing off the dirt, hobbling, scrambling to climb back up the wagon. It’s a race to get back on it.

Speaking of race………Yup! The race bug got me. I have already entered 2 races, a 5K on Mother’s Day for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Re-run Run and this last one, a 3K. The latest one, yesterday’s, was a fundraiser for the Greenhill Humane Society, called Bark in the Park.

My walking partner’s 2 dogs entered. I was to take her 4 year old Libby while she took 1 year old Matthew (Libby’s son). It was chaotic for me, me who is not used to handling dogs. I keep telling people around the start line to forgive me as I’m really a cat person.

When the race started, Libby wanted to be with her owner and was dragging me around to get to her. Boy, those bird dogs can run! As we met up, we exchanged dogs thinking Matthew, who usually is unpredictable and scatter-brain unless he sees birds, will be less attached to VC, the owner. I was more wrong than right. When he saw his mom dash off, he wanted to be with her or near her. He took off dragging me. Remember, there were people in the race……with dogs…….on the bike path……a bike path narrow enough for only 4 people wide. Matthew was worse to handle than his mom. If I slowed down, he would nudge my elbow to push me on. It was only a 3K (1.86 miles) race, but that was more exhausting than if I did a 5K.

After the race, there was agility demo, which the four of us entered. Libby was better at everything. Matthew was fine until we came upon the tunnel. So, VC and I switched dogs again. I got Libby to go through the tunnel. The guide told me to wait at the other end of the tunnel and dangle a dog treat. Libby was used to these ability tests and I had no clue whatsoever with what to do at these things. So as I went to the other end and peeked in, Libby smashed onto my face before I could even flash the treat. Shock was both on our faces.

Overall, I’ve never seen so many dogs of all kinds and sizes. They were amazingly well-behaved. I felt comfortable enough in what I’d call, ‘my slight phobia with dogs’.

Libby (left) and Matthew with VC, just before the race. 

Oh, before I forget to mention, as Matty and I were rounding up to the pond filled with geese, ducks and ducklings, Matty lost focus. He kept looking to the pond and at one point, decided to go towards the water while we were just a few hundred yards from the finish line. Without looking down to him, I kept yelling, ” No birds! No birds! No birds!” People at the benches nearby were having a great laugh at that.

Guess I digress from knitting. Yes, I’m still knitting up squares for the afghan. Yes, KIP #4 is actually finished. I have yet to take photos. Sorry! And I’ve started another KIP ~ will blog about that soon.

2009 Eugene Marathon is Over!

Yaaaaaay! What exhilaration! What accomplishment! The 3rd Annual Eugene Marathon is over!

The goal: to walk a half marathon (13.1 miles)

Target completion time: 4.5 hours

Accomplishment: Completed a half marathon in 3.5 hours!!!!!!!

Awards:

• The medal (not a chocolate medal as I wished; and everyone got one);
• A quarter-sized diameter of a blister on bottom of right foot;
• A dead nail on one of the little toes of same right foot.

Post Race Notes

That’s my walking partner’s legs on the left and mine on the right. Check out how my right foot is stepping funny. That’s because the blister was intensely painful, like a blister on top of a blister.

I started limping at mile 4. The rain was steady at the start of the race and my socks and shoes were soaked. Decided not to change socks knowing if I did, the blister which I could feel had already adhered to the sock will rip open. Miserably, I limped till the end.

My walking partner got pulled along with the runners and had to run along with them. She finished 20 minutes ahead of me.

All along the course, I was tempted to check my time but held off till the end. The best and sweetest surprise was at the finish line when I could hardly believe my eyes. I shaved AN HOUR from my goal time. If only I could jump up and down at the finish line! But pain and fatigue prevented me from doing anything crazy like jumping or bending or anything. But sweet success, I did it!

And you’d think that after the race you are soooo hungry you could eat a horse or a cow, all  I just wanted to do was NOT TO PUKE. So I didn’t partake on the free pancakes. A banana, 2 bags of chips (for the salt intake), 3 bites of turkey subway sandwich were all I could stomach. Then it was off to a long, deep, relaxing massage. I actually napped till it was over.

We stayed till the end of the race. Although I forgot to take a photo at the start of the race (how could I when the area was jam-packed with people), I made sure to take a photo of the sixth-hour time.

This week is a no-training week, a goof-off week. Then, on to a more rigorous training for the Portland Full Marathon (26.2 miles of hills and bridges) in October. My goal is to finish it at 6.5 to 7.5 hours considering the uphill battles. Mind you, during the race yesterday, I was actually asking/telling myself, “why, why, why am I here when this race is such a painful ordeal; why, why, why, oh why? I’ll never do this again!” After a day (today) of rest, I’m hooked. This is a new addiction! I can’t wait for the next training.

But before Portland Marathon, there’s the Butte-to-Butte 4.5 mile fitness walk. Butte-to-Butte has no 10k walking race, unfortunately.  Butte-to-Butte’s 10k run is brutal as the history indicates, with almost a vertical climb at the beginning of the race.

I might enter 1 or 2 more half marathons somewhere. We will see. It’s more like my knees will tell me.

Overall, I’m really, really glad I didn’t back out of this crazy idea to enter a marathon.

Diary of a Determined Walker

 

…the week before the Marathon

Here’s last week’s diary:

Tuesday, April 21st

I did an 7-miler with someone who happens to have damaged spinal nerves and would not join in the marathon. She’s amazingly upbeat, but then she’s totally and heavily medicated. It took us 1.75 hours to finish. That in itself is a BOOST to the ego. Because, she’s a fast walker, taller by 5 inches. I had no problem keeping up with her. At the Truffle Shuffle, she placed 68th with 00:28 minutes. I was only 3 minutes behind her, but I placed well beyond the 100’s.

 Thursday, April 23rd

My walking partner and I took to the park and finished an 8-miler. We had the company of her dog, a 1-year old Welsh Springer Spaniel. Although, this diary entry is about walking, I just HAVE tell you about this dog. It’s one of the most impressive dogs I’ve ever seen or met. It does not bark; one feature I like in a dog. It only comes in red and white color. And it’s a rare breed. Quite friendly. And it loves birds as they are sport hunting dogs. The Springer part of the dog is lovely to see when it starts running. It just goes up and down in a field of tall grass, a very wonderful sight to behold.

Saturday April 25th: 13 miles

These are the miles needed to complete a half marathon. I was ecstatic! It was no biggie. I didn’t feel knee pain or anything. I walked alone, as usual. My walking partner, who couldn’t make it Saturday was in Portland. I had to call her to give her the sweet news. 13 miles at 4.5 hours! The walk was very, very relaxed.

I couldn’t say the same with the night before the Saturday walk. I was unable to sleep until around 02:00. Couldn’t get up in time to prep and meet the walk group at 0900 to do 11 miles. So I skipped it again. The group walk compels one to go with the group speed (much faster).

Started at 11:33 and completed at 15:30. Did the right prep with protein intake, downed 32 oz. electrolyte water and this time swallowing a caffeine shot as an added bonus.

The caffeine shot actually gave me less or none of the knee pain I’d experience at mile 8 and above. When I didn’t feel pain, I pushed for 12 miles. When that felt great, I decided to go all the way to 13 miles.

So, barring stupidity on my part to get into knee trouble this week, I believe I AM READY FOR THE MARATHON on May 3rd. There’s a feeling of excitement and dread at the same time, that although a half marathon may be ‘half-baked’ or ‘not the real thing’, let me assure you 13 miles is no small feat for someone with knee problems.

My goal at this point, is to stay healthy, strong, pain-free. And a little bit of ambition to shave the time down to four hours or less. That would mean, from past experience with rowing races, ‘interval’ exercises will do the trick. But avoiding the burst start of a row, I will skip it as I don’t want to get pain at the very start of the race, pacing myself till about mile 5, picking up speed from mile 5 to mile 8, easing off from mile 8 to about mile 11.5. With pain in check, I will then burst or pick up the speed/jog to the finish.

If only that can easily happen. Weather, temperature, crowd, pre-race night rest/jitters and tummy status are factors that play up to a great or really bad race. But I’m optimistic and sooo excited!

FO ~ 2009 KIP #2

It’s finished! See this link for updates on the post. Updates are in orange font. Also, more photos added.

2009 KIP #4 ~ Marina Tank Top

Knit In Progress #4
Marina, Size Small
Noro Joy, book by Jane Ellison page 24
Noro Taiyo Color #08, Cotton/Silk/Wool/Nylon
Needle Size 6 to gauge
18×24 Gauge, needle size 8
Start Date: April 12th, Sunday
Target Finish Date: April 25th, Saturday
Completion Date:  May 10th, Sunday

Special Note: I’d like to keep this for myself, but am trying not to be selfish.

I hate, hate knitting in pieces, so picture above shows the right, left and back panels started together. That’s how lazy I am.

Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

I just have to blog this.

If the above video does not work, try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

It goes to show, just because the media and everyone else has this cookie-cutter image of what is a talent, this would put us all to shame! Image is NOT all that matters.

Darn! I feel like crying. For Joy!

Enjoy! And be awestruck!

Pardon The Absence

Bloggers know that even a small post entry can take hours to create. No? Then it must only be me.

Although I have blog materials to present, my hours are now being taken up by marathon training. Does it take quite a chunk of time to train? Oh yes!

Yes, because miles upon miles are now needed to train for endurance and conditioning. The marathon is on May 3rd. Yikes! That’s only a few weeks away. My nerves are getting so frayed by the anxiety of making a fool of myself that day by: 1) having my right knee (or horror, both knees) lock up on me (did I tell you that on one practice, I had to call home to be picked up by Mr. Wonderful?); 2) having pee accidents (hahaha! If only this is a joke!); 3) worse, sleeping in and getting to the location hours later; 4) even worse, by forgetting to take my *sthma med*cines (I now have three types instead of one!).

So, this anxiety is also taking up my time. And it’s adding to the physical energy depletion.

On the bright side, Noro Smock (or, KIP #2) is finished! Will blog about that soon. KIP #3 has been accumulating panels, but 19 more panels to go. There’s a new project that was started this weekend. In due time, I’ll post about them.

Blog reader, hope you are not bored yet with my blog. Till then, enjoy Spring!