In the last week....

I occasionally do a little thrift store shopping - I'm always on the lookout for books, vintage linens and vintage wool suit jackets. Yesterday I hit the thrift store jackpot. First, I found this brand new REDfish design straw tote that will be perfect to take along on my vacation/holiday to Marco Island, Florida next week.


I found several dishes to coordinate with my dishes that belonged to my husband's mother. I love the retro orange, yellow and green flowers and my husband is happy I rescued his mom's dishes from the basement.



I also found several books to add to my collection I'm toting with me to the Bookcrossing Convention in Charleston, SC in April. All this great stuff for $5.50 -my kind of shopping!

Last Thursday, I tried a pasta dish I adapted from a recipe I saw on the Rachael Ray show. I'm not a huge fan of hers but when you're knitting ....well, you just can't control the TV. The sauteed onions, beets, swiss chard, and beet greens were tasty but a little too earthy for my palate. I'll make it again adding a wider variety of root vegetables and reduce the amount of beets and greens. Slowly sauteed beets do have a wonderfully sweet favor....the dish also had a gorgeous post Valentine's Day color!



Yes, I'm knitting another pair of socks! I'm using Austermann Step - what a soft yarn. I'll post a pic of the finished product.

I've been riding my exercise bike and plan to join my running partner tomorrow. Big changes coming up that will free up my time - more about that once it's done!

A New Year...

I celebrated the new year by doing several of my favorite things....first, I ran/walked up Mill Mountain with the Star City Striders. Thank goodness the temperature was warm making the rain more tolerable. By the middle of the day the sun was out....
Secondly, I knitted a sweet little baby hat for the Save the Children caps to the capital campaign. Lastly, I packed up some books to send out to some of my Bookcrossing friends.


I recently read that knitting is a mental challenge producing an effect similiar to that felt after physical challenge such as running....most be the reason I've been on a knitting frenzy later....
My resolution for the new year? I will strive to be better- better at exercising regularly, better at managing life's stressors, better at creating boundaries between my work life and home life.