From the other side of the Finish Line

Okay - I did it - all 13.1 miles of it. In 8 less minutes than last year. I had hoped to take off more time, but I had a couple of problems that slowed me down (I mean other than that I am a slow runner). JR got me a pair of fancy Thorlo running socks and the toe seam kept grinding on the end of my left big toe. I had to stop twice to take off my shoe and fix the sock - grr. The other thing was a cramp in my left calf that kinda crept in and out. Oh well - I live to run another race, I guess. Saturday I felt pretty bad. My plantar facsitis was completely riled up and my head was pounding. Sunday was still bad on my heel. Today, I feel fine, only a little bite in my hamstrings.

Last week sometime I ordered those embroidery patterns from Sublime Stitching as a present for myself, a reward for doing the Mini. If I hadn't finished it, I would have had to give them to somebody else. I got them today! So cute! Can't wait to start! I went to the supercenter after school and art lessons to get some bleached muslin and an embroidery hoop. I told you they stopped carrying floss. Well, they didn't have a hoop either. What in the world? So now I can't stitch sublimely until I make a trip to Bloomington. You better belive I am going to stock up on floss and hoops! I wanted to do one on my next 6" quilt that I start tomorrow. Should I jump in without the hoop?

This is the quilt I finished today. It is made properly. The stamped images (Teesha Moore) were appliqued and then embroidered onto the brown and black check fabric. Then I made the sandwich with the backing fabric - a purple and orange tie dye - and batting and then I quilted it by hand. The binding is just a buttonhole stitch. I like it. Pretty much.

I want to talk about meaningful things here, but I seem incapable at the moment, and have for many moments.

It smells so good in my yard right now. All sorts of things are budding and blooming. The trees are full enough that I don't have to look at my neighbors' houses and it really feels like we are out in the country. We have less than three weeks left in school. And then it's official - I am the mother of two high-school students.

Why did that cute boy marry Mariah Carey?