Swim, Bike, Run Training continues for my mini triathlon on September 10th, 2011

I biked at the YMCA for 77 minutes which is 20.5 miles on a random hill course.

Then, I ran for 10 minutes on a treadmill for 1 mile.

It's a punishment, of sorts, maybe, but I have a goal.  Hopefully I don't get knocked off track (no pun intended) and I can attend the triathlon at the Wendell Moore Park in Buckner, Kentucky on September 10th, 2011.

I first got interested in triathlons after watching Sonjay Gupta compete in the NYC triathlon.  It is actually running in 2 weeks.  It sold out in less than 6 minutes.  My race only allows 200 participants.  The NYC race, which is about twice as difficult as mine, allows 3,000!  What an accomplishment that would be!  Hmmmm, who knows.  I like working out and I need to lose weight, so it could be another goal for me for next year.  There is no way I would be ready for that race in a couple of weeks.  But, I will be watching.  Maybe if I can continue the workouts I am doing, 6 days a week, swim, bike run, then who knows....smile.

I wouldn't pooh pooh the one I am entering, the bike ride has lots of big hills and the run is a combination of cross country and hard surface-it's pretty tough too.

Working on a "Numbers" Quilt.

It seems like a brilliant idea.  Fabric is printed with the ending quilt in mind.  I suppose those lucky enough to have an embroidery machine can do that.  Or you could print on the fabric with your printer.  But, this is a nice option, a kit with the coordinating number words and numbers themselves printed on the fabric.  Using prairie points to lift, it becomes a seek and find of sorts. 

The new Harry Potter is great!

This had better win an academy award.  The make up and acting by Raphe Fines, Lord Voldermort, was really good.  Snape was also great.

Go see it!

USA Loses the World Cup to China in Women's Soccer

They were counting the cars in the garages too soon.  So said the commentators about one of the US Women's Soccer team members father.  The nation would buy you a pool of cars...not so, this day.

It was a really great game.  The Japanese had the finesse with ball handling skill.  America scored first then Japan, then America, then Japan.  It came down to the penalty kicks and Japan came out on top.

Ah well, if we had to lose to any country, let it be the one that has gone through so much in the year.  But, they deserved it.  Either team could have one it, it was just their day.

Lots of things to catch up o

 I've been trying to eat healthier.  I've entered a Triathlon which races on September 10th, 2011.  So I have to work out almost everyday.  I have a killer training schedule, 6 days a week, swim, bike, run.  I'm not in it to win.  I just want to complete it so I can check it off my bucket list.  Sort of like the Grand Canyon hike I did in March with Chelsea and Bob. 

View from my reading "perch" in the mornings.  I like my lemon water and tea and read for an hour or so. 

 I finished a quilt for our Christmas in July party for our Northeast Quilting Friends quilt guild which I lead and have led for 11 years.  It's so popular we started a second group which meets every Friday and Tuesday.  Now I have to put on the binding. 

 This is an old Bernina that still runs like a top!  It has a giant foot pedal. 

 This is a travel bag.  One of our members, Shirley Passino, taught our group how to make it.  I had to add some piping around it to give a little more finish  It's really handy and you need to get a Bohin Thread Braid.  It's every color in the rainbow and then some.  That way you don't need to carry a bunch of spools around with you.

Great Product for Piecing Batting

I'm big on trying to use all my fabric. I have a clean trash can I keep beside my cutting table. After I cut fabric, I use it to scoot fabric into for real scrap quilts. Some people buy fabric to make scrap quilts. Not me! I use all my scraps from previous projects. It's like visiting old friends.

I also save my scrap batting. In the past I would use a needle and thread to sew my pieces of batting together. Now, I found this fusible product to iron on the seams. It works very well. It's faster than a needle and thread. My quilting machine likes it too.

It is called Heat Press/Batting Together

WARNING!!! NEVER HAVE SHOW AND TELL AT LUNCH WITH A BUNCH OF QUILTERS~

Such was our fate at in Salem, Indiana.  The day started off just lovely, wonderful weather, our troop of gals shrunk from 18 to 8, but, that just meant fewer to have to wait on.  So it was just right.  Quilter camaraderie is a good thing, however, it can lead to copious amounts of spending if you have Show an Tell at lunch.  Those of you not familiar with the quilters Show and Tell at lunch, well, it's shopping first then walking to Christie's on the Square and having lunch.  Hmmm, now whose bright idea was it to show what we bought, maybe me.  But, oh well, we must support on LQS's in the area and we did just that, not once, but, after seeing things purchased and the hearing the reasons for buying them, it made perfect sense to return to the shop and make even more purchases. 

My first round of purchases netted these lovelies.  Can you ever have enough Christmas fabric around?  What about Steam a Seam Lite 2?  Just in case the Mackenna Ryan pattern that I've been putting off comes to call my name in the late of night, I can't be without the fusible web material to make it. 

Round 2 after a great lunch at Chrisitie's on the Square and our Show and Tell, found these lovelies for me to have.  What quilter should be without a license plate frame for their car.  A quilter puzzle and scissors for gifts are always handy.  Then a bit more fabric and I was done!

That wasn't too bad now was it?