Saturday, March 24, 2012

Yet Another Edition....

...of "What a Runner Sees" -- yeah, I know it's been a while since I've made one of these posts but I think last weekend's festivities gave me LOTS of subject matter!!

This is the 8K race that took place on Saturday...many of the costumes were hilarious!  There was one guy running completely dressed as a leprechaun with a teddy bear strapped to his back!




I've said it before and I'll say it again...this is one of the MOST fun races ever, simply because everyone really gets into the spirit of things and makes it one big party....or maybe a circus atmosphere? 

A couple of my running friends were there...I simply texted them and said "look for me...I'll be the one wearing green!"







EVERYWHERE you looked there was something/someone to see with a CrAzY costume/hat/hair to see...I think the fella to the left had ALL three down to a science.  He even included the race sponsor "Yuengling" to his wardrobe.





Then there were all different types of "beer hats" (mine happened to be metallic) ---



SIGNS--SIGNS---EVERYWHERE THERE WERE SIGNS....


I didn't get pics of all of them but one that sticks out in my race was a HUGE banner stretched across someones front yard that said "Tight butts drive us nuts"---
Headed back to the finish line there were plenty that said "Beer ahead" "Hurry Beer is chilled" -- but the one that kept me going was on the back of the 2:15 pace runner I followed. 

Red solo cup, I fill you up
Let's have a party, let's have a party
I love you red solo cup, I lift you up,
Proceed to party, proceed to party

....and in his hand he carried a Red Solo cup! 

Speaking of party--


While enjoying my cool beverage I happened to look over and notice tulle sticking out of a port-o-potty...I took the picture thinking that someone had just caught their tu-tu and ripped it...if I had waited only a few seconds more I would have caught a very large man walking out of the potty wearing the tu-tu!!  HILARIOUS!!!


Dolphins played just off shore...


...while King Neptune kept watch over the party!!



Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!!



Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Yeah.....I DID!!



The "yarn diet" failed on this trip...yep, I fell off the wagon! On the way home I just HAD to visit The Yarn Club and I'm so glad that I did.

First I guess I should back up a moment.  I realize that I never made the announcement here (I did on FB). Later this year an event is going to happen that I really never expected, I pretty much prepared myself for the fact that my kids were not going to give me Grandbabies (well, I do have the "step" grandkids).  My oldest son and his wife are expecting a bundle of joy!!  I've been so excited to get started on the "baby knitting" but needed a neutral knit till we find out the gender of the "peanut" (DS #1's nickname for "him"--yes, he's wishing for a boy). I know there's the old standby of yellow & green but I want something REALLY special.

Photo courtesy of Appalachian Baby Website
OKAY...back to The Yarn Club...upon entering the store I was totally blown over by the selections and COLOR was everywhere! As I perused the store, I heard Andrea, the shop owner, mention this baby sweater she was finishing up and my ears perked up immediately.  YEP....just slap SOLD across my forehead!  This is the cutest little knit ever...from Appalachian Baby Knits (a West Virginia Company) -- Lamb's Ear Cardigan.  It's neutral, which means I can start knitting NOW as opposed to waiting.  The organic cotton is as soft as butter and the kit contains all you will need to complete the sweater. Needless to say I cracked into that sucker the minute we hit the highway and cast on! CUTE-CUTE-CUTE!!

This is a store that I highly recommend you visit when you are in the area.  Great selection, lots of attention paid to filling the store with local yarns, lots of unique items and GREAT customer service!


One other stop we made was for lunch (just so happens we stopped on the way to the beach AND on the way back home--and it happens to be VERY close to the yarn shop)
I'm not sure that everyone knows this but Hubby and I are HUGE Guy Fieri fans and love the show Diners, Drive-in's & Dives.  We have visited several of his featured restaurants and when traveling we do try to find one along the way to visit.  I'm also a HUGE BBQ fan so it goes without saying that of the 4 restaurants in the area we chose the BBQ joint....NO disappointment here AT ALL.  That's why we went back on the way home (so much for the fried chicken joint Hubby wanted to visit...and the Italian Bakery I wanted to visit) 


In this YouTube video the 2 features are what I had and the turkey sandwich IS AWESOME!!!  Worth driving back for another....my mouth is watering!! The owner, Warren Rogers, is such a nice man. We chatted with him for a little while.

Then you look up on the wall close to the ceiling and you see this....


Taken with my cell phone so not real good but it says "Guy Ate Here"--now I wonder if that was on the other restaurants we went to...guess we have to go back and see.  Maybe it's like "Where's Waldo"?!

Keep On Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Post Race High....

Hope everyone had a GREAT St Patricks Day!  We did for sure...

Still riding high after the best ShamRockin' Half Marathon!!! We had a great time...enjoy the pics~~

The Boyz see me off on the start!

One of my "Forrest Gump Running Moments" (a great reason to run early in the morning)


Feeling GREAT....2:17 a personal record!


Enjoying my FREE beer!!


Later we went to the pub for dinner and I had an Irish Car Bomb!!  YUMMY!!


And.....the BOYZ had a blast on the beach!


Rudy says....I'm POOPED!!

So is Momma Rudy!!

We stopped at a really REALLY nice yarn shop on the way home...where I found the cutest knitting kit~~Let me just say......LET THE BABY KNITTING BEGIN!!!  (pics to come)
This grandbaby is going to be well dressed in knits....now if we can just find out the gender!!  I think they ALL want a little boy...fingers crossed.

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!



Saturday, March 17, 2012

La Fhéile Pádraig Shona Daoibh


Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

Monday, March 12, 2012

So.......

How did you spend your weekend?  With my last long run in the books I'm preparing for Sunday's race and crossing that finish line! With a few more challenges ahead of me I may be competing in my first triathlon in June...I'm still trying to talk myself into this.

Another season of an hour of sleep lost...but I LOVE the extra hour of daylight!!

I took advantage of the warm temperatures to do a little dyeing...



Inspired by a favorite beach towel (and longing to be back in the sun & sand) I went headlong into this without knowing what was going to happen.  Needless to say I'm VERY pleased!!  I'm still playing with a colorway name for it. The first thought was "Seaglass" then "Ocean" ~ Oh, and of course "Beach Towel"......anybody have any other ideas?


I had a silk scarf blank that I couldn't resist knotting that sucker up and painting it to see what would happen...VERY PLEASED!!


....and Rudy graciously modeled it for me!


(I hope none of my friends see this on me...really I'm not a sissy dog--my Momma just makes me wear this stuff)

Now to decide what I'm going to knit with it...always my dilemma. But I WILL be sporting a new silk scarf this spring!!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Welcome March....

Yesterday winter reappeared (well, the calendar says it's still winter but we've had a very mild one)---


....and my flowers had very sad faces!  It snowed HARD and all disappeared by 10am!  BRING ON SPRINGTIME!!

Knitting continues on various projects...training continues for my upcoming 1/2 Marathon -- only 12 days away!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!