Hi, hello

I feel like I should break out in song:  Hello, it's me.  I haven't seen you for a long, long time.

I figure I needed to stop by my long neglected blog and say hello.  So what happened to me?  I landed a job--a real job.  Regular hours, paycheck and all that.  So my year of unemployment interrupted by periodic temporary work ended one year eighteen days after it began.  When not at work I've been knitting, riding my bike, reading, and doing a wee bit of travel.

Cycling is occupying most of my free time.  I'm riding between 85 and 100 miles a week.  Some of these miles have been on my own, on club ride and organized rides including the Cinderella Challenge and Wine County.  Both were milestones.  Cinderella because this year it did not rain like two years ago and I didn't get sick toward the end of my training like last year.  So I rode the Challenge.  This takes you over Patterson and Altamont Passes.  Then a month later, I rode the Wine Country Century.  My first 100 mile ride.  It was fun with only one small problem--I got a pinch flat about 2 miles away from the last rest stop.  Fortunately, I know how to change an inner tube and get the tire back on the rim.  Double fortunately, a very nice fellow stopped to help me.

Some of the weekly miles are also done on my turbo trainer and TrainerRoad.  As much as I'd like to ride my bike outside, during the week it is just not possible.  I don't get home until evening and I don't see well in low, flat light. TrainerRoad gives me structure so it's not endless pedaling with no plan.  To make it work, I listen to music or watch videos of pro races. 

As to the travel, I've done a bit for work.  Nothing too exciting--Los Angeles and Orange County.  G and I went to Boston in November and then a whirlwind trip to Madrid two weeks before Christmas.  Both trips were lovely if too short.

My knitting has been for pleasure.  I've made mistakes, like the sweater that I tried to finish before leaving for Madrid.  I ended up not liking it. I ripped it out and am knitting another sweater, which will be finished long before I can really wear it.  I also knit a pair of socks with an interesting construction, which I'd been eyeing for a long, long time.  Turns out I thought they were fun to knit but don't really care for how they fit.  The fit is a direct result of the construction.  The other thing that has been interesting is knitting up my stash.  My year of unemployment broke me of the habit and desire to constantly add to the stash.  Strangely, or not, I've no desire to go back to the days of acquiring for acquirings sake.