Ok, the blog is back. I have such grandiose plans for its next incarnation (inwebation?), but alas, they are still vague, as well, and I have stuff to say.

I’m still running; my prep for the Trail Loppet half-marathon (Sept. 20) is going well but why oh why have I gained 5 pounds? Of course I know: all that hill running is building muscle. But that in turn is building muscle mass that I have to carry over 13.1 miles of hills and dales (that’s about 2 and a half hours of running, I’m estimating). Meh. Grr.

Oh well, at least I look good while training: I bought a few new running skirts (one from Atalanta, the other from RunningSkirts), and have been sporting them around the ‘hood and on various trails around town. Variety is the spice of life! Also on the retail therapy front: out of curiosity, I got a pair of Injinji socks. I generally don’t deal with foot blisters, so these ingenious socks aren’t really getting a chance to prove their worth in that way, but I am surprised that they don’t bother my feet at all. I remember once trying similar socks, as a kid in the 70s (and yes, every toe was a different color). Having fabric between my toes drove me nuts. Not so, now! The benefit for me: just looking at my toes with sock-fingers on them makes me laugh! It’s a great way to start a run. Muppet feet!

Stu and I, or at this point, I should really say Stu, is making progress with our prep to finish the basement this fall. Oh, such a spacious basement it is!

I’m reading The Time Traveler’s Wife, after a rather long bout of not being in a reading mood. This is a very enjoyable book.

I’m still climbing like a fiend (2-3 times a week), in spite of the fact that I have to wait til next year for my next climbing trip. I attempted to lead climb Jump Start (here’s a great photo of some of that route) down at Barn Bluff. Got 98% there. Spooky finish!

Greg posted a great story about the importance of DIY in our country. While I’m not super-inclined to get all Miz-Fixit in order to benefit my country, I think I may have come upon a solution for my own ennui. I’m a creative person, but aside from cooking a new recipe or two each week, I haven’t been creating much. I think I’ll be a happier person if I start making stuff or fixing things I hadn’t ever fixed before. Once a week, shall we? This will be a fun experiment. The tomato salad dressing I made yesterday, that counts for last week. Some candidates for upcoming weeks: that wedding shawl I still haven’t knitted, a new design/idea for this blog, a baby shower gift for Kat (sewing! I’d better dust off that Elna)…a new basement. Fun.