More Cards

Just a quickie, a few more cards for a friends birthday and a couple of new people who are joining our department at work (from a different department).

I'm very excited about this as it means some more responsibility for me and also having the opportunity to work with two lovely ladies who I haven't had much chance to get to know yet.  So as a welcome to the department I wanted to make a card for each of them.

I hope tomorrow goes really well, but it has been hard work getting up to speed with the new responsibilities  so I'm afraid with that and the running, I haven't been doing much crafting recently.  I do have some sewing planned for the next couple of weeks.

First Race of the Year

Yesterday I had my first 10K race of this year.  After my training I did have high hopes for a good time, but I wasn't feeling too well and I have been experiencing problems with my calf muscles (probably due to overtraining running up hills too fast!!), so I was very disappointed.  I only managed 59 minutes which is slower than this time last year.

However, all our entrance fees, plus money put in collecting buckets on the day and proceeds from the sale of bacon rolls and cakes (very scrummy) goes to charity so it does have a positive side - about £2000 was raised.  Also I got this lovely bright orange T-shirt as a momento of the event.

I didn't run with the club tonight, I thought a fast 5 miles might be too much for my legs.  I did manage a slow 2 1/2 mile run with the dog.  I have to get my legs in good working order as I have another 10K race this Sunday.  I'm contemplating an ice bath for my muscles but can't quite face it!! This next race is a totally different type of race, its part of the Milton Keynes Festival of Running event and is a huge event with a very competitive atmosphere.

I've also signed up for a race on 1st April, aptly named 'Brill Hilly'.  I ran this one last year and it is a killer but rather fun.  It starts at the top of a hill by an old windmill, you run down the hill and round on the relative flat for a few miles and then back up the very steep hill.  My aim is to run a 10K race every month for the rest of  this year.

birthday baking

 It's daughter's 13th birthday tomorrow and she's having her friend round for tea and to go ice-skating at the local rink before tea.  So I've baked a few cookies.

 She didn't want a big cake so I've baked some muffins, I'll ice them quickly in the morning

I've borrowed a cake stand from my friend and as luck would have it, if I take off the bottom tier it has space for 13 cakes, I've put it on this nice cake plate.  I'm going to serve the muffins like this with a few candles stuck into the top cake.

Then on Saturday we're having a family tea party so I'll be doing loads more baking.

Cards and knitting

February is a busy birthday month.

 So I have been card making again,

 Two cards for friends at work, 1 for a cat loving auntie

 a special one for daughter

 and not forgetting one for hubby this week.

 It's still absolutely freezing outside and far too icy for running.  So I'm planning to sit down and knit this afternoon whilst the roast is cooking.  I only have about 20 cm of the cardigan to knit and it'll be finished.

I'm already planning my next knit!!  Why are there always far to many projects and never enough time?

Winter Wonderland

 Yesterday evening it started snowing and this morning we finally woke up to some proper winter scenes.

 We had to clear the paths so the we could feed the chickens and the guinea pigs.

and daughter made a small but cheerful snowman on the drive in front of my little car.