Fumbling Along

30-something, single mom of two. PNW. Mostly reblogs and random rants

[littleredhen]

Re-downloaded MFP. I hate it already. I think it’s chicken shit that they want me to upgrade for the features that used to be free.

Anyway. Trying to drop some more lbs. I’ve been hovering in the same 5ish pounds for a year or so now, after gaining about 30 back. I saw some candid pictures of me that I hate. So I’m getting back on the train.

I’ve got this internal conflict raging - when I was down at my lowest after the surgery, I felt like a deflated balloon. Like I had lost all of my best attributes and everything was in a new, weird place and I didn’t know how to dress my body. I certainly didn’t want people to see me naked. I don’t want to look how I do now but I also don’t want to look how I did then. I don’t know what to do. Maybe therapy will help

[littleredhen]

Torn between disappointment and relief, because my brain kept telling me that I didn’t want to do this run, but my body was doing so well and felt pretty decent. The rain felt good because I was pretty hot.

I was at 2.68 miles, less than half a mile away from a 5k. I was on track to beat my previous 5k PR by about 7 minutes.

Then the lightning decided to come out. When the lightning comes out to play, I go away.

Maybe next weekend.

[littleredhen]

Found a cool little comparison tool in Garmin Connect. I don’t necessarily care about how I compare to others, I just want to be at/above average for my age group. What I really want to talk about is my personal progress this year. Comparing where I was in December versus where I am now? I’m loving it.

I wasn’t even on the map for running in December. I hadn’t gone on a single run since May 2025. Now, I’m averaging 8 miles a week.

My sleep has taken a hit - most of my running is done around my block after my gremlin goes to bed, which pushes my bedtime later. Bummer.

I’ve almost doubled my average number of floors climbed (probably due to going up and down my stairs to go on my walks & runs)

I’m close to doubling my average daily steps. And the number is only climbing as I add more miles with my training plan.

I’m so excited to see how things change over the next few months!

[littleredhen]

The sheer number of people at this run was wild. I couldn’t jog for more than 10 seconds without having to walk so I didn’t run in to people.

Goal for next year: drop enough time off mile 10k pace that I can be a couple groups ahead of where I was this year

[littleredhen]

My first-ever assigned run from Runna - no faster than 17:30/mi. Did it feel comically slow? Yes. Did I have a voice in my head saying people were gonna see me and laugh? Yes. Do I care? No.

I just jogged for 53 minutes straight. I did 3 miles just to keep the number nice and round. I am not sure I’ve ever jogged for this long in one stretch, regardless of pace. I’m feeling pretty good about myself right about now 👟

[littleredhen]

Started using strava for the first time. The insights from the first run that came over from my garmin have me feeling personally victimized. “This was a chill effort despite your heart rate telling a different story — interesting contrast!” Strava really said I’m slow and out of shape

[littleredhen]

I had to do a “virtual inspection” for my landlord last week. That meant a lot of cleaning and multiple pictures of every room in the house. It was a lot 😬

This is my current craft supply wall. It isn’t the entirety of my supply stash, but it’s a good amount of it.

I’ve been trying to use/donate/sell a lot of what I have so this is a bit more manageable. My girl also keeps “shopping” in my stash for her own projects, which I have conflicting feelings about 😅

Idk maybe this time next year this will look vastly different. Who knows

[littleredhen]

It’s week 5 of the couch to 5k that my work is doing. I was cruising along until last week, when my ankle started to be achy. I think it might be tendinitis?

My dad has a genetic connective tissue disease. I’m like 82% sure I also have it but haven’t gotten a formal diagnosis. If I DO have it, then it’s very likely that I’m more prone to things like tendinitis.

I want to be a runner SO BAD I just have to figure out how to make that happen with my bendy joints

[littleredhen]

My mental health feels like my hair needs to be purple ASAP

[littleredhen]

I lowkey think this couch to 5k plan that my work came out with might kill me.

The end of week 2? 5 minute run, 3 minute walk. X3.

I’m sorry. I was on the COUCH 2 weeks ago and now you want me to run for 5 minutes straight?

Week 3, day 1? 7 minute run. SEVEN MINUTES. WHAT EVEN.

[littleredhen]

I just really need that friend who will help me bleach my hair in my kitchen so I can dye it blue and purple

I don’t have those kinds of friends any more and I fucking hate it

[littleredhen]

I’ve been trying to get a good grip of my craft supply stash. I went through and organized the yarn, took pictures of it all, entered it all into my ravelry. I took three big tote bags full of yarn, fabric, and tools to a craft supply swap at a local library. I’ve been trying really hard.

Tell me why. As I was searching for a specific thing I wanted to get rid of, I found FOUR one-pound skeins of yarn. I didn’t know I had these. They’ve just been hiding in a tote for years.

What do I even do with these now? I feel like they should go to a big project but also I don’t have any intention of starting a big acrylic project any time soon.

Thoughts?

[littleredhen]

Tadaaaaaaa!

[littleredhen]

Went to see Zootopia 2 today and almost had a meltdown when the characters were in the water tube thing. I keep having dreams about drowning and the characters not being able to breathe had me fucked up

[littleredhen]

There was an auction at work to raise awareness and funds for the trans day of remembrance. I donated a couple of things but also bid on some things and I won a custom-dyed skein of fingering weight yarn. Now I have to figure out what to request! It’s 100% superwash wool. Maybe use it for a hat? Baby’s first brioche? I don’t knowwwwwww

[littleredhen]

It was a crisp 59 degrees in my room last night. Had to break down and use the space heater. It’s that time of year where it snows one day and rains the next, so our roads are super fun to navigate.

At least Christmas might actually be snowy this year

[littleredhen]

I’m 65% done with my current sweater project and having the itch to start another.

I told my boy I’d make him a sweater and he requested camo, so I figured an acrylic sweater would be just fine for that. I’m going to do just a basic stockinette raglan for it and the post office should have the yarn waiting for me tomorrow.

I keep telling myself that I can’t start my next passion project sweater until his is done. I can’t cast his on until my current one is finished. I’m fighting the urge to have several knitting projects at a time, because I know it’ll quickly spiral out of control. BUT. When I do start my next passion project. I’ve got some decisions to make.

It’s going to be the sea glass sweater by wool and pine.

The goal is to get rid of a good amount of my scraps that I have lingering, and I’ve got a LOT of blue/green jewel tones hanging out. I’m going to use mixed grays as the “main color” and the jewel tones as the “contrast color”. My decisions include:

1. What color to do the collar, cuffs and hem:

All the same color (Gray, light blue/green, or dark blue)

Collar one color and cuffs&hem a different color (see choices above)

2. Whether to do a gradient for either the MC, the CC, both or neither

3. Whether to stick with just blues and green or pull some purple from my stash and source 1-2 mini skeins of purple from my favorite LYS(s)

4. Do I order silver thread to hold with the MC to make the whole thing sparkle like jewels in the snow? Or is that too much?

My current yarn pull for it looks like this, with & without the one purple I have on hand:

It’s probably at least 2-3 months out before I can start on it, so I have time to make these choices. But I’m absolutely antsy to get started 😅