A mother's work is never done.

In my last post I lamented about Vanderbilt University's TRIAD summer camp. This morning I called the Autism Society of Middle Tennessee office to see if anyone there had any inside information that might help me. Long story short, I ended up calling the TRIAD office again and found out that there's ONE SPOT FOR A 6-YEAR OLD. I just about did a cartwheel while on the phone - at work - in my skirt. I have to work until 2 today, then I have a much needed massage scheduled from 230-330, then I am going down to the TRIAD office and delivering my paperwork plus the deposit money. I can't believe we're getting in. (And thank you, Michelle, for your words of encouragement. I WAS able to pull it off!) And this camp better be da bomb for as much money as they charge for it! The lady at the ASMT office I spoke to this morning told me that people come in from out of town and live in a hotel for 3 weeks just so their child can go to this camp. It's exciting that Hayden will have this opportunity, but at the same time it's sad that it has to be such a competition to get in. There really should be more services made available for these kids. Research has proven that early invention is the key to success.

Nothing exciting in my knitting world this weekend. I bought the Somewhat Cowl pattern for the Sexy Knitter's Club KAL, and I'm thinking of using some Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere from my stash. (Anyone wanna take a guess what color it is???) I'm a little nervous about the neckline, though, because I haven't seen a finished sweater that has a neckline that I absolutely love. I have an image in my mind of what Wendy's looks like, and I want mine to come out the same way. We'll see how it goes. It looks like a pretty straightforward project, so I'm planning on working on it when we drive to Irondale, Alabama (right outside of Birmingham) the second weekend of April for the Powerman Alabama duathlon. I'm working on the second Jaywalker and I've gotten through the first repeat of the center section of my sampler stole. According to one of the KAL participants, I am about 7% done. How depressing! I'm working on it slowly, while I'm able to devote attention to it, because I'd hate to rush it and make some stupid mistake. I don't have a lot of experience with lace knitting - my only "major" lace project is my Rowan Butterfly top - so I'm having to use stitch markers to separate repeats and a post-it note to help me know what row I'm on. And I've resorted to using the aforementioned spreadsheet to make little tickmarks on the rows that I've done. Stitch markers, post-it notes, tickmarks -- wow, I sound like a newbie.

My athletic endeavors were a little more exciting this weekend (and a lot more painful). I decided Friday night to run a half marathon Saturday morning. I went into the race hoping to run somewhere between 8:30-8:45 minute miles. I ended up running with 2 friends and we were able to keep our miles around and 8:20 pace, so my time was 1:49:36. I was pleased, especially since I was able to do that and talk the entire time. (Of course, as I was showering later, I thought, "Y'know, if we hadn't had talked the whole time, we could've run faster and I might've been able to beat my best half marathon time without really even trying." Runners and triathletes always find ways to not accept their times as the best they could've done.) My legs were pretty sore the rest of the day, though. Somehow my muscles aren't in as good of shape as my aerobic energy system is. Yesterday I rode with my friends and had planned on taking it easy, but of course that didn't happen. I was wasted last night. My massage this afternoon cannot come at a better time!

(Sorry this has been such a long post without any pictures. I'm at work right now with nothing to do, but my boss hasn't left for lunch, so I can't knit. Bah.)