Raige Creations

What a race! The Flowers Sea Swim , a very well done event, this year is the 27th year it has been going! I trained a long time for this, since January. All through training, I simply wanted to just be able to swim a full mile without stopping. And at the start, I realized just how hard that would be. But, after months of training, I knew I could swim that far, even if I did stop to get the mouthful of water out of my mouth, or massaged a cramp, or slowed to get a better look at the fish. So the day came, and I wanted to swim it faster than I had in every training session. I was excitedly nervous. The weather was beautiful, even if a bit hot. The ocean was calm and a few clouds gave us some relief from the sun sometimes. Me and my numba! Never so proud to wear J16! Especially after I got my number painted on me! I felt so good, actually, with that number on. It was official now. Now, I just had to stash my stuff - they had a shuttle to take our stuff to the finish line....

Yup, this was the converstaion I had with my youngest after I got back from the store yesterday. You see, we had the wonderfully aweful vertical blinds in every room of the place we have now. The ceiling fans blow the strips so they make noise, they stick so you can't open them without a fight, and well they are just plain ugly. And they let light in. A 17 year old doesn't like this fact in his bedroom. So I went to the store, got these great curtains, on sale. Was waiting for the sale..... They are light blocking. What the boy wanted. A normal 17 year old request, yes, but also because there is a light right outside his window that shines right in his room everynight.  Easy Peasy, hang and ready to go. Except they were WAY too long. So some alteration was needed. But then we discussed options, and he just wanted one piece of fabric going across the full window. He wouldn't be opening them - ever - and didn't need the bulk of two. Wanted a clean no fuss thin...

As you may have guessed if you are a follower, I have not been keeping up with my workout schedule. You may have noticed I stopped writing about running and walking, stopped posting my workouts, stopped talking about it altogether! Well, you are right. I have slacked. Big time. I did manage 2 workouts last week, but I barely remember them. They were at the beginning of the week, then I didn't go at all the rest of the week. This week, I am NOT off to a good start. Haven't been at all.  I know, you are saying 'well it's early in the week yet'. Yes, but tomorrow is supposed to be COLD! Chance of snow. Yuck. Plus, I have SO much to do, I just haven't had the time to spare.  Yes, this is an excuse. I know.  But I successfully have talked myself out of getting out there several days now. I reasoned that the time it takes to walk (or run) plus the necessary shower afterwards was just too much! I could accomplish so much on my list in that time. Lame...

source: Thoughts of Raige Some days, the days when I wake up less than chipper, when I haven't yet found my positive thinking and hope or a good day, I am thankful for the views from my kitchen. Out past the tree line, there is a mountain I can see most days. There are lots of trees and nature is evident all around us. It almost feels like we are out in the country, away from noise and developments and crowding.  But in reality, a main road is on the other side of the house, we can hear traffic. We are down the street from several housing developments, and we hear dogs barking day and night. Our closest neighbor is pretty close actually.  We are within walking distance to Main St, a small village street with restaurants and shops and even a local mechanic's garage.  Though we still have plans for our dream house, our perfect place, the means to do only what we love, this is good enough for now. For this is all we can do right now. We can only dream of a better...

I know there are a gazillion websites and blogs that talk about the greatness of running. I read them too. But since I have started running again, after my 3 month break, I have learned some valuable  life lessons . Each lesson is great for running, but can be translated into every-day life as well.  (previous lessons: Shoes , Sleep , Form ) I am sharing these life lessons with you while training for the  Jingle Bell Run , which I am participating in on December 7th. ( Donate HERE ). Today, I can tell you ~ It gets harder before it gets easier . The Backstory I was running the a couple weeks ago and one day, I noticed a pattern when I ran. A disturbing pattern. The pattern went something like this: In that in the first mile I was feeling pretty good. I was energetic and my breathing is just right. I could even run halfway up that fairly big hill at the beginning. In the second mile, I started to get tired, legs ached, breathing was not as comfortable. Thoug...

Bones sez Happy Halloween Happy Halloween! It is a sad one for me today, as it marks the last day of NaBloWriMo 2013 .  And yes, it's Halloween, but we really don't celebrate that much anymore. For one, I have no candy for trick-or-treaters (we don't get any because of our long, beautiful yet potentially creepy even on a normal day, driveway). Second, my teens don't dress up for Halloween anymore (well, except my daughter who gets to dress as a literary character in AP English class - she is Elizabeth from Frankenstein, but I won't get to see her in costume!)  The most I do for Halloween is hang up my dear old friend Bones . He was an excellent Toekini model, but lately he just hangs around. I have really enjoyed this year's NaBloWriMo . I made some good new blogging friends, and my passion for blogging is even stronger now. I am sad in a way that it is done for this year. Also, I suddenly have a desire to make more Toekini's ! How diffe...

It is not for everyone....watching the sunset. It is bit cliche, romantic types revel in the ease of this tool. It is boring to some, not worth the effort to get to a great vantage point.   And normally, it is not on my list of 'must-do's. (I have seen more than my fair share of beautiful sunsets when we lived in the Caribbean, yes with my love too.) But when my daughter's friend was visiting us from our old hometown, after days and days of rain and not being able to do too much, and worried she wouldn't get to enjoy the nature and beauty of the area (an important part of being here in my humble opinion) , we decided to head up to Craggy Gardens to catch the sunset. We couldn't convince the boys to join us. I was doing it for the girls, and hoping to get a little enjoyment for myself. That is my attitude going into it. But once we were there, something happened. I could not avoid the feeling once there that I was so incredibly lucky to have this in my ba...

Then we would cook corn meal porridge Of which I'll share with you....... On the radio today, it is Marley Monday, where they share Bob Marley songs throughout the day. On the way to school, dropping the kids off, we heard this song. My ears picked up the 'corn meal porridge' lyric and instantly I craved it. It was a common breakfast when we lived in the Caribbean, and I haven't had any since we moved from there. Suddenly I was homesick for my old home, and fond memories of our time there flooded my head. We had tough times then, we struggled plenty in our newly married lives, with a young family and stresses much the same as we are faced with now. We plowed on, we figured it out. We had fun still, we had each other. Everything turned out alright. And it will again. 'Nah Cry, we push h'on trew.' Meaning...'Don't cry we always make it through.' Sometimes we forget, we forget we are strong, and we need to be reminded 'Everything's g...

I am searching for a good playlist for my runs, which now I can call them because I run for the entire distance, well minus the warm up and warm down. I also measured the distance, and found I do run 2 miles on this path that I have been taking for the last several months, walking and running.  I need a playlist good for 3 miles now though, as I am joining the Arthritis Foundation this year for their 2012 Jingle Bell Run - my first public race. (And now I am only $35 away from my humble goal for the cause) It is a 5k, 3.1 miles. One more mile than my regular workouts. Hubby started the search, and somehow we got lost in the 1980's. (something that happens with regularity it seems....) With great songs like Dexy's Midnight Runners (get it? runners... heehee) , and The Proclaimers and 500 Miles . With a good beat, and a running theme, I think we were on to something. But when he played this song , I knew it had to be on the list AND today's Music Monday! It...

Another year, another adventure in life.  Another adventure in writing with NaBloWriMo - where I challenge myself to blog every day in the month of October. I have been calling much of my life lately an adventure. And why not?  Life IS an adventure. But I am always behind. Source: whudat.de via Reach on Pinterest Tell me how to get caught up? I am always running behind , and it's not just writing this blog. It is with house chores, pet chores, shop chores , Raige Creations tasks (so so neglected poor Raige is), family time (I SO need to catch up on family time), time for friends, time for ME, and now blogging every day, the list goes on and on. Source: w3spine.com via w3spine on Pinterest Sometimes I feel like baby tomato, and like I look like poor  Mia there. Still trying to be funny, still trying to maintain composure.  A never ending battle to catch up. So off I must go, already behind schedule. Have a lovely Friday. ...

As I try to get back into a normal schedule, I am really loving this song and this long version of it. It is a groovy way to start the week. Hopefully a nice and normal week. With school starting, the oldest now off at college, the shop duties taking up most of my waking hours, it is hard to feel consistency these days. This week, I am hoping to really get back to normal even if it is a new normal. I am ready for the comfort of repetition and steady schedule rather than the chaos of jam packed days in ten different directions. Crimson and Clover, over and over should set the tone. This song was written in an effort to change the band's directio n, and it experimented with sounds and effects . Another fitting theme for this week. Embracing a new direction at t he shop , and finding a schedule that will fit some aspects of the old schedule I was comfortable with.  Happy Monday and here's to new beginnings and old ways.

Climbing up on Solsbury Hill I can see the city lights Wind was blowing Time stood still Streetlight Shrouded in Fog View from my driveway this morning It is a song of new beginnings and new challenges , and New Years and Mondays always bring new beginnings and new challenges. For me, the challenge will be gearing up for Toekini season and finding shows and festivals to apply for this year.  The challenge is  putting to motion plans Raige has had since last fall,  to think Summer in the middle of winter, and really push Raige to productivity! What challenges will you face this week, and this year? Hazed Path View of my driveway this morning