Walking to Rivendell

My welcome back from Chicago present from the gf was a treadmill. My dream workout in a foldable little package. perfection. I am such a joiner. I have decided to follow my favorite author in her walk to Rivendell and beyond. So far I am three miles out from Buckleberry Ferry. My geektastic knows no bounds. But it's fantastic incentive. You can log on daily to record your mileage, and there are support groups, etc. if you need them. I'm just in it for the mileage calculator...Right now I have reached Stock road and am about to break into song. I LOVE this. and my new toy. I'm averaging 3 miles per day in under an hour per day, which, given that I haven't worked out regularly in nearly a year, is a pretty good thing. I've been walking daily since I got back and I'm already noticing differences in my general happiness. *love*

oh, I have actually been knitting. really. Since I've last checked in with you, I have completed my brown cotton sweater (my own design...images soon), half a pair of socks, and am a good 2/3 of the way through the aquila shawl in my reward yarn...gorgeous 50/50 wool/silk laceweight purchased at Loopy Yarns in Chicago. Greatest yarn store (outside of my wonderful LYS Stitches with Style in Newark, DE) I have ever visited. Truth be told I have not yet been to Mecca (ie WEBS) as yet, so I may be lacking in perspective, but they were lovely people and their stock is every bit as good as Franklin says it is. This pattern is available only in Finnish, but there are charts, so it's totally possible. And gorgeous. The photos I took in my rental apt. in Chicago last week do not do it justice. Right now I'm 2 repeats away from chart #2. I can't wait to see this shawl blocked. I won't jinx it by saying any more.
And I got great material in Chicago....chapter 1 is golden now!