I purchased this treadmill at Costco in July, 2011. I used it for 2 months and injured my foot. I keep thinking I’ll be able to use it again soon, however after a year and a half, I’m admitting defeat. I would like to see it go to a good home where it will get some use.

Originally paid about $750. Asking $350

• Features:
• Commercial Pro Motor
• iFIT LIVE Compatible
• Adjustable Cushioning
• 28 Personal Trainer Workouts
• 1 -Touch Incline
• 1 -Touch Speed
• Multi Window LED Display
• Intermix Acoustics 3.0 EQ Sound
• iPOD Compatible Music Port
• Folding (Space Saver) Design
• Easy Lift Shock

• Specifications:
• Motor: 3.0 CHP
• Speed: 0 - 12 MPH
• Incline: 0 - 12 %
• Belt size: 20″ x 60″
• Rollers: 2.5″
• Folding: YES
• User weight: 325 lbs
• Dimensions: 79.5″ L X 37.75″ W X 71.5″ H
• Warranty:Lifetime (motor) Lifetime (frame) 1yr (parts and labor)

If interested, please email me at Jennifer (at) Jennifer Meyers (dot) com.

I was going to post the following as a comment on Mr. O’Connell’s original post, and decided against it. If anyone’s blog is going to be opened up to a spam storm, it may as well be mine.

The advent of photography led to the lament that painting would be unnecessary. That isn’t the way the story unfolded. Photography freed up painters from having to be tied to a purely visual reality. Photography’s existence doesn’t prevent painters from creating hard-edged realism, but the ability to photograph a subject alleviates the pressure to do so. The artist’s freedom to infuse what is seen with what is felt opens the medium to the possibility of deeper and more complex expressions.

When I met my husband in 2004, I knew we were kindred spirits when I discovered that each of us owns the same 1957 edition of Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo. Without books and CDs littering our homes, how do we recognize each other as potential friends or lovers? Should we compare Amazon Wish Lists?

We have a library in our home and we continue to add to the shelves and stacks on a regular basis. I also have several ways to read e publications at my disposal. I doubt I will ever stop wanting to own my wonderful collection of vintage knitting books or that my husband will ever part with his astronomy reference books. It would also be impossible for me to quantify the amount of entertaining discussion spurred by the discovery of my parents’ marginalia in a decrepit volume. Besides the stories they hold, the books themselves are a part of our personal history. Much of the experience of encountering these works is the aesthetic pleasure of perusing them. At the same time, I love being able to finish an embarrassingly sappy novel and, despite the four feet of snow outside, slip right into the next volume without risking life and limb.

I think of books the way I think of food. There is food that is mere sustenance. There is food that is high art. And there are a lot of meals that fall somewhere in between the two. I am hopeful that the ability of everyone to publish an ebook, will liberate gifted writers, publishers, and book designers to focus their talents on evolving the art form of printed books. For the time being, my rule of thumb is that any book I would be unlikely to reread or lend, I will buy either used or as an e publication.

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We were only at Rhinebeck for a couple of hours this year, but it did seem that among a certain crowd, support spindles were all the rage.  Maybe it’s that there are fewer people who make them? Or maybe it’s just the latest thing. I’m not sure. I do still love sitting on the couch, spinning with a spindle that isn’t going to hit the floor (followed by a couple of cogent words). I’m also a bit amazed that with just a bit of fluff and a slight flick of my fingers, I can create the finest lace weight yarn ever.

One of my favorite Russian spindles Mark has made thus far is this one. It’s turned from black walnut that grows like crazy all over our land (and we have the blasted walnuts to prove it. Want to see the dent in the hood of my car?).

Every time Mark makes a new spindle, I am amazed and I want to keep just that one. I’ve got baskets of spindles now and I’m actually excited to share them with other people who will enjoy them as much as I do.

I want to keep this brief because I’d like to have a little bit of time to knit at the end of this, my first day back at work after a week off. But before I go, I’d like to say ‘hi’ to Alisa and thank her profusely for spending some of her precious vacation time with me. I had the honor of introducing her to Webs (we call this a win/win situation) and we had an afternoon that included Thai food, ABC Carpet & Home, and Purl Soho. Am I lucky, or what??? All this fun made me miss my Wisconsin buddy Lois so much. She was my usual partner in yarn crime until she moved to the land of Cheese Heads.  For you, Lois, I’m sending my best wishes from NYC, the land of fine taste and high art.

As I started to spin more this year, Mark has been humoring me by making spindles. Now that my house is filling up with spindles, it made sense to spend the morning with Russian spinning and Orenburg lace knitting officianato, Galina Khmeleva. She’s an energetic and engaging teacher and I would recommend her classes highly.

Despite the wet and windy weather, my soul was filled with sunshine, rainbows, and unicorn kisses, just from driving into the Dutchess County Fairgrounds parking lot. I love wandering around as the vendors are setting up, watching all of the dyed-in-the-wool fiber fiends swathed in their hand-knitted wardrobes. I’m glad I got this taste before the weekend because we won’t be heading back to Rhinebeck early tomorrow morning. The NYC Pen Show, which is also held this weekend, has been calling Mark’s name since last year…

Fortunately, we won’t have to consider who will win our personal version of ‘rock-paper-scissors’ known as ‘pens-fiber-woodstove’.  Now that the nighttime temperatures have dipped below freezing, relining and repointing the chimney (and the subsequent heat from our woodstove) wins!

It wasn’t until then that I decided to read the book.  I was so glad that I did because I love this book. Yes, passages made me uncomfortable, but real life can be like that for me, as well.

When I heard the Mr. Franzen wrote a new novel being released in September, 2010, I marked the date on my calendar. I read the profile of Mr. Franzen in Time Magazine and shared it with anyone who had a glimmer of interest.  As soon as the book hit the shelves (and by that, I mean became available on Kindle), I started reading.  What I want to know is, why didn’t I notice him taking notes as he rode shotgun in the Volvo station wagon in my mind?

Moments ago, I received an email from Borders availing me of the fact the Ms. Winfrey has chosen Freedom as the next Oprah Book Club Selection.

I’m ecstatic that Jonathan Franzen stands to profit from this exposure. I’m happy that readers who might otherwise ignore this book increase their chances of encountering such a well written work of modern fiction.  I am a bit incredulous that Ms. Winfrey’s motivation is anything  more than a desire to repair the pock marks in her reputation among the people she alienated with her earlier public interactions with Mr. Franzen’s writing.

Feel free to disagree with me.  I fully support people having an opinion and the courage to stand by their convictions. To that end, why not read the book?

I can’t type and spin so you can blame Jenkins Woodworking for the lack of blogging.

That’s an 8gm Jenkins Holly Kuchulu and a 14gm Jenkins Big Leaf Maple Lark.

This is a Jenkins Standard Turkish spindle in Purpleheart. It weighs a wopping 58gms.

Here’s what can be done with the 8 gm Kuchulu and some silk

The natural colored yarn is the yarn spun and plied on the purpleheart. It looks like the the light weight holly is just the thing for spinning thread.  Why would anyone spin silk thread (and on a spindle rather than a wheel)? As always, because I can!

Things have been stressful here in NM, CT lately.  With everyone heading back to school, it’s transformed our generally chaotic pediatrician’s office into a flurry of school forms and freshly immunized children.  All of that excitement is bound to spill over into the rest of life.

Our friend Stephen brought over the board game Attack! last weekend. We spent the better part of Saturday (okay, and much of the wee hours of Sunday) doing our best to rule the world.  Who would have imagined that Olivia is the diplomat/dictator nonpareil?

Those are just some of Olivia’s resources in grey.

I seem to be unwinding by putting all my twist energy into fiber.  It’s the hand spindle I’m addicted to.  Mark made me several of varying weights and I fill every spare minute with spin.  I’m getting better at consciously creating the yarn I want but there are always surprises. I spun a little bit of silk and merino with a support spindle (that’s the tiny skein all the way to the right).  I was aiming for a lace weight yarn and I got it! 34 wraps per inch in a sweet little two-ply yarn.  Pretty soon I’ll be spinning just like the big girls.

So emboldened was I, that I signed myself up for the Russian supported spinning class taught by Galina Khmeleva at Rhinebeck this year. Last year, I took a class in Shetland colorwork taught by Nancy Shroyer. I had a wonderful time and learned a few things.  Did you know, that if you take a workshop at Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool, they give you a two-day pass to the festival? It’s such a bargain!

When I’m not working or spinning, I’m lurking on a few of the spinning boards on Ravelry, making and remaking my list of techniques and spindles to try (and/or buy at Rhinebeck!?).  One Raveler was rehoming one of her Jensen Turkish spindles. It was supposed to find it’s way to my home, but through an unfortunate mix-up, it went somewhere else. I assuaged my sadness by buying one directly from Ed and Wanda Jenkins.  It arrived in short order, beautifully packaged with samples of fiber to try.  It is even prettier than I imagined and spins like a dream. I do not know how to spin with a Turkish spindle well, but I expect that buy the end of this three-day weekend, I’ll have it under control.

The trend among some Ravelers is to name their Jenkins spindles. I, of course, find this to be ridiculously childish.  At least I did until we had been properly introduced. She’s so cute, I just want to take her with me everywhere I travel even if all I have time for is to be warmed by the promise of future quality time.

This year I submitted four items, a sweater, a holiday stocking, a lace shawl, and a hat. The sweater and the hat won second place ribbons. The shawl and the stocking won first place ribbons.

As ever, my aversion to crowds dissuaded me from checking out my competition. Although while I was waiting in line to submit my entries, I ran into Amy, formerly of Selma’s yarn shop which used to be in Southbury. She had two pairs of ‘Magnificent Mittens’ from the Anna Zilboorg book. It was nice to see her again and I asked for her email address. I’m just glad I didn’t submit anything in the mitten/glove category.

Daughter #2 went to the fair on Friday night and said she has never looked in the needlework tent - this was her first time. She said she expected there to be many more knitted objects than there were. I’m thinking that I may have to start a knit along group to incite competition. All knitted objects have to be created in the 12 months preceding that year’s fair which makes today ‘Preparing for the Bridgewater Fair’ day #1!

I’m still new to spinning on a spindle, but I quickly figured out that using a supported spindle would increase my chances of spinning lace weight yarn as I wouldn’t be fighting the weight of the spindle.  I spent some time reading about Russian support spindles and found some made by gripping yarns that I’m simply mad for.  Lisa, the owner of gripping yarns, has also made several wonderful videos about supported spinning.  It’s from these videos that I learn to spin this way.

Armed with a photo of the spindle I’m pining for, M made me the one in the center.  The other support spindle in the picture is the result of M trying to teach me what you can and can’t do on his lathe. Not quite as pretty as some, but it spins beautifully.

Here is one of the drop spindles M made me full of yarn spun and plied on drop spindles.

Here is the skein, 103 yards, 16 wpi, 26 grams.

Then, just to break things up, Olivia and I spent some time making speakers for our ipods.  We used the speakers from those annoying greeting cards that play music when you open them. They work great with the ipod, but without an amplifier, they aren’t loud enough to use with a laptop.

After all the spindle spinning, I was ready to break out my spinning wheel. My hope was that all of the close up attention I’d given to drafting would pay off.  In my opinion, it has. Here is my skein of Blue Face Leicester, 104 grams, 366 yards, 14 wraps per inch. I spun this worsted, which I’d always had trouble with doing successfully. The secret for me was to divide the top in to strips and then predraft.

I can’t really explain why the experience of spinning is so satisfying. I simply love having my hands in the fiber. While I’m busy contemplating this, I’ll just keep spinning while listening to books on my iphone as played through my bran flakes box.