Thank you mom-Flight/knitting/Mushroom/ Books/ Travel

Some pictures to follow....

Well, mom did it she got me up at 4am and we shoved all the crap and me in the car. Cock eyed we drove to the airport and mom put me on the plane, there was a weird dude in front of me and I wondered if he was on my flight?

When I hugged mom, it was a long deep hard hug, I hope it said all the things I hadn’t said...

That yes I’m the food Gestapo but I love, you... I love the time we spend together and know it won't last forever.
Thank you for putting up with me through MM breakup with me, me laying on the floor all through Christmas, crying whining , sniveling.
Thank you for not getting on me when I drop crap like wool, needles, dye stuff, carders, magazines, including your new wild fiber ( yeah I left it on the floor) and books every where in search of learning about something.
For invading your space and just using your wheels/ ball winder/ carders/ flick carders/ crock pots/ wool/ ( I’m stopping cause it keeps going).
Thank You for photo copying me like 16 articles out of various back issue of Spin Off( from the 80’s) and stapling them.
Thank You for the home cooked meal that was the first one I hadn’t made myself in a long time.
Thank you for saying the obvious , and not so obvious and thanks for knowing when not to say anything.
Thank You for not telling me to stop talking about dad the whole two weeks he was in the hospital even if you do not talk to him anymore. And having to hear about the darn socks I tired to knit while in the hospital.
Thank you for being my wing lady in any fiber/yarn shop so I can give you “the look” and you know what it means :)
Thank you for taking the effort to teach Detra ( niece) to knit, because I didn’t not have the patience to.
Thank you for making me tea every time I thought I couldn’t stand one more day, of MM dumping me, Dad being sick, Satan dictating what I had to do, trying to knit Christmas gifts…… and well I guess just being a kid even though I’m a quarter lifer.

In case that long hard hug didn’t say it there was another one….just in case, you never ever know what will happen….. Thanks mom! I hope we have lots more jaunts to fiber/ Yarn stores and festivals together, as well as family holidays ands such.

I felt that way too when I hugged my dad, like it might be the last one, that should he die I might not make it home and it might be a phone call. There should be more time in life with people who mean something to you, life shouldn’t get in the way, but it does. I had more time in this trip with my family then I have had in years.

I didn’t want to go, mom arms were safe and warm and she smelled of the soft rose perfume that she always wore, and her skin was soft and warm, but the hug broke. The air that filled the spaces where we had been hugging was cold. I started walking and looked back, she waved and smiled as we parted ways. Thank you mom.

The rest of the waiting for the plane went…ok, I got mad at my dad’s hat (second different hat) that I was trying to finish knitting. .. it was not going well, because some where I messed up my row decreases , and needed to rip it back a bit, but choose not to do in a public waiting area. So I get out my Books on Mushroom dyeing and get on the plane. Flying out of PSP is scary on a small plane, and I ended up sitting next to the guy that was in front of me in the check in. But he had to move because of weight.

SFO, lovely SFO I had just missed the connecting flight to Arcata by 4 minutes it was an earlier flight not my scheduled but ah well. So I sat down in a café/Bar for Coffee and a Danish $7. Enough said, I was ogled the whole time by Young men who appeared to be my age but made me feel uncomfortable because well, they were wearing suits and I was wearing my glasses ( which I can barely see out of), a really cool woven scarf and well.. I looked frumpy ok. So I just kept hiking up my Mushrooms are to Dye for and cross referencing it with The rainbow beneath my feet. I got up and went to the waiting area, only 10 minutes left out of my 1hr and 20 minute wait.

There was an announcement….bad weather.. no crap we live on the coast.. I was asking the lady about it as they were boarding the plane so.. well I grabbed my coffee, book scarf, backpack, rolly bag and knick nacks and ran down to the pane, my heavy rolly bag started to chase me as the slope was impressive on the ramp down to the Teener Tinner then the how we got to SFO one, some how do not ask me how oh.. yeah that was how, knick nacks were inclusive of my new knitterly clutch thing. Which I was gripping on to with my hand and that left my coffee held in the small crevice that makes up my chest, I turned to the person behind me ( afore mentioned person from, PSP airport and flight) could you grab my coffee? IF this guy is in my classes I’m in deep wool fur sure. HE did, and I didn’t break my neckgetting on the plane.

The I started reading Knitting Rules, cause I already read Yarn Harlot. This lady is so funny, a riot I had to stifle my laughing on the plane. I’m A Spinner an a miniy knitter I would knit more but lack some major skills ( nee we mention that I hate socks blog), I can sympathies with most knitting things, but I spin lovely yarn.And I got stash problems cause I such at knitting love to spin.

After Sherri picked me up, I went out ot replenish food, and wondered why I had so many %50 off coupons for Joanne I got pots for bulbs, do not ask you do not want to know. I only bought things really that go with tea, like coconut crème cookie sandwiches, or, Cinnamon rolls, jam for toast, Honey buns, yeah no bread… I like my tea. I also carried around my knitting clutch cause one it is cool and two my knitting is inside ! Slower back in Humboldt suits me very very well. Hmm I wonder…. I’m home now, my wool, and louet are not my mom is sending them ( it is a viki do not worry), I m going mushroom hunting for some personal reflection. Hope everyone is having an ice cup of tea or knitting something warm, I had to buy cute knee highs to go with my new shoes cause I can not knit them!

Packing wool.........Crap!

So….. when I go to go home, it is a well a bit of a mess, I mean I remember, that i came down here with stuff but I thoguth I was going to spin wool, give away gifts, I bought clothes to go be a bit......got gifts, foods, blankets...Honey

The table,( gifts, food, knitting needles)

The futon…..(wool, clothes for my sunken trip to Puerto Rico)

That isn’t even my clothes or wheel, I think I will be shipping stuff.

I also gave mom 8.7 Once of BFL, 4 ounces of clean little bundled locks of CVM, and 4.4 ounces of green silk merino roving. When I asked he how much CVM she wanted she said you know what ever you want to give me, and I looked her and asked what is this a drug deal?

There will be lots of packing cramming and hopefully no shouting while I pack.

President Clinton at redwood Acres, and I am going to m

President Clinton is going to be in Humboldt County at Redwood acres and I'm going to freaking miss it becausee my flight home isn't until Friday. Poo I have always wanted to meet him click here for story.

Remebering Christy Sconsa-Spinner/Friend 1 YR late

I remember one of my first rabbit shows, I think I must have been 11, or 10 and this lady who reminded me of one of those eclectic witches out of a movie, she had big rimmed glasses, long pointy painted nails that matched her lipstick, Fake eyelashes, an Up do and a Big ball of fluff.
Any major sheep show or Rabbit show Christy was there. AS I became and Adult she always had some very astute advice like, buy Jewelry as an investment, or rework the pearls and earrings Mm gave me ( That was the firs t Summer).

MY world is a sadder emptier place with out her, especially as last Winter me and mom weren't able to visit her as planned, then a few weeks later she passed away. When ever I spin Angora or Mohair I think of her and smile, and shake my head the way I did, when I was a Kid. Christy had a wonderful life and taught many youth the appreciation of Angora Goats and Rabbits, she was a funny spinner and a great lady, who I miss. One link Two links one her life and what she meant to a lot of people. She touched my life and I am grateful to have know her.

TNNA-Tanglewood!

So,I went to TNNA, Trade Show in Long Beach.

I finally got to meet Trish and Becky Anderson from Tanglewood Fiber Creations! I felt too shy to ask to take their pictures. So go to her blog. After traveling for two hours to get to Long Beach. After much driving ( I live where there is not traffic or freeways). It took me two hours to get there alot of coffee, a, oh crap why did I quite smoking? Alot of wrong turns, wrong parking garages and u turns, and a very cracked out OMG I made it!), changing my clothes in the car( of which mom and I had a long talk about my not so ok clothes), so I bought a shirt on the way there, the Black pearls (the ex gave me), a frazzled bathroom fix( do I really look like that?). I went down on the floor( with my new shoes), found their booth( did I mention each isle was labeled in hundreds). Tanglewood could teach you a class on how to get customers.The whole time they were very every busy.

Becky and I had a nice chat while Trish chatted up buyers. These two smooth lady’s are definitely a great business team. Trish is wonderful, artisitc , lots of personality and makes you feel at home and she will tell you how she came up with a particular colorway! Becky has a lot of humor, she is the down to business one, and gets all the transactions going. It is rare I get along with someone my own age, and the two of them make you laugh alot I think it is a secret part of TFC. ( the below is the lapel pin!)

I had to control myself to not salivate all over their yarn, more yarn even being a Spinner. They have great colors ways and fiber that you just want to lay around on the floor in( think very exotic), I think this happened over the three days of TNNA.Trish also introduced me to Misty International people, way way cool! And people from DC, and a lot of people, too many to remember next time, all three days taking photos to remember people. So yeah..

I met the whole Tanglewood family, when husband ( Mike) and son ( Steven) showed up, everyone is behind team Tanglewood. So everything ran smoothly. I found out from Shelli ( Knitterly) while we were packing up stuff that some times ( wink) you can the last day in the last hour buy things, and well that is where I scored, some Namaste clutch, oh yeah.( the clutch is mine and the olive needlecase, the teal is moms, as payment for me being the food gestapo, "no you can not have that Gingerbread cookie!")

I helped Trish take down the booth, it was fun to meet someone who I had known on line. When it was over Trish took me out to dinner, which was great and I got to know her and talk about yarn and fiber and funny things. Thanks Trish for all your hospitality I loved meeting you all.

The drive home was long very long, cause I had to pee, and was too lazy to stop. Yeah I know. I got home and mom had made a lovely orange marmalade cake, with whip cream sour cream frosting. The cake was made with marmalade and buttermilk.

I spent today on the couch with lots of cake and back spin offs, recouping……..

Oh Trish is looking for spinners! She pays you so, Email her ASAP. Her email is on the blog, If you missed on the links they look like this(click)

Yarn Beating, Fried chicken, Real Turkeys and shoes

1

I spun yarn today and watched, Ada, which is a great Susan Hayward movie.I made floofy yarn, by hot cold hot cold, and beating the crap out of the yarn. I think the neighbors might think that yarn was being murdered, as well recent pent up anger seemed to peak as I beat the yarn. It felt good, and the yarn will be all the better for it. The roving was really dirty even thought I had made my sisters scarf, out of some of the rest.

I then went and got mom, and we went to see her Artist Friend Tony, who keeps Nene , barnacle Geese, chicken and Heritage Turkeys. He is a great artist who does bird paintings. The nene geese were cute

Mom and I then went to the Outlets, and thank goodness there were no people there because well I hate shopping. While mom was in Cold Water Creek, I went to Liz Claborn and found some shoes, but, I then went to another store and loved the shoes but I decided to get the ones from Liz Claborn ones. But to be sure I had to run around sort of sloppy like, I explained to mom , I had to be sure if I were drunk and someone was after me, that I could get away. They were good.Regardless of what my sister says they look good, especially where the back half is covered by my jeans.

WE then went to have Friend Chicken dinner at the place that I wanted to go for a week cause they are only opened on Friday and Saturday night.

I got tasty honey fried Chicken and I even got dessert.

Monkey PIcked TEA! Oh and cats with Wigs

Click here

Yeah I know you guys think I m a bit weird and no this isn't fiber related but I was dying laughing when I looked at

monfisch

journal.
And I saw


The web site i here.
Yeah I think it is just one of those days

Buttons/ Fiber/ Tea/ Nautral Dyes

After a very long drive to Stick and Stone on Thursday ( very very long trip), where mom and I got some dye stuffs.

Then on Friday we went to have tea ( we are tea people) it was ok, but too much, not like a regular tea something you might be doing any given afternoon in Canada or Annapolis .( Thats mom)Look at the gold thingy in the corer that the tea strainer sits in.

We had a nice tea thought. Then I wanted to see Atonement but mom wanted to see National Treasure and as she goes back to school think well I said ok.

Otherwise I have seen spinning some bulk yarn, cleaning a Rambouillet fleece by locks so I can give my hand at the natural dyes we got.

I also have three things of top I need to spin Green Silk and merino, blue Silk and merino and some camel and silk.

While writing this mom distracted me with buttons, we were I think looking for something.

We were then thrown off by feathers.

Then the fingerlessmittens mom made for my brother who is a freak and wanted, yes wanted itchy wool

I can not make frelling socks!

Oh bought lovely sock yarn by twisted sister sock people. Have their book, am sitting in hospital for 6 hours. No socks. Why?

1) I cannot knit on those double pointed needles thought I could until I realized I was working on 56 which was the working number and not the 112 it said to cat on so ripped it out went back didn't look right checked gauge.
Which brings me to an important point. Tension

2)Can the tension on a Continental vs. English knitter be ok? My mom is a thrower and I am picker stuff exact same think some to different. Apparently it must be my tension!

3)And I cannot figure out how to get the needles going around( the DP, but I did until I found out I had the working number and not the CO, I can knit just apparently not socks ok?

which I thought I had, and did I mention it was while spending 6 hrs in a hospital ( with my dad)? Mind numbing stuff of which I think I could do with out. I wanted to make damn socks, I did over under thingy but damn it why is this so hard!

This not to mention my bad tummy from salty food down here( I eat at Organic Local resturants with no salt when I m at home ( in the redwoods you see)) some kind of cold/ Virus? Flu?- tooth ache, sty, weird lip stuff, pulled leg muscle- no no I’m not a hypochondriac and I’m going nuts from running all kinds of errands for others when all I want is some damn socks!

Spinner- Knitter/knitter or some such.Oh yeah foot in mouth.

Spinner/Knitter or lesser there of?

After reading the Yarn Harlot I was pressed to think about whether I am a knitter or A Knitter? I knit but I only knit to do something with the yarn I make because I really think of myself as more of a Spinner? I knit I enjoy knitting but I have not evolved to socks (yes I have been trying this for a bit) or sweaters but greatly enjoy handing someone over a hat or scarf or fingerless gloves made from my beautiful handspun.

I feel mildly traderous if I buy yarn, even if it is nice like Twisted Sister sock yarn or thereof. I feel it doesn’t quite hit the mark, but I am trying to get over feeling this way, it might be partly to do with the fact that my skills are lacking in knitting a bit, it isn’t’ that they aren‘t there they are there they just aren’t quite right or need some clarification. Socks I know that they contain the basic steps of any knitting maybe because I can’t ever seem to figure out how to knit with all those needles, I knit in the circular even if it isn’t circular.

Yes any one with tips of how to get over this problem please let me know. But I am a Spinner, I carry clippers and hand shears in the back of my truck to shear the ever innocent fiber animal.

A feel weeks ago I had a conversation that got me in a bit of some hot water, was that Spinning wheel company’s were coming out with more lighter and portable wheels. You know the Sonota, the Victoria, The lady bug. My theory mind you it is a theory, they are doing this because a generation of spinners are becoming older ( I mean boomers here ), with becoming older, is wrist problems, inability to carry weight, bad legs, backs etc, getting older you know?

I think that companies have been marketing wheels that are lighter and more portable I am sure for most people but also for an aging generation of Spinners. I do not mean all of them have health problems but there a considerable number I say thins in the nicest way, I do not mean anything bad by it but it is true if you started spinning in the 70’s and your now in your 60 or higher you want a lighter wheel to carry, you do not want to carry around a 20 wheel to go to conferences and stuff. I am not saying that you could not I’m saying it would be more ideal to carry a 8lb louet Victoria.

I hate HATE that every time I have to be around Anyone 40 and above they assume I know nothing, (about spinning or these matters) I have been around spinners since I was 9, older spinners have had me carry their wheels and such cause they have medical problems. Well apparently my ideas on wheels related to older spinners should be kept to itself because it wasn’t taken up too well by these knitters at a knitting session.

But his is really too bad because I want/ to go back to this yarn shop. I loved their sock yarn I wanted help on making socks and stuff, but now because some knitter too me as talking about this is the wrong way. I do not want to go back, it isn’t like I said anything bad, but ANYONE in the spinning world knows they have been coming out with newer wheels, they might not be just for older spinners, because well the Vikki can be tricky so it is to assume that no one with wrist problems could get that on.

Look at my ugly hospital hats-

Knitting books-Joanns

Well,

I had gone to JoAnns on the 31st to, look for “things” the phrase things is always the kiss of death to any crafter. The 30, 31, 1 Threads and Buttons were 50% and then the Knitting books were 40% off. Well I had seen at Michaels where I live the Rules of Knitting. Well, I looked every where for it. You be damned if Joanns has books that no one really needs, or so I rationalized it to myself.

After lunch, of where I ate too much rich food with salt that I am not used to. MY stomach was very upset, it was oh, my god, you gave me processed food. While I was Grumbling around looking for the Echoing grove in Barnes and Noble of course which they didn’t have it. So I was looking for knitting books, and I found the Yarn Harlot, well as there were many people around and I felt like I would die. So I found a comfy chair and stat down and read the Yarn Harlot, well I knew I could get it cheaper online but decided with the mood I felt I needed it it was require for me to feel better, to have something other then being sad to think about.

After pushing by all the So. Cal People, ( yes I have lived in northern, too long I now think of myself as a northern).

Well people are awful rude just pushing by and such, well I make it to a computer where I searches and found more yarn harlots books, I grumbled over to the craft section and after much heming and hawing I found it.

I hate the fact that after a certain age, you really cant say mom in a store and find you parent. So I have a lot of little noises and names, mom listens when Chloe called her Na na but not my Meme so finding her in a book store was somewhat irritating. I gave up and sat down, my gut was telling me that we should not be eating processed foods under any circumstances.

Well she found me, I got the books then went to Michaels, Then The yarn Deli (which was closed) and the Enchanted Unicorn (which was also closed), I really really needed size 6 16 inched circulars. I went home and read the Yarn harlots.

Yesterday went back to Joanne’s where I proceeded to copy down a pattern because I wanted one and the book was $30 and well yeah, I m trying to justify it here you see. I then bought some patterning thread, for some pretty boucle and some nice buttons for wrist cuffs. Much more to follow Esp how I want to go to the Yarn Deli but can’t due to the fact that I had a conversation regarding spinning wheels and aging ( I sear it was good) and types of knitters that apparently rubbed some people the wrong way.

After reading the Yarn Harlot, I have been pressed to think about things like am I knitter or am I Knitter? I know I am a Spinner. More to follow on this.

Ps this and the next blog were written while in Hospital for 6 hours!