This post is long over due.
First, thanks to everyone for their kind words regarding Tucker. We are still mourning. We only got her ashes today. They are in a pretty little urn (so sadly little) next to Daily’s ashes on a shelf in our library. I think of it as our altar to “Good dogs gone.” With Daily and Tucker both passed away we are finding the house very empty. Coming home is the worst as there are no happy wigglers to greet us. Right to the end, Tucker always tried to get up to say hello by walking between our legs, a little trick Shane taught her when she was just a pup. I used to find it annoying, especially when she would knock me over trying to do it. I can’t believe I miss it now. We have yet to put away her beds and bowls. It is still too soon. When it gets bad, we spend time at the dog park watching the prancing puppies. I have kept busy with crafts. Shane has plunged into work.
I got out all my beading supplies recently. I wanted to avoid any fiber work so I would feel fresh for Nihon Vogue class (starts this weekend!). I’ve been doing lots of chainmaille and off loom work. There is quite a lot of pleasure in doing this sort of work as the projects are perforce small and quickly finished. I forgot how much fun it can be. I have made 4 bracelets, one of which Shane has taken to wearing. I am still working on the moonstone cabochon but the pendant is done. I’ve only to decide what I want the chain to look like and I will be finished.
As I have still not decided on a kiln, I have focused on my soldering work. I bought a beautiful star onyx cabochon that I plan to make into a ring. It means learning to roll a proper bail but, hey, that is half the fun!
Because of all this, the house is a mess. I really mean it. It is college dorm bad. When I was young, I once wrote down all the issues I hoped to conquer. Item one was my utter lack of neatness. If you have ever been to the house, you know that I am still working on that one. Don’t ask me about the rest of the list.
Like I said, Nihon Vogue starts this coming weekend. I am pumped. From what is on the homework, it appears we are meant to finish a vest and a sweater in the first six weeks. Yikes! I am anticipating blisters on my fingers. Nevertheless, I am raring to go. If I can truly master fitting it will all be worth it.
Tomorrow is another meeting of the Eastside Spinners. I am really looking forward to it even if they do not catch my “Office” references. I like having time set aside for spinning as it can be hard to fit in amongst all my other diversions. In the spinning vein, I recently took a class at Acorn Street on lace spinning with Barb Johnson. She is a great teacher. I do not agree with everything she says but I always learn a lot in her classes. In this class, she taught a technique she calls post drafting. It creates a semi-worsted type yarn that still has lots of loft. If you use this method while spinning to the crimp, the yarn you make is so bouncy it feels like elastic. I love it. I plan on trying to master it in the next few weeks.
The one issue I have with Eastside Spinners is the small size of the meetings. In an effort to correct this, I have been trying to infect the Eastside Stitchers with the spinning bug. My plan is to gift the most resistant with spindles and roving for their birthdays. They better watch out. The more they protest, the more I know they want it.
I recently went to a Feral Knitters night and actually had a great time. I think it helped that I spent a weekend with a few of them at Janine’s Fair Isle workshop. That was a great class, by the way. Janine has an incredible mastery of color. I knew Fair Isle has a lot to do with color but I did not know that hue is not really as important as value. Alas, I am very poor at judging values, so I will be working on this for quite a while. But, I did come out of class with a very beautiful (at least, I think so) Fair Islesample that I hope to work up into a sweater for Shane. My inspiration was Suzanne Pederson’s and Linda K’s Bernese dogs. So pretty and a candidate for our next dogs. We are also looking at St. Bernard’s. However, Shane and I both agree it is still too early to get new pups. I also would rather get rescue dogs than buy from breeders. We shall see.
I promise pictures soon. I must find my camera first.
Finally, an embarrassing horror story – I was sitting on my couch, watching ‘The Filth and the Fury.’ Anyway, I felt something tickling my shoulder. I thought it must be a mosquito so I just brushed it away. Unfortunately, it was a large black spider which instead of brushing away, I brushed right into my bra. I screamed and ripped my clothes off, much to Shane’s surprise. I do not think I have ever gotten out of a bra faster. So much for cleavage.
YEAH, Charlie is dead. Finally! It took long enough.
