Turn, Turn, Turn

 

I made the decision to retire at the end of 2019 in around February of that year.  Why the delay?  Well, it takes time to close a business, complete contracts, wrap up projects.

When I went public with the news, some friends asked what I would do?

Well, weave, of course!  I had to.  I had All That Yarn that needed to be used up, one way or another.

But then in March of 2020 Covid arrived and all plans - for everyone, not just me - went sideways.

Since I am immune compromised, it was especially important that I be careful about being exposed to a novel virus, and we made the decision to begin masking as soon as friends started making cloth masks (triple layer), then buying 'good' masks to wear as they became more commonly available.

Since then neither of us has had a cold, flu OR Covid.  And we intend to stay that way, as much as we are able.

Then I got shingles - again.  I'd had it before, was vaccinated (with the 'old' vaccine, not Shingrex), and it went into my left eye.  After two years of aggressive treatment, my eye doctor declared my eye was clear and asked me to return in six months.  I assumed to be cut free, but instead she informed me (on my birthday, no kidding, worse present ever) that...shingles was once again scarring my cornea.

Once again I'm dealing with the effects of a compromised immune system.  Any thought I might have had about loosening up my restrictions disappeared in a puff of smoke.  Or a haze of scarred cornea...

During that time of Covid/Shingles, I wrote two books, presented remote lectures, explored a new-to-me weave structure (details in Stories from the Matrix) and generally wallowed around kicking the tires on the vehicle of 'life'.  Oh, yeah, I also did classes for School of Sweet Georgia.

I also experienced the rapid worsening of several physical issues that have continued to plague me (never mind Covid).  With the help of my health team, I can keep weaving, although I have had to change how I do that - primarily, how long I can weave without stopping to take breaks, stretch, rest.

As I was wrapping up my exploration into the 'new' weave structure, since I felt I'd pushed it as far as I wanted to, I was feeling a bit rudderless, not sure what I would do next.  Of course I would weave! Bur what?

Then a student sent me a gift of some fine linen singles, so I wove off a warp of tea towels using that, loved it, and ordered more.  Five kilos more, to be truthful.  

But I still wasn't sure what direction I would - or could - go.  Until I got 3 emails in fairly rapid succession, each asking if I would be available to write articles for them.  

Since then I've written one, had it published in Heddlecraft, written two that are in the pipeline for School of Sweet Georgia, and worked on two for WEFT.  The first article is 'finished' and the text sent to the editor and the samples mailed to be photographed.  And yesterday I started sorting through the samples for the next article.

I'm still trying to find a couple of articles to reference before I start writing up the results of my experimentation, but I have a broad idea of how I am going to approach the subject.  I *may* wind up weaving some more samples, but that remains to be seen.  I can also dip into my teaching samples for more options.

If I can't weave the way I want to, anymore, maybe I can write.  Maybe I can experiment.  Maybe...

To every thing there is a season.