Just rolled in the door (dragged?). I've been up since 1 am Pacific Time and it's now just after 5 pm. Doubt I'll last very long but I'm trying to sort through mail and figure out what absolutely must get done tonight so that I can make one errand run tomorrow.
Bills to be paid, forms to fill out, calendar to update - all the usual things that have to be dealt with after being away for an extended period. Not to mention getting ready to leave again for Madrona!
When I left Florida it was downright balmy. Here it's -15C. Back to reality.
Currently reading Devil's Brood by Sharon Kay Penman
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The End
of my trip to the south is nigh. The workshop is over, looms all put away, room cleaned up, weary weavers returned home.
It's been a great trip. I've met some wonderful people, and managed to see a few sights which I don't usually have the time to do. But all things must come to an end, and tomorrow I leave.
In order to get home in one day I must catch a 7 am flight which means getting up at 4 am. The up side is that I should get home by 6 pm (Pacific time, 9 pm Florida time) if there are no delays. So far the weather looks great all the way so barring equipment issues, it should be a nice, boring flight. Next post will be from home. :)
I'm well prepared with 3 books which should make the trip go quickly.
Currently reading Knit Two by Kate Jacobs (? - the book is in the other room)
It's been a great trip. I've met some wonderful people, and managed to see a few sights which I don't usually have the time to do. But all things must come to an end, and tomorrow I leave.
In order to get home in one day I must catch a 7 am flight which means getting up at 4 am. The up side is that I should get home by 6 pm (Pacific time, 9 pm Florida time) if there are no delays. So far the weather looks great all the way so barring equipment issues, it should be a nice, boring flight. Next post will be from home. :)
I'm well prepared with 3 books which should make the trip go quickly.
Currently reading Knit Two by Kate Jacobs (? - the book is in the other room)
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Sleepless in Florida
One of the things that has been making my life a misery the last few years is sleep disruptions. It certainly doesn't help when I add jet lag into the equation. Then, when the thought squirrels start running in my head, sleep becomes nearly impossible.
Thoughts running through my head last night (until 3 am-ish) - two surgical dates (to be determined, one of which requires 6 weeks recovery - i.e. NO heavy lifting which means no weaving, no dyeing) around which I have to fit travel for education and teaching/sales (Madrona - education), Fibres West and HWSDA (sales), Quebec (general session address and workshops), NEWS (seminars), Grand Forks (sales and possibly teaching?), move out of annex, get rid of Puff, wet finish the things I've woven but not wet finished before Puff expires (i.e. the end of March), dye 30+ pounds of silk gimp as quickly as possible (after skeining it off), dye the sample yarns coming from Ashland Bay, find storage space for the new line of spinning fibres I've just become the dealer for in Canada (details when I get home and get the dealer package, but.....they are exciting), work on The Project, writing, designing the exercises and making the samples - warp wrappings and woven samples to illustrate the principles......
Which takes me to September when I start travelling to do shows/craft fairs.
One of the things that always stops me in my tracks is when I do the local craft fair, which I've been doing continuously since 1979 (except for 3 years ago due to health). When some of the long time supporters of the craft fair see me show up again in my booth, they kind of look at me and say things like 'Oh, you're still weaving. How nice you have something to keep you busy.'
Oh yes. How lovely I have something to keep me busy............ :D
Thoughts running through my head last night (until 3 am-ish) - two surgical dates (to be determined, one of which requires 6 weeks recovery - i.e. NO heavy lifting which means no weaving, no dyeing) around which I have to fit travel for education and teaching/sales (Madrona - education), Fibres West and HWSDA (sales), Quebec (general session address and workshops), NEWS (seminars), Grand Forks (sales and possibly teaching?), move out of annex, get rid of Puff, wet finish the things I've woven but not wet finished before Puff expires (i.e. the end of March), dye 30+ pounds of silk gimp as quickly as possible (after skeining it off), dye the sample yarns coming from Ashland Bay, find storage space for the new line of spinning fibres I've just become the dealer for in Canada (details when I get home and get the dealer package, but.....they are exciting), work on The Project, writing, designing the exercises and making the samples - warp wrappings and woven samples to illustrate the principles......
Which takes me to September when I start travelling to do shows/craft fairs.
One of the things that always stops me in my tracks is when I do the local craft fair, which I've been doing continuously since 1979 (except for 3 years ago due to health). When some of the long time supporters of the craft fair see me show up again in my booth, they kind of look at me and say things like 'Oh, you're still weaving. How nice you have something to keep you busy.'
Oh yes. How lovely I have something to keep me busy............ :D
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Holiday Over
Tomorrow we leave for Orlando which means my holiday is about over.
Tonight I repacked my suitcase. At least since we are driving I didn't have to worry too much about stuff that needs to go into my checked luggage. I fear with my recent purchases and the yarn I collected from the Sarasota workshop I'm dangerously near my luggage allowance limit. :(
Next trip I will have to travel with the smaller of my two 'large' suitcases so that I can't bring as much stuff with me, I guess. :} I just can't afford overweight luggage charges....it's bad enough I have to pay to check a suitcase. Every time I check in. Sigh.
Part of the challenge in packing for this trip was that I am doing 3 different topics, meaning different binders with class info and different samples to illustrate the topics. I'm going to have to start weaving samples that will illustrate more than one topic, I guess.....
It's been lovely to have another period of down time between workshops but I fear I shall return home completely spoiled. A peek at the long range forecast for the weather back home is - well, let's just say I won't be wandering around in my shirt sleeves as I've been doing the last couple of days!
I get home next Monday evening and will have to hit the ground running. I'm hoping to move out of the annex by the end of March because the rent has increased from $300/mo to $400/mo. That's an increase that I just can't afford to continue paying. So Puff is going to have to go to the scrap heap. I'm hoping Doug can find enough room in his workshop to store the boiler until we can find a buyer. Where I'll store all that yarn and the last copies of Magic and Weave a V - well I just don't know. I may have to pile stuff higher and wider in the studio....sigh.
Then I leave in Feb for Madrona Fiber Festival. I'm not sure how long I'll be away as it will depend on the weather. Right now I'm planning on leaving a day early in case I have to stay overnight somewhere due to adverse driving conditions. I know my friend won't mind if I show up a day early and stay a day longer if the weather is nasty.
The joys of living in the 'north'. (I know, there is a whole lot more 'north' north of us!) :^)
Currently reading My Sister's Keeper my Jodi Picoult
Tonight I repacked my suitcase. At least since we are driving I didn't have to worry too much about stuff that needs to go into my checked luggage. I fear with my recent purchases and the yarn I collected from the Sarasota workshop I'm dangerously near my luggage allowance limit. :(
Next trip I will have to travel with the smaller of my two 'large' suitcases so that I can't bring as much stuff with me, I guess. :} I just can't afford overweight luggage charges....it's bad enough I have to pay to check a suitcase. Every time I check in. Sigh.
Part of the challenge in packing for this trip was that I am doing 3 different topics, meaning different binders with class info and different samples to illustrate the topics. I'm going to have to start weaving samples that will illustrate more than one topic, I guess.....
It's been lovely to have another period of down time between workshops but I fear I shall return home completely spoiled. A peek at the long range forecast for the weather back home is - well, let's just say I won't be wandering around in my shirt sleeves as I've been doing the last couple of days!
I get home next Monday evening and will have to hit the ground running. I'm hoping to move out of the annex by the end of March because the rent has increased from $300/mo to $400/mo. That's an increase that I just can't afford to continue paying. So Puff is going to have to go to the scrap heap. I'm hoping Doug can find enough room in his workshop to store the boiler until we can find a buyer. Where I'll store all that yarn and the last copies of Magic and Weave a V - well I just don't know. I may have to pile stuff higher and wider in the studio....sigh.
Then I leave in Feb for Madrona Fiber Festival. I'm not sure how long I'll be away as it will depend on the weather. Right now I'm planning on leaving a day early in case I have to stay overnight somewhere due to adverse driving conditions. I know my friend won't mind if I show up a day early and stay a day longer if the weather is nasty.
The joys of living in the 'north'. (I know, there is a whole lot more 'north' north of us!) :^)
Currently reading My Sister's Keeper my Jodi Picoult
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Shopping
Spent the morning and part of the afternoon today doing some more shopping. :)
We went to Joann's where I found some baby quilt top panels for my mom. Then we went to Barnes and Noble where I was seduced into buying not one, not two, but three books. What can I say? The remainder table had a couple of authors I enjoy on them and the hard backs were cheaper than paperbacks.
Then after lunch we went to a quilting shop where I found another baby quilt top. Came back to a message from Doug that my VISA card provider had phoned. They were just checking to make sure I really was in Florida using my own card. I have to say I'm surprised they didn't notice the bill for the flight I charged in December, but still - really glad they checked before they pulled the plug on my card. :}
Also really glad they are monitoring and taking the time to question 'odd' purchases.
We went to Joann's where I found some baby quilt top panels for my mom. Then we went to Barnes and Noble where I was seduced into buying not one, not two, but three books. What can I say? The remainder table had a couple of authors I enjoy on them and the hard backs were cheaper than paperbacks.
Then after lunch we went to a quilting shop where I found another baby quilt top. Came back to a message from Doug that my VISA card provider had phoned. They were just checking to make sure I really was in Florida using my own card. I have to say I'm surprised they didn't notice the bill for the flight I charged in December, but still - really glad they checked before they pulled the plug on my card. :}
Also really glad they are monitoring and taking the time to question 'odd' purchases.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Interlude in FL
We went to the store today where I found some fabric to frame and bind the cross stitch angel I made several years ago to give to my brother and never did finish to give to him. With the hundreds of hours I spent doing the stitching I was feeling guilty (and not a little sad Don never got it) and decided to give it to someone else. Not able to afford professional framing, I settled on a fabric 'frame' with hanging tabs.
After lunch I got most of it sewn - the rest needs to be done by hand and I don't have the right colour thread to do that so I'll finish it up at home.
This morning my watch starting working again - in fits and starts - so I decided to just buy a new one - the one I bought was only a couple of dollars more than replacing the battery on the other - and with it working sporadically I was suspicious the watch itself was breaking.
The new watch has a large face which I prefer, and the decoration on it is butterlies. How could I not buy it????
Currently reading All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve
After lunch I got most of it sewn - the rest needs to be done by hand and I don't have the right colour thread to do that so I'll finish it up at home.
This morning my watch starting working again - in fits and starts - so I decided to just buy a new one - the one I bought was only a couple of dollars more than replacing the battery on the other - and with it working sporadically I was suspicious the watch itself was breaking.
The new watch has a large face which I prefer, and the decoration on it is butterlies. How could I not buy it????
Currently reading All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Interlude
Safely transported to just north of Tampa, it was a lovely day for the drive. Took about 2.5 hours during which time the sun was brilliant and we got good views of the bay going over the bridge on Hwy 125.
This afternoon I finished the Kelley Armstrong omnibus and Jacqui has a couple of Anita Shreve books she's willing to pass along to me.
Tomorrow we'll go find a battery for my watch - mine died at 3:50 am this morning. :}
We'll also go to a fabric shop and possibly a book store if I feel a desperate need for more books.
With any luck it will be warm enough for a swim - I did find my bathing suit which hopefully still fits. I haven't used it since I visited with Jacqui and Eric two years ago. (!)
My how time flies when you're having fun?
This afternoon I finished the Kelley Armstrong omnibus and Jacqui has a couple of Anita Shreve books she's willing to pass along to me.
Tomorrow we'll go find a battery for my watch - mine died at 3:50 am this morning. :}
We'll also go to a fabric shop and possibly a book store if I feel a desperate need for more books.
With any luck it will be warm enough for a swim - I did find my bathing suit which hopefully still fits. I haven't used it since I visited with Jacqui and Eric two years ago. (!)
My how time flies when you're having fun?
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