there and back again…

Update:  It’s taken at least a full two hours (and that’s only counting the hours spent since I returned to RI and started working high speed cable) to get the Bloglines button up and working on Typepad.  Learning any new program is at the least frustrating.  This goes into the ‘DO I REALLY NEED THIS’ category along with “IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT”.  I’ll blame it on my curious nature and Norma.    She emailed me that I really needed a RSS feed.  I know it works, I love using Bloglines.  but what the h#%$ is an RSS feed anyway?   I could have been knitting.  I could have finished the last sleeve.  I could have, hmmmm… I used the time to set up a Bloglines button, its working, so subscribe NOW, OK?  Click the damn button!
That parts easy, its fun. 

Next up.  It was so good to be in VT, even if our stay is continually cut short these days.  We drove north through dense fog most of the way.  The last bit of snow had not been plowed, and it was a very good thing.  Warmer than usual temps had made the ice / snow pack into slush on ice… very thick ICE.  Any bare of snow area would have been like driving on an ice rink, UPHILL…  ahhh, Vermont in winter.  I worked for hours cleaning off as much as I could chop and scrape from the decks and walks.  The barn would require the tractor / snow blower in the morning.  It poured all that night.  If it had been snow, I’d still be digging out and my now ruined forearms might never recover.   Around 6am the temps dropped and 5” accumulated quickly on top of another 5” of now mushy ice slop.  We did not leave the property Friday.  Driving or plowing the snow off that combination would make a luge run out of my ½ mile downhill driveway for who knows how long.  Could’ve been dealing with that for the rest of the winter, never know.   Anyway, the upshot of all this weather crap is that I stayed home all weekend.  I left once, for a very short trip (after everything finally froze solid under the snow), over the hill to see my friend, KP.  She gave me this.

She made it.  It’s perfect for storing my extra bobbins and some of whatever I’m working on, and keeping my cup of tea handy while I’m spinning.

 

Saturday night, ‘cause I was so much in love with my Tsunami, I spun the spindle full of shetland.  Then (as per Rita Buchanan’s instructions) made a center pull ball, wound (using both ends together in preparation for plying) it onto my not yet felted ball,

and proceeded to ply it onto the Tsunami.  Now, I love the Tsunami doubly.  That was its first time plying.  I’m amazed at what it held.  AND, it’s balanced.. the yarn, that is. 

Just because I could, and I WAS SO HAPPY to have all my stuff in front of me, I also spun a bobbin full of wonderful very dark brown llama on the Dixon.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE MY DIXON ?!!

See, all that shouting is because I was so happy.  Meanwhile, I’m looking outside at my pond.