Yesterday was not the day I expected. By the time I had read through all the emails and blogs that I had been out of touch with for the last ten days, it was lunch time. I didn't eat lunch, instead I headed upstairs for a shower and to get dressed. I made my bed and suddenly I was falling asleep... so... I fell asleep on my nice soft bed and stayed there for several hours at which time I had visitors. I had a shower while the Daughters got tea for my folks. We had a nice visit which is not always what happens but it was good yesterday. After they left I unpacked the stuff that was still littered all over the living room. It was then that I discovered that somewhere between Olds and home I had lost all the stuff that I had bought in Olds! No Ramie. No Merino in blue or yellow. No fawn mohair in the grease. No orange mohair batt. No grey yak/bamboo/cashmere blend. No dye.... Procion or acid. No knitting needles. I'm really hoping that all of my stuff got taken out at my friend's house and left there. If not I don't know where it is. Never leave husbands to unload vehicles... it just screws things up. I was so numb from all the driving that I never noticed when I got to the switch what was being taken out of the vehicle and loaded into mine and what was being brought into the house.
Speaking of numb.... meanwhile my two fingers...the pointer and the middle finger on my right hand (the one with no thumb) are numb. Like I mean seriously numb. Can't feel a thing. Too much knitting I'm thinking. But of course I need to keep knitting if I'm going to get that 150 hour project done. So I expect numbness in my hand is going to be the norm for the next while. then there's all that worsted spinning which also adds to the numbness in those two fingers... ow! : (
After all was said and done Teapot and I went for a lovely walk down through the bush. We headed down the trail that takes us to the highway and we had a lovely time as I told him some of the stories of Olds. It was during the porn star story of one of the instructors that we noticed blood on the tail in tablespoon quantities every few feet that was fresh for sure. Then Jiggs came bounding back to us and there on her paw was a pulsing-blood two inch gash. Hmmm... so we turned around and headed home. Teapot set out ahead of me since he can walk faster than I. By the time I got back to the house Teapot had things well in hand... Jiggs was cleaned up and he was in the process of bandaging the gash up. So now Jiggs is numb in the foreleg too.
Oh lovely the missing Olds purchases have been found. I just got an email from my friend to say that she had discovered that my purchases were among her stuff. All's well that ends well.
I'm kind of feeling a little numb this morning... like I'm trying to figure out just what happened to me. Over tired. Over tired. And over tired some more. Even though I slept 14 and a half hours the first night I was home and I slept 9 hours last night I just sort of feel numb. There even seems to be a bit of brain numbness going on. I hope nobody tells me anything that I should remember because my brain feels like its just plain numb.
I wonder when I'll feel.... well... not numb. 24 hours? 36 hours? I hope not too long. Maybe I'll go back to bed. Perhaps when I wake up I won't feel numb.
Numbny numbny numbnynumbny num num. (to the tune of the lone ranger) Numb!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
And I'm Back In The Saddle Again
The saddle being the big blue comfy chair that sits in front of my computer monitor.
Well, I got back just after 6 p.m. last night after a full 12 and 1/2 hours bumping along over the road. I was totally not a good partner for the trip as I was completely bushed from not sleeping much for the last several days. Scintillating conversation was not my forte as we rolled along... I kept nodding off in the passenger seat. My poor driving partner had to suffer the trip with no one to help her stay awake. I did try my best but there was a wall that I kept hitting and the back of my eyelids kept me coming back over and over. When I got to FSJ, Teapot picked me up and we still had to get groceries... argh! Somehow I managed to survived that and I got home quite exhausted. Teapot managed to get some supper into me and then I hit the bed where I promptly closed my eyes and slept solidly for 13 hours before opening my eyes for a quick trip to the loo and another hour and a half of more snoozing. I can't remember the last time I slept for 13 hours straight without a little wake up. I had to be in my teens. But this morning I feel much more rested and ready to face the day. But it is no wonder I was so tired yesterday since I arose at 4:30 a.m. (that's 3:30 a.m. B.C. time) and we were on the road by 5:42 a.m. Alberta time (4:32 a.m. B.C. time) a long day for sure.
So here I sit, breakfast in hand and I know some of you have been lamenting the written word found here at my humble blog.... (snork!) Why on earth you miss the happenings of my life is beyond me. But here I am, back again.
Fibre week was, as usual, a great experience.
It was tougher for me this year and I missed some of the events in the evenings as I was fighting the swollen ankle thing the whole time I was there. The swollen ankle has improved some and I enjoyed the walking to and from from classes through the lovely grounds where flowers of every description took my breath away.
The first two days reminded me of how out of shape I've grown this past winter as I would have to stop and take a short few seconds on the many benches for a chance to catch my breath... I have made a resolution to try and get myself in shape this year so that when I return again next year, I will be in better shape to walk the grounds for more enjoyment. Still, by the end of the week I was doing better and though still finding it hard to not puff and pant, was able to walk the whole way without stopping to sit for a moment. I'm definitely needing some exercise though, and that will be the focus for this year. However, the bench moments were a great opportunity to get back to some art and while I was there I had picked up, at Staples, some gel pens, so I took the opportunity to draw whatever was around me.... usually flowers and trees and landscaping. Some of my drawings are quite lovely, even if I do say so myself,
so I at least used my time on the bench, productively.
Patsy Zawatoski was the keynote speaker this year and she was truly an inspiration. She is a graduate of the COE (Certificate Of Excellence) from the Hand Weaver's Guild of America, which is also something that I am interested in. (That may be my next endeavour but we will see.)
The Olds Master Spinning Program is suffering some growing pains and it is difficult to watch. 2013 will be the centennial year for Olds and the 25th year for the Fibre Week and the Master Spinning program. One would think that after 25 years the college would have their act together but it has only been about seven or eight years that the current continuing education coordinator took over the program and evidently he basically was working from scratch. He has done an amazing job with the program taking it from being virtually non-existent to having over 400 registrations. I think he's amazing and I really hope he stays with the program for a long time yet. In the last few years they have introduced a curriculum which is still being modified and that is where the trouble begins. Curriculum always is difficult when being organized and decided upon. This expert will say that this is required and that expert will say no to the first one and introduce some other topic and that is what the Master Spinning Program is undergoing. This in turn, makes it difficult for the student, since we are constantly second guessing the program and ourselves. It happened for me in level 1 and I thought, "well they'll have it sorted next year." But then it happened in level 2 and once again I thought, "well they'll have it sorted next year." Each year there has been a curfluffle of some kind with the work book requirements or with the Modules/text books and still, in level 5 it happened again. You could say that it is frustrating... I think mostly because I happened to land in a strange year. I came at a time when the Modules were being introduced and have followed along with the updates the whole way. I'm not sure that the other levels are having the same problems. Next year is level 6... its the testing year/ in depth study year for me and I'm really hoping that when the instructors get together next time that they think long and hard about the level 6 students next year and realize that things need to be right for them. We've put up with a lot, I think, and I would like to see it settled for us. I want to know that I graduated from a program that I can be proud of.
I have always believed in life long learning. I think I might have mentioned that here a few times... for me it is necessary for keeping the mind active and it is a great opportunity to get out there in the world and not feel completely cut off as sometimes happens with people who live in the nether (well maybe nether is a bit strong) regions of the world. I am happy to say the there was an octogenarian in my class this year, which was a true inspiration to me. If anything ever encouraged me to continue on with learning, it was him.... (yes him! I had a him in my spinning class!) I hope that if I make it to 80 then I'm as alert as he is and as inspirational as he is.
We had a great group in our class this year and lots of laughter was the name of the game... even though the learning curve was kind of flat this year. We either have reached the pinnacle of learning in spinning or level 5 needs some bumping up. Mostly it was, "try this" and "try that"... but really it was never demonstrated and so we were left to figure out a lot of stuff through reading. I'm not sure I believe my $543.00 in tuition was well deserved in this case and I'm thinking that the instructor I had, may have been better placed elsewhere in the MSP... I hope that doesn't sound terribly harsh... but I came away feeling that something was seriously lacking. I can't quite put my finger on it because I did learn... just not as much as I expected... perhaps my expectations were too high.
Level 4 homework has been left with my level 4 instructor except I did not complete the 150 hour project, as I had hoped... I just didn't get it finished in time... though I am close. I do have to send it to him in the next couple of weeks, so today will be spent knitting. My level 4 instructor will hold off marking my work till then... so I'm on the clock. I had intended it to be a shawl but I really wanted it to be a shrug... so now that I have it home, a shrug it will become... I will have to fix a few things on the write up like changing the word shawl to shrug and bumping up the time somewhat since I've already gone over the amount of time that I had guessed it would take me. But I am glad that I am so close to being finished. Then I will be biting into the next level.
While in level 5, I made a decision. I tried a new fibre called Swalesdale which is a very coarse sheep wool that has tons of guard hair and kemp (a coarse wirey hair for you non spinner types) in it, which makes a lovely scratchy yarn that no one in their right mind would like. But being me and a bit of a weirdo, I fell in love with it... so for my level 3 fifty hour project I am knitting a scratchy winter/late fall jacket and saving my cotton baby blanket for my level 5 homework. Mmmm I can't wait.
The dye retreat comes next and that is only a few weeks away. I will be starting to organize for that and I will be sending out reminders to the guilds for their reports for the summer issue of the Threads Along The Peace... the newsletter that I edit for the PCSW. That will take up the majority of July. Teapot is readying to go away with Daughter #1 for ten days in July and only is back for one night and then off to Australia after that, we hope.... the passport is still being awaited... and phoned about and so on... So July is lining up to be a bit of a freak show. I have a tapestry to be woven and I'm spinning wool and cotton for dyeing in August when a friend and I will be getting together for a few days of nature dyeing with logwood and cochineal... "25 shades of" to be exact. I won't be dyeing at the dye retreat this year, just facilitating those others who would like to.... I will be spinning Swaldesdale for that lovely winter jacket.
And so you see... I am definitely back in the saddle again. It is now 9:31 a.m. and I've been drinking tea long enough. I'm off to shower, go for a walk, and then spin, spin, spin....
If anyone's got balls around here, it's you guys for coming back again and again and again.... thanks... and I'll see ya'll tomorrow.
Well, I got back just after 6 p.m. last night after a full 12 and 1/2 hours bumping along over the road. I was totally not a good partner for the trip as I was completely bushed from not sleeping much for the last several days. Scintillating conversation was not my forte as we rolled along... I kept nodding off in the passenger seat. My poor driving partner had to suffer the trip with no one to help her stay awake. I did try my best but there was a wall that I kept hitting and the back of my eyelids kept me coming back over and over. When I got to FSJ, Teapot picked me up and we still had to get groceries... argh! Somehow I managed to survived that and I got home quite exhausted. Teapot managed to get some supper into me and then I hit the bed where I promptly closed my eyes and slept solidly for 13 hours before opening my eyes for a quick trip to the loo and another hour and a half of more snoozing. I can't remember the last time I slept for 13 hours straight without a little wake up. I had to be in my teens. But this morning I feel much more rested and ready to face the day. But it is no wonder I was so tired yesterday since I arose at 4:30 a.m. (that's 3:30 a.m. B.C. time) and we were on the road by 5:42 a.m. Alberta time (4:32 a.m. B.C. time) a long day for sure.
So here I sit, breakfast in hand and I know some of you have been lamenting the written word found here at my humble blog.... (snork!) Why on earth you miss the happenings of my life is beyond me. But here I am, back again.
Fibre week was, as usual, a great experience.
 |
| My class mates, instructor and I. |
The first two days reminded me of how out of shape I've grown this past winter as I would have to stop and take a short few seconds on the many benches for a chance to catch my breath... I have made a resolution to try and get myself in shape this year so that when I return again next year, I will be in better shape to walk the grounds for more enjoyment. Still, by the end of the week I was doing better and though still finding it hard to not puff and pant, was able to walk the whole way without stopping to sit for a moment. I'm definitely needing some exercise though, and that will be the focus for this year. However, the bench moments were a great opportunity to get back to some art and while I was there I had picked up, at Staples, some gel pens, so I took the opportunity to draw whatever was around me.... usually flowers and trees and landscaping. Some of my drawings are quite lovely, even if I do say so myself,
 |
| This drawing was based on.... |
 |
| ... this view. |
so I at least used my time on the bench, productively.
Patsy Zawatoski was the keynote speaker this year and she was truly an inspiration. She is a graduate of the COE (Certificate Of Excellence) from the Hand Weaver's Guild of America, which is also something that I am interested in. (That may be my next endeavour but we will see.)
The Olds Master Spinning Program is suffering some growing pains and it is difficult to watch. 2013 will be the centennial year for Olds and the 25th year for the Fibre Week and the Master Spinning program. One would think that after 25 years the college would have their act together but it has only been about seven or eight years that the current continuing education coordinator took over the program and evidently he basically was working from scratch. He has done an amazing job with the program taking it from being virtually non-existent to having over 400 registrations. I think he's amazing and I really hope he stays with the program for a long time yet. In the last few years they have introduced a curriculum which is still being modified and that is where the trouble begins. Curriculum always is difficult when being organized and decided upon. This expert will say that this is required and that expert will say no to the first one and introduce some other topic and that is what the Master Spinning Program is undergoing. This in turn, makes it difficult for the student, since we are constantly second guessing the program and ourselves. It happened for me in level 1 and I thought, "well they'll have it sorted next year." But then it happened in level 2 and once again I thought, "well they'll have it sorted next year." Each year there has been a curfluffle of some kind with the work book requirements or with the Modules/text books and still, in level 5 it happened again. You could say that it is frustrating... I think mostly because I happened to land in a strange year. I came at a time when the Modules were being introduced and have followed along with the updates the whole way. I'm not sure that the other levels are having the same problems. Next year is level 6... its the testing year/ in depth study year for me and I'm really hoping that when the instructors get together next time that they think long and hard about the level 6 students next year and realize that things need to be right for them. We've put up with a lot, I think, and I would like to see it settled for us. I want to know that I graduated from a program that I can be proud of.
I have always believed in life long learning. I think I might have mentioned that here a few times... for me it is necessary for keeping the mind active and it is a great opportunity to get out there in the world and not feel completely cut off as sometimes happens with people who live in the nether (well maybe nether is a bit strong) regions of the world. I am happy to say the there was an octogenarian in my class this year, which was a true inspiration to me. If anything ever encouraged me to continue on with learning, it was him.... (yes him! I had a him in my spinning class!) I hope that if I make it to 80 then I'm as alert as he is and as inspirational as he is.
We had a great group in our class this year and lots of laughter was the name of the game... even though the learning curve was kind of flat this year. We either have reached the pinnacle of learning in spinning or level 5 needs some bumping up. Mostly it was, "try this" and "try that"... but really it was never demonstrated and so we were left to figure out a lot of stuff through reading. I'm not sure I believe my $543.00 in tuition was well deserved in this case and I'm thinking that the instructor I had, may have been better placed elsewhere in the MSP... I hope that doesn't sound terribly harsh... but I came away feeling that something was seriously lacking. I can't quite put my finger on it because I did learn... just not as much as I expected... perhaps my expectations were too high.
Level 4 homework has been left with my level 4 instructor except I did not complete the 150 hour project, as I had hoped... I just didn't get it finished in time... though I am close. I do have to send it to him in the next couple of weeks, so today will be spent knitting. My level 4 instructor will hold off marking my work till then... so I'm on the clock. I had intended it to be a shawl but I really wanted it to be a shrug... so now that I have it home, a shrug it will become... I will have to fix a few things on the write up like changing the word shawl to shrug and bumping up the time somewhat since I've already gone over the amount of time that I had guessed it would take me. But I am glad that I am so close to being finished. Then I will be biting into the next level.
While in level 5, I made a decision. I tried a new fibre called Swalesdale which is a very coarse sheep wool that has tons of guard hair and kemp (a coarse wirey hair for you non spinner types) in it, which makes a lovely scratchy yarn that no one in their right mind would like. But being me and a bit of a weirdo, I fell in love with it... so for my level 3 fifty hour project I am knitting a scratchy winter/late fall jacket and saving my cotton baby blanket for my level 5 homework. Mmmm I can't wait.
The dye retreat comes next and that is only a few weeks away. I will be starting to organize for that and I will be sending out reminders to the guilds for their reports for the summer issue of the Threads Along The Peace... the newsletter that I edit for the PCSW. That will take up the majority of July. Teapot is readying to go away with Daughter #1 for ten days in July and only is back for one night and then off to Australia after that, we hope.... the passport is still being awaited... and phoned about and so on... So July is lining up to be a bit of a freak show. I have a tapestry to be woven and I'm spinning wool and cotton for dyeing in August when a friend and I will be getting together for a few days of nature dyeing with logwood and cochineal... "25 shades of" to be exact. I won't be dyeing at the dye retreat this year, just facilitating those others who would like to.... I will be spinning Swaldesdale for that lovely winter jacket.
 |
| My roomies walking to class as I sat on one of those breath saving benches. |
 |
| Looking back toward the gazebo and the rose garden where sometimes weddings are held... there was one while I was there. |
 |
| Looking toward the greenhouses where much retting, braking, scutching, and other good stuff has taken place over the years. |
If anyone's got balls around here, it's you guys for coming back again and again and again.... thanks... and I'll see ya'll tomorrow.
Monday, June 20, 2011
All Is Well... All Is Quiet
Well I knew this day was going to be busy. My intention was to get every last bit of my book work done for the level 4 homework by this evening... and that I did. I am still knitting on the 150 hour project but for all intents and purposes it is written up as are all the other questions in level 4. I'm done except to finish the knitting and that's the fun part. Tomorrow I will get up, I will eat breakfast and send the girls off to school for their first exam and then I will pack my bags. And oh, what packing there is to do. But Teapot has promised to help. Then when evening rolls around he will take me to FSJ where I will lay my head at my friend's house before heading out the door early on Wednesday to help with driving on the way to Olds. Olds and level 5. Be still my beating heart.... I still have so much to get done. Each night I will be knitting my little hands off and God forbid I run out of yarn... I sure as heck hope not. My goal, then, is to get the blasted project done while there so that I can give it to my instructor for marking and not have to send it in the mail, after I get back home. Good luck to me..... right?!
So I have one picture to show... just one of what I have done so far on the knitting for the 150 hour project....
So that's it for this banana cake this evening. I'm pooped. I'm off to bed.... and it's only 11:00 p.m. It's a lonely bed tonight as Teapot is sleeping out at the school camp with a class of grade 3 and 4 students. Male chaperon and all. The Daughters have gone to bed ages ago and so have the two dogs with a look of disgust at me as I have been ignoring them all day. The cat keeps looking at me as though to say, "when are you going to shut me in with this kitten?" Well the answer is now. It's almost dark, the birds are whistling good night to each other... even the sheep are sleeping. It's time for me to go too... and if I don't write tomorrow?... see ya when I get back.
So I have one picture to show... just one of what I have done so far on the knitting for the 150 hour project....
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| Please excuse the dog hairs that somehow got in the picture. |
Sunday, June 19, 2011
It's A Conspiracy... I Know It!
I just bought some new clothes. I ordered it from catalogues, and online. The views are not always the best and therefore sometimes when you order something, and it finally arrives, you get a little bit of a surprise... that happened with me. I bought a lovely top that has a view of Venice on it and I really like it. But.... the top is covered in sequins. I hate sequins... almost as much as pink... almost as much as s--ks. I hate them. I think sequins should be only ever used on Burlesque costumes for tight boobed cuties who don't mind showing their skin and flashing bright shining things in your eyes. (If I did that I'd scare everyone!) Why anyone would spend money putting sparkly thingys all over their clothes is beyond me..... ok, I can handle a few beads... but not sequins. Yuck! So you can imagine my dismay when I saw my new and very pretty top littered with these shining little irritants. Everyone said, oh it's ok... you'll look great... and it is a nice top. Hork! (that was me making retching noises.)
Last night after I was so wiped from working on stuff for level 4 for hours... I might add, I sat on my bed and spent two hours cutting and picking off all these little sparkly icky things. Now my top looks lovely. But the whole time, all I could think about was the poor bugger in some third world country who probably spent hours sewing the darn things on. (And got too little pay for it too.) By the time I was finished (at midnight) I was just about cross eyed with fatigue.
Teapot and I figure there is a conspiracy going on. We figure that all the third world countries that sew on sequins have ganged together and are convincing the big clothing stores of North America that fashion should have women wearing sparkly clothes.... and it is all in an effort so that they can trace the movements of women via satellite.... I know that's what they are up to.... they just want us all to not know they are tracking us. In wearing shining clothes, we also illuminate what the men are doing too. They also want us to blind ourselves and everyone around us too. By doing these things they will be able to invade and take over our country while we're blind because they will have such clear insight into our comings and going.
And it's all due to sequins!
Get rid of them..... they are as bad as polyester..... I guarantee it!!!! ; }
Last night after I was so wiped from working on stuff for level 4 for hours... I might add, I sat on my bed and spent two hours cutting and picking off all these little sparkly icky things. Now my top looks lovely. But the whole time, all I could think about was the poor bugger in some third world country who probably spent hours sewing the darn things on. (And got too little pay for it too.) By the time I was finished (at midnight) I was just about cross eyed with fatigue.
Teapot and I figure there is a conspiracy going on. We figure that all the third world countries that sew on sequins have ganged together and are convincing the big clothing stores of North America that fashion should have women wearing sparkly clothes.... and it is all in an effort so that they can trace the movements of women via satellite.... I know that's what they are up to.... they just want us all to not know they are tracking us. In wearing shining clothes, we also illuminate what the men are doing too. They also want us to blind ourselves and everyone around us too. By doing these things they will be able to invade and take over our country while we're blind because they will have such clear insight into our comings and going.
And it's all due to sequins!
Get rid of them..... they are as bad as polyester..... I guarantee it!!!! ; }
Friday, June 17, 2011
I Stood By The Rail
I went to a party tonight. It was a going away party for a gal who had been working at the school for the last few years. She's leaving. The party was at the house of one of the school staff and his house is on the banks of the Peace. I mean right on the banks of the Peace. The Peace river is a beautiful river but it has been cutting it's way through this valley for so long that in most places the banks are quite high... like 35 ft + high. So not everywhere along the banks can you see it unless you are right up to the edge of the bank. But this house tonight was at one of the low places along the river. There was a long grassy lawn running right down to the edge of the river and I stood on the deck of the house and looked at the river and fell in love with where I live all over again. The Peace is like that. You walk away and because it is not always and completely visible you tend to forget it... Then you have an evening or a day when you spend some time on its banks and it sucks you in totally and completely and you wish for just a little bit that you could live that river in every part of your day.
The fog rolled down the river about halfway through the evening and while the sky remained blue above us, the river fog in its ethereal beauty drifted slowly past, rising and lowering in a ghostly dance. It was simply beautiful.
There was a Bald Eagle that did a fly by... and lazily the water rolled on. How privileged I am to be able to stand by the rail and watch the Peace in all it beauty.
I miss living by the water.
But I will one day again... if I can.
The fog rolled down the river about halfway through the evening and while the sky remained blue above us, the river fog in its ethereal beauty drifted slowly past, rising and lowering in a ghostly dance. It was simply beautiful.
There was a Bald Eagle that did a fly by... and lazily the water rolled on. How privileged I am to be able to stand by the rail and watch the Peace in all it beauty.
I miss living by the water.
But I will one day again... if I can.
Miracles Please
A miracle right about now would be lovely. Super powered typing fingers so that I can finish all write ups...
A winning lotto ticket so that I had money to pay for everything....
And a time turner so that I could get level 4 homework done before Tuesday...
Ankles and feet that don't hurt... so that I could finish that treadling....
40 metres of hand spun cotton....
Enough sleep.....
I can't wait.... Tuesday can't come fast enough.... except for all that other stuff.
Pictures of the 150 hour project coming soooooonnnnnn!
A winning lotto ticket so that I had money to pay for everything....
And a time turner so that I could get level 4 homework done before Tuesday...
Ankles and feet that don't hurt... so that I could finish that treadling....
40 metres of hand spun cotton....
Enough sleep.....
I can't wait.... Tuesday can't come fast enough.... except for all that other stuff.
Pictures of the 150 hour project coming soooooonnnnnn!
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