The Healing Power of Friendship

This skein of yarn says it all.  Smile again!

I just returned from a week at Hood Canal with friends.  Two of them were great buddies in High School, one I have known since I was ten.  The other two I met two years ago and instantly bonded with.  Then the 6th member is owner of a wonderful Yarn shop in Shelton called Fancy Image Yarn.http://fancyimageyarn.com/.  Myra dyes her own yarns and makes up kits using them with an assortment of fun and funky novelty yarns.  I loved her shop, since she loves the color and textures the same as I do.  I think I now own stock in her company, I bought so much.  I will share pictures of her products tomorrow.

I first met Myra when she arrived with these.  The girls call them Tall Fruity Drinks, so that's all I can tell you.  They sure pack a punch!  Myra stayed with us Sunday night, and then asked to stay another night, we were having so much fun.  On Monday, we stayed in our jammies until almost 1PM, when Kris arrived.  By then, Chris and I had pulled on some clothes and had dug some clams for that evening's appetizers.  Dug isn't the correct term to use.  I could have gathered them with my bare hands, but we scratched the surface of the beach with a little claw.

This is what we woke up to each morning.  Across from us is Treasure Island, a magical place, that is about a mile around.  That little bridge is shared by cars and walkers.  I felt like I was in a different world, so quiet and peaceful.

Here's the view in the opposite direction.  We had bright sunny days and spent them enjoying the local scenery, knit shops and artist galleries.

For breakfast one morning, we had build your own omelette.  First you put your eggs in a freezer zip lock baggie.



Then you add any of the cut up goodies you have found in your refrigerator.

Seal the bag and put it in boiling water with the others.

I was impressed!  It was delicous!



And

here I am modeling my hat that I bought from Snooter Doots.  It's me, don't you think?

I will post more pictures and stories as the week goes by.  I have much to tell you, and yarns to show off.

Ta Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I found my camera!!  In the pocket of my bathrobe.  What on earth was it doing there?  Although these days, I have been known to wander out to the barn to throw some hay and grain at the alpacas in my jammies, and go back inside to loaf.  Now, late last night, I thought of a sweatshirt out in the studio with pockets I haven't checked, and maybe my cell phone is in there.  I'm not ready to go there yet, I'm letting the suspension build.

Here's a picture of one of the arrangements I made at the Craft show to mark the entrance to the food court.  One of the musicians has his CDs and cards in the way, but you get the gist.

Here is the other side.  I used two bicycles in the entry, with baskets full of plants, and there was another arrangement in the back.  I was happy with what I did.

The show was wonderful.  I had fun spinning and demonstrating my new mini spinner to everyone.  I may have picked up a couple of new spinning students.

Before the doors were even open on Thursday, I bought this sweet table from one of the Antique dealers.  Coincidentally, the two chairs were purchased from her about 12 years ago!!!

Then yesterday, I saw this beauty and had to have it.  I guess my new bedroom will be victorian.  This will go nicely with my grandmother's old quilt.  Deb Burton has the nicest things, and she won the prize for best booth.  You can visit her at her bloghttp://ormolulu.blogspot.com/.  She has a great picture of me there.

Here are the "Barn Cats" resting up after playing for hours with their new toys.

Catnip Carrots by Snooter-Doots.  You can find her on facebook.  She makes the cutest little felted characters, and crazy hats.  I bought one, but I need someone to take my picture.

So, I had a wonderful three days working at and shopping at the Lynden Craft and Antique Show.



Not enough hours.

Oh, I know it's been awhile.  I really have a good excuse.  I can't find my NEW camera!!  Now how did I do that?  It's bright pink!  But then, my old one is red, and I lost it all the time.  My friend's daughter says it's because I'm Sagitarian, and I just need to live with it.

So, I took this with my old, taped together camera.  This is my new bike, Peggy Sue.  Don't ask me why, but when I look at her, my heart sings Peggy Sue.  My old one is in back.  It's a 10 speed that is stuck in one gear.  I'd much rather have a one speed cruiser.  There are very few hills in my area here in the valley.

These two bikes will be at the Lynden Craft and Antique show this week.  I will be decorating the Food Court.  I'm leasing plants from Hi Hoe Nursery, and it's going to be awsome.  I will keep you posted, with lots of pictures.  I am also going to demonstrate spinning there for two days.  Fun, fun fun.

Speaking of spinning, this is my new Hansen Mini Spinner.  It's electric.  You can see some buttons to the right, which will put this into perspective.  IT IS AWSOME!!  I spin so much better on this than any other wheel I've ever used. It has a pedal like a sewing machine to start and stop it.  A dream.  I can't express anymore how much I love it.  I sit in my glider and watch TV while I am spinning.  Now how easy is that?

I've recently taught two people how to spin, and one of them gave me this banana fiber.  Yep, banana!  I have to save it for something really special, but for now I just like to look at it.

I have so much going on, just not time to write about it.  The other day I stopped in at a place called Penny Pincher Estate Sales.  Well, providence does tend to lead us where we need to be.  This lady is going to clean my place out, haul away the garbage, the donations, sell the sellable, and even take the metal to the recyclers, and I will get money for it!!  I am just pleased as punch and look forward to a huge relief in getting this place cleaned out.

My contractor stopped by today and we talked about plans for the house.  I've decided not to add on.  Why does one little me need anymore space? 



Tom Sawyer

Last week I bought two flat screen TV cabinets to set under my windows.  And, I knew my current TV was on the critical list and would not be with me long.  So here we have the living room as I unpacked all the pieces.  My GAWD.  This is when you really need a husband, but I'll bet you anything, Alan would have been really perturbed by this set.  There must have been 3000 little parts to put the 14 pieces of wood together.  I was, of course, following the step by step directions, as a sewer does, when my friend came over.

My goodness, did a tornado come through here?  Oh, shut up and help me then.  So she got involved.

Then Kirk came by to pick up his food wagon that he had left on Saturday.  He and I had some fun going through the old tin shed, oohing and aawing over the old farm equipment, then came inside to see how Cynthia was doing.  Kirk, being a man, just took control, and "they" had it completed in no time.  I just stood back and watched.
Well, I still had the second one to do, so the next day, I started out, with my step by step directions, and I worked on the sucker for an entire day!!!  I still don't have the drawers put together.  In the meantime, my TV broke, as anticipated, and I had to go buy a new one yesterday.  Now my living room is double the mess because I had to set it up, and I still don't have the wires hooked up through the black box and the Wii hooked in.  I bought the Wii and Just Dance to exercise with, but I have yet to use it since I've spent the last week trying to build everything in order to get the @&$%#@ working.

Well.

As you can see, I am frustrated.  Everywhere I turn, there is more work to be done, and just little ole me to do it.  Slow down, one step at a time, one page at a time.

This is a new chapter in my life, and I'm trying to adjust.

Slow and Easy, slow and easy.

Picture Pages

I am back.  We had the memorial celebration last Saturday, and now my life goes on.  I've made it through the fear and anxiety and flashbacks.  I know I have alot of grieving left, but I'm better able to handle it.

So today's post is going to be alot of pictures.  I just want to fill in on all that has transpired.

Two days before the Memorial.

The day before the Memorial.

How Great Thou Art.

George and Gracie explore the pastures.

Somehow I found time to dye some yarns.



The sign in table.  I made this centerpiece using as many fruits and vegetables that Alan grew.  They are arranged in an old milk container from the milk pipeline.

Some of my kids keeping warm under one of the patio heaters.

All the food was provided by friends and family, including freshly made butter from Breckenridge Dairy.  You can see the pen and ink drawing Alan did for his sister.  She brought it to show as a remembrance.

We used the cria creep (a small stall that is rigged so only the babies can get in) for the beer stall.  One of Alan's friends contributed a keg in remembrance of their high school days.  Oh, they were naughty boys!!!!

My friend, Lori, from the Glass Slipper in Ferndale, painted this old cupboard door from our old kitchen.

Kirk from DEvine Gardens in Custer brought his portable food wagon and kept all of the soups warm.  He served up about 350 bowls of chili and corn chowder.  On the right is Gayle, my dear friend who spearheaded the event and ran the kitchen.

Another source of warmth.  We had two fire pits.  This one was frequented mainly by the beer drinkers.  Coffee and cookies were served at the one by the house.

Last by not least, my wonderful brother who has been my rock.  He gave a wonderful service.

That's it.  From now on you will be reading about my crazy life again.  The Market starts in a month.  I bought an electric spinning wheel that will double my production.

Hugs to all for your love and support.

Picnic Time

Yesterday my cousin and her husband came for a visit.  It was so sunny and beautiful, we decided to drive up the mountain and see what we could see.  I was suggesting places to stop for lunch when Carolyn says, "I have a picnic".  Well, of course she has a picnic.  She is never unprepared.

Silver Lake is a beautiful County Park, and we walked across the lake on the little foot bridges.  The surface of the lake was frozen, making for some very interesting textures.  The bald eagles we perched in the trees above.  We found a picnic table nestled in a warm, sunny spot, and enjoyed our lunch and the surroundings until the sun went behind a cloud.  Wow, this difference in two degrees.

This is the Amaryllis that my kids gave me for Christmas.  It has 8 blooms on it, and another stem starting to sprout.  I've never had one this nice.  It is on top of my refrigertor in the kitchen.

My friend and I were headed into a Chinese Restaurant for lunch the other day and these bad boys were in the back of a truck.  Aren't they sweet?  But if I got any closer, they started barking and protecting their truck.  The entire time we were in the restaurant, we tried to figure out who the owner was, but never did.

And here is my living room, ready for paint, showing the new 8 foot window that used to be about 2.5'.

And here is the finished product:

I am so happy with my new room.  My friend, Jody, helped me with the painting.  She came over Monday morning and we were done by Wednesday.

I started this post on Thursday, I think, so it's a bit out of whack, but the details are all there.

I'm now off to do some retail therapy.



Busy of a Different Sort

As you can see, the new barn kitties are adjusting well to their new responsibilities.  HA.  Actually, they do spend most nights in the barn, nestled in their warm alpaca bed on the top shelf of my fiber storage racks.  They love it out there.  But, they also love me.  I like to let them in the house for a couple of hours each night for comic relief.  Leroy hates them, and Fred is either intriqued or frightened by them.  Bottom line is, shuffling four cats around is chaotic.

Much progress is being made here, with the sale of several more alpacas, and so many friends coming to help me.  Sunday a friend organized a work party, and we got the barn all cleaned out and organized for the memorial service.  Then on Wednesday, I went to Cash and Carry to buy all of the dishes, bowls, cups, soup spoon, napkins, etc. for the memorial service.  Yesterday a friend took me out to lunch and to my favorite thrift shop.  I'm sure you are getting the picture my days are not empty and lonely.

This has been my biggest headache.  When I discovered the black mold growing on my walls, I did not hesitate to have the 88 year old single pane windows replaced.  The house also has no overhangs on the roof, nor gutters, so the rain just runs down the sides of the house.  The siding is pretty much rotten and will have to all be replaced when I do my add-on, in addition to putting in some insulation.  For now, the windows are finished, with nice wide sills that I can put plants on and kitties can roost on to look out at the squirrels and birds.  Today my friend and I are going to try to pick out colors to paint the room.  She loves to paint.  I do not.

Above is the post card we sent out to friends, family, and associates for Alan's Memorial.  I have a committee of friends and family members who are planning this for me.  The love and caring brought to me by the community has been overwhelming, and I have no desire to live anywhere else.  I wish you could all join us in this celebration of his life.

To all of you who have sent cards and heartfelt wishes my way, I thank you.  This is going to be a long haul, and I treasure my friendships, both locally and in bloggerville.  I can feel your arms wrapped around me, and God answers prayers.  I know.