Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Back to the Future


Christina and I were amazed by the size of houses as Karen showed us around the area.  She explained that the farmhouse addition is common.  The original house became too small as the family grew, so an addition was built onto the back.  In time that became a third addition, then fourth and so on. 

It's so different here in the wide open, disposable land West where properties were abandoned and people moved on.  We were impressed by how well these houses have withstood the elements and time.  The West wasn't even a mote in their father's eye.
I got home to a gimpy-backed husband.  He damaged it years ago moving stone and has tried to make peace with it ever since.  I suggested a new mattress a couple years ago when we bought new living room furniture - one delivery price.  He wasn't interested.
He was very interested when I got home.  Our mattress, which I loved, was over ten years old and he had been limping along with this piece of plywood on his side.  By the time I got home, he had researched mattresses and was ready to buy.  Pain is a powerful motivator.
Out of the box, onto the bed.  That's our new mattress.  That's the last picture I got because once we sliced off the plastic, it grew up into a 14" mattress and we were busy.  I was skeptical but now I'm a believer.  Sleep just got better.  I'm a great sleeper and now I'm an ultra uber sleeper.  Who knew?!
Almost all of my Webs order has arrived.  This the 8/2 tencel that I've gotten from them - the four cones on the right are what I ordered and the four cones on the left are what I bought in the store.  I see I have an affinity for green - two of the cones are the same.


Wednesday I got my hair cut in the morning and had a doctor appointment in the afternoon, so I treated myself to a visit to Jimmy Beans.  I got both yarn and fabric.  I was just getting ready to leave when I heard - Sharon?!  It was Diane Soucy and we haven't seen each other in a couple of years.  I laughed because I had just bought yarn to knit one of her patterns.  On top of that, I was just finishing a sweater from yarn I bought from her stash sale about 15 years ago.  Irony!  Much of my stash is second hand.
This is said sweater, however after returning home with yarn for the next new exciting sweater adventure, I realized that I had major major problems - one was a pattern omission that I was aware of, two was my tight two-stranded knitting and three was the dreadful raglan decreases I had invented in the absence of instructions from the pattern.  Frogging and reknitting is in progress.
As for weaving, I got a warp on and started my venture into the world of scarves.  I'm terrible at it and it was not a gratifying experience.
I learned a lot and I tore out a lot.  I hate being a beginner but I'm afraid there's no cure for that, other than to keep at it until something makes sense.
Thank goodness I've returned to spinning art yarn.  My 30 minutes of morning spinning with my "happy' light and coffee were the most productive of the day. 







7 comments:

Hilary said...

I think you're doing great.....you just have to keep at it.....enjoy the journey.......you'll look back at your mistakes and be amazed.

Valerie said...

RE: old New England houses/barns. Animal housing was often attached to the home so that the animals could easily be cared for in the long hard winters. That's the case in the yellow house you've shown.
You see less of that as you go down into Pa. then Va. My FIL is a retired dairy farmer in Pa. and his interest in the different ways that barns are constructed in the different regions of the country has rubbed off on me.

I'm not sure what the problem might be with your scarves since you do so well with the towels. Just think of them as a long, somewhat narrow towel?

Good luck with the mattress. We are in that decision process now and are looking into a custom one at Buis Mattress

vlb5757 said...

I don't weave but I am always amazed at what you can do with simple string. I love those houses but I would not be thrilled about cleaning such a large place. Your trip was educational for me too!

heather said...

the tencel warp on your loom is beautiful! I really enjoy learning to weave new weave structures or fibers,but i rarely love my first project. but there is always somebody who does not look at it and see all the faults that i do that is delighted to give it a home :)lovely spinning :) i have been spinning lately too. must be spring and all the new lambs i see that motivated me :)

Nina said...

Those houses are glorious old dames, which really highlight life in the past. Do a couple more scarf projects and you'll forget you were a beginner. You do have a true eye for colour! So pretty.

LA said...

You certainly had an adventure on your trip! It's so much fun to see the styles of homes in the different areas. Trying something new in your weaving can be an adventure, too!

danielle said...

About your new mattress - this is the mattress right, not the topper? Did you get it at Costco? Are you still thrilled with it?
Hubby wants a new bed, I dont....looked at it today at Costco - sure wish there was some way to try it out!