Relaxation!

Did ya ever feel like you needed to go back to work to relax?

I feel like that a lot, however, it's not so much going back to work to relax, but just going. Somewhere. Anywhere. Other than here. Wherever "here" is.

Thursday and Friday I worked until late, like 11-12 hrs a day. Saturday and Sunday I was at my fibery best at the Lamb and Wool Festival at the fairgrounds locally here.

Doesn't that just evoke all kinds of warm and cuddly feelings? Lamb and Wool. mmmmmmmmmmm

It was great. Very relaxing, but not the kind of relaxing I need after life beats me up a bit.

I bought stuff I shouldn't have bought, which while at the time is relaxing and all kinds of immediate gratification-ing, I then have to go back and figure out how to pay for it. Not so relaxing.

Years ago, hubby got me an antique spinning wheel at an estate sale. I was gonna learn to spin. You know, get fleece from, well, fleece bearing critters, and make beautiful designer yarns from which I would knit beautiful sweaters, socks, afghans and all manner of other knitted fun things.

It didn't work. The spinning wheel.

Went online to find a diagram of what it should look like as it was a bit obvious that there were pieces missing. Couldn't find one, so it sat in the corner for years.

Last year at the same festival I found a guy who makes wheels. Well, if he makes them, he could restore them, right? You know, all fix them up and everything?

Cool! He was up to the challenge so I sent him on his way with my little antique wheel. I figured if I never saw him again, it was all good, I was only out a wheel that so far had only taken up space (a premium in my little cabin). If he couldn't fix it I was only out, well, nothing.

So we agreed on a "not to exceed" price and he up the challenge and went home.

Anxiously, I sought out his booth this year to see the results of my challenge. (there were a few emails in between too). There it was. All cleaned up. There were pieces attached to it that weren't there before. He proclaimed success, told me all about what he'd done, how to do this and that to it and sent me on my way with the agreed apon amount in his hands.

And I learned to spin on it. It's not a big spinning wheel, nor is it fancy, but it's worn out, used a lot and very comfortable. It makes this noise while I spin that's reminiscent of an old rocking chair, now that's relaxation!

And life was all good. I was happy. Happy enough to try to further my relaxation by taking a day off from work.

Cleaned up the house (very relaxing to come home to a semi clean house), made some turkey noodle soup from a leftover turkey frame, and made home made rolls. Yummy. Very relaxing.

Today, I'll only probably work 1/2 a day and go with hubby on a road trip, score some serious knitting time.

And there's only one obvious path to this spinning wheel solution. Leave it to me to go backwards on this. First I learned to knit. Now I'm learning to make the yarn I knit with. What's next?

I thought you'd never ask.

Alpacas!

Oh, and I found some yarn made from possum fur too. This opens up all kinds of new uses for road kill.

Just sayin'....