Friends

I love your comments.   They make me smile, sometimes laugh out loud.  Sometimes your concern brings a tear to my eye.  It never fails to amaze me, how many friends I have made since I started this blog four years ago.      
( although the first year I am pretty sure I was talking to myself)

How to define 'friend'?
We think we know, and then out of the blue, you find out that there are all kinds of friends, people who send  you good energy when you need it, people you have never met.

Years ago, when I first started weaving, and needed help, I turned to the internet.  There were no weavers to go to locally, so I started asking questions on an online forum.  That's where I met Shirley, a weaver all her life, who was old enough to be my mother.   It started out with sporadic emails, but soon we were in touch almost every day, by email, and sometimes by phone.  She was a 'character'.....that's for sure.  Her best friends called her Flossie, and I soon became one of them.
 She was full of information, which she freely shared, and she never minded my endless questions.  Eventually, when DH and I went to Tennessee to visit his son, we made a side trip to meet her.
We hit it off in person, just like we had online.  She felt like someone I had known my whole life.
The next year, she came to New York, and stayed for a week.  She loved the studio, and we did a lot of weaving, and a lot of laughing.
When she died a few years ago, I grieved for her.   And I missed her.  Some days, I feel her hovering around, and I say her name out loud.  I tell her that I wish she hadn't gone so soon.  And I weave knowing that she helped me get to where I am.

Another friend, and mentor to this day, was also met online.  Chris, of Homestead Weaver answered my many questions in the beginning, and still answers them to this day.  She is a better weaver than I,  and knows more than I will probably ever know.  And we've become good friends.  I have enormous respect for her, and I am grateful for everything she has taught me.
When someone out of the blue emails or calls to pick my brain about weaving, I pay it forward every time.
Friends.  Yup, you just never know where they are coming from.  You just got to have gratitude.

Today L and I took one of my Union Customs apart, and loaded it into the back of my car.  I drove it through the countryside, to my friend's house.  She has a small studio that sits out in her yard, and has wanted a loom for a long time.
It seemed a simple equation.  I have too many looms....yes, I really said that.  And she wanted JUST ONE.
I will go over soon to help her put a warp on it.

Every now and then, I stopped to take a picture that called out to me.

It wasn't a good day, headache wise.   I decided to swear a whole bunch to myself, and keep on keeping on.
I have to get through the weekend, and Monday morning I will be sitting in the waiting room of dear doctor..........uh, results???

I am pleased to have the living room of the studio somewhat uncluttered.   Not sure if it is feng shui or what........but it feels so good.
I am aiming to un-clutter the studio, then my home, and ultimately my life.

As soon as I get rid of the monster behind my eyes.