Crazy as a Loom

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Mini vacay

I have a confession to make.
Not only did I take Saturday off.....when I went to Middlebury.
But I also took Sunday off, to go to Boston.
Two days OFF. NO WORK. Two days of RECREATION.
I know. Hard to believe.
But true.
We went to Boston to see a Red Sox game. My husband had two tickets gifted to him. They were great seats, with one huge exception; they were in full sun. And it was over 90 degrees.
Now I knew there was no way that either one of us was going to last for an hour in that heat. We had tried it before, same scenario, same seats. Last summer. We ended up going inside, watching the game on a monitor, and leaving half way through.
So I said to DH, 'we can't do this. Give me those tickets.'
He didn't believe me when I said I was going to find someone who had seats in the shade, and trade with them.
Oh, he believed I would ask.....he just didn't think anyone would take the bait.
Thank goodness he was wrong.
I knew there had to be someone who would do it to be in the 5th row.
And there was.
See the guy in the white shirt??? He initially said no, but the kid with him, to the left of him in the red shirt, desperately wanted to be that close to the action......so he agreed.

They were checking the tickets, and moments later sat down. Two $125 tickets, in the sun, for two $47 tickets, in the shade.
Whew.
Worked for me.
And DH.
And coincidentally, it was the 600th sold out game for the Red Sox, so in celebration of that fact, they threw 600 commemorative balls out into the crowds.
And as luck would have it, the kid in the red shirt caught one.
YAY.

Twas meant to be.
I'm sure he thought so.
Any Red Sox fans out there?
Big Papi.

YOUK!

AiD-RIAN. (in Rocky Balboa's voice)

DH found a hotel on Priceline. They just didn't tell him that it was straddling the Mass Turnpike.
Ouch.

It was actually OK, with a couple of exceptions.
But the view was awesome.
We were 10 miles outside of Boston.

The sun was just going down.

We had a lovely dinner at an Italian restaurant called Bertucci's, which we walked to.

And that my friends, concludes my 'weekend off '.......

Today it was back to business, but I must say, though I am not used to taking two days off in a row, it was pretty nice. Really OK.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Good Gawd.

Some time back, I told a story about my Dad. He had taken me to an auction at a lakeside hotel in Vermont. You can read about it here.
Today, driving to Middlebury, I happened to drive right by the house, which is now an antique store. I pulled over, leaned out the window, and took this picture.

The elderly lady on the porch was waving to me, and I leaned further out the window to explain why I was taking the picture of her house. But I don't think she could hear me, so I pulled over into her drive, and got out.
When I saw the porch up close, I realized that my own porch creation reminded me of this one.

The owner, who is 81 years young, was happy to give us the tour, starting with her upside down tomato plant.

The inside of her shop, which covered the entire downstairs of this old house, was somewhat overwhelming. So much glass.

She knew every piece.

She had some lovely pieces of furniture.

And more glass.

I can't imagine how long it took her to assemble all this.

But she was obviously quite proud of her collections.

This is the view from the front door, of Lake Hortonia. It was down this dirt road that I walked so many years ago. She told me that the hall where they had the square dances was torn down not long ago.

But I digress.
The reason for my trip was to take rugs to a brand new shop in Middlebury, Vt, called the Vermont Yarn, Bead and Gift Emporium, on Exchange Street. You can visit them on Facebook here.
They have a marvelous space.

Tons of yarn.

Sensory overload.

Beading supplies.

Beads.

They have so much to look at.

And because I am keeping this REAL, and not giving myself any tiny little space to sneak out (as if I would fit), I am including this photo of me that my friend Alice took of me today. I know she is my friend, and she loves me fat or otherwise. She didn't take it to remind me that I need this diet. But looking at the picture made me all the more committed to losing this 25lbs. Or was it 30?

So thanks, Alice. It was a great day.
(Good Gawd, look at that spare tire!)

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Short and very sweet.

Yes, today was granddaughter day. We went to buy cowgirl boots. My 6 year old GD was taking her first horseback riding lessons. My 5 year old GD and I waited in the shadiest spot we could find.

She has been looking forward to this for awhile.
Couldn't wait.

She didn't complain about the heat.
She listened to every word.

She is a natural.

Mimi is exhausted.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Keeping it simple.

I should have started the stair runner today, but I had other things on my mind.
Those tee shirts were calling to me.

I only wove one rug, but I just had to see what one would look like.

Then I moved on to the Weaver's Friend, that has been sitting (gasp) naked, for a while now. But since I just got the back beam retrofitted so I could attach my tension box to it, I was anxious to get warp on it.

I am going to be weaving some 3'x5' rugs in earth tones. Unless, of course, I get a little crazy, and who knows. It could happen. And I could weave something totally NOT earthy on that warp. Therein lies the FUN.

It just rained here in the northeast, and I think tonight will be a night to sleep with the window open.
Sometimes the simplest pleasures are the best of all.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Just a little nuts

I just got out of the pool, where I was jogging in the deep end. It is great exercise, and my knees are kind of screaming from the hour walk I took last night, on the macadam road, in the heat. I asked my mother to holler out the window, when I had been out there for a half hour. After what seemed like a long time, she opened the window, and said, "you got 5 more minutes." I said OK, and kept jogging. She finally came out the back door, onto the porch, and said, "that was 10 minutes ago that I hollered out the window."
I said, "I thought you were going to let me know after 30 min, not 40."
Her answer: "None of the clocks in this house are the same."
ACK!!!!!!! I kind of expected her to look at ONE clock, and when 30 minutes had gone by on THAT clock, I figured she would let me know.
I don't think my mother has Alzheimer's. I think she has 'terminal weirdness'.
It may be a family trait.
I am grateful, though, for the pool. It is certainly a welcome relief after a long, hot day. It is a regular size, in ground pool. It brings to mind the pool I bought for my kids, back when we lived in the country. It was a round pool, above ground, 28' across. It sat into the bank, and three levels of deck led down to it. Sometimes, we floated around in it, and watched the deer out in the field. I bought a light, that you hooked over the side, and at night, it glowed softly in the dark.
Occasionally, a bat would swoop down to drink. When I sold the house, the new owners tore the pool down. Guess they didn't want the aggravation.
But they also didn't get the perks.
Life is a trade off, is it not?
I am exercising, and watching my diet like a hawk. It is time.
I was remembering, the other day, how much I weighed when my first daughter was a baby. At the time, I thought I was disgustingly fat. Now, I would give my life savings to weigh that much.
Then I remembered how much I weighed when I was ready to DELIVER my third, and last daughter. I STILL weigh more than that.
Enough said. Stay tuned. You think I was a pit bull about giving up Prilosec? I am on a mission.
When I have photos that look GOOD, I will post them along with the ones that look BAD.
I promise.

I had three bags of old tee shirts. They have just acquired a second life. I can't wait to see them woven into rugs.

I had a very productive day at the studio.
First off, I finished a 12' caterpillar rug for an order. I started it two days ago, laying all those sock strips in is time consuming.
But I like the look...it is definitely different.

Then I cut 18 lbs of fabric for my next order, in shades of whites, pale yellow, pale turquoise, and beige. It is a stair runner, and needs to be woven 232" long. I cut the strips narrow, and wound two colors together in each ball, so the colors will change subtly and not look striped.

OK, I am coming clean.
It is true, I talk to my cats.
All the time.

From Crazy as a Loom

You BIT me.
I didn't.
Yes. YES, you did.
Well, OK, but I didn't bite you hard.
You bit me.
It didn't bleed.
I can't believe you BIT me.
I saved your skinny butt, and now you BITE me?????
I'm sorry.
I won't do it again.
I'm disgusted with you. Stop looking at me.
Well, you shouldn't have moved me. I was comfortable.
That's why I bit you.
You're ungrateful.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

The color of success.

I'm never leaving Kansas again. Never ever.

Silliness aside, I finished some more dish towels.

They are thick and thirsty, and they are such fun to make.

I dragged more dyed fabric inside. I think I have the procedure down to a science. It is so much better to cut the fabric first, wind it into large 'hanks', and dye it tied up. That way, it doesn't get tangled, and when it dries, it is ready to be woven.

I buzzed around the studio today, trying to get myself organized. Between the heat, and trying to dye fabric, cleaning the barn, I have kind of gotten off track. Some days just seem to fly by, and it seems that I did nothing of consequence. Other days I can't believe how much I've accomplished.
I am thinking of something I heard a while back. A lady came in, to buy rugs for her shop. We talked, about running your own business, doing what you love, following your dreams. She said that her husband said to her at one point, "don't you have enough on your plate?"
She didn't quite know what to say, and he continued, "maybe you should eat at the banquet in front of you."
Wow.

In case you haven't noticed, I have a fantastic banquet table. The studio and all my dreams come true, right here. I think I will stop worrying about what's next, and just make myself comfortable.
It looks delicious.

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