Soggy Satisfaction

Wet.  Cold.  I know you've heard about this elsewhere, but really, really wet and cold.

I had to take a picture of my pants.

On the right there you'll see the mittens (Mountain Colors Mountain Goat) that I bought in a moment of desperation.  I usually do my own knitting, but these are wonderful and I'm glad I got them.

I even had a moment when I thought The Path was going to flood.

Anyway, despite being fucking freezing, I actually had a wonderful time.  A lovely evening, with good knitting and conversation with Laura, Doug, Cynthia, Norma, Jo, and Tigger (who impressed us all by lasting until nearly midnight).  Laura has a fiber person's dream house, a lovely view and a rambling place full of nooks and crannies stocked with wheels, looms, fiber, and yarn.  I slept in between a Leclerc and a Kromski.  Life is good.

The next morning, off we went in the pouring rain for, erm, a picnic.

We went right to Dave's booth, and Jo wound up giving a hitchiker a ride back to Ottawa.  These things happen, and I wasn't about to stand in her way.  Then a Grafton Fibers spindle started yelling at me, and I did the only reasonable thing and bought the pushy thing.  Then, I'm standing there minding my own business, and Kellee happens by and--now think about this for a moment--asks me whether she should buy a fleece.  I will add that it is a 7-pound fleece for $21.  Ahem.  I just have to say that I am the right person to ask when you already know the answer.  (It's "yes" by the way.  Just in case you weren't clear.)  Kellee and I were clearly separated at birth.  She pointed out that charkhas are really quite easy to hide.  This is a woman who knows how to think about such things.

There are only a handful of pictures on my camera.  I do, however, recognize a potentially historic moment when I see one.  Julia was readily enabled into a spectacular mahogany Vermont Wheel.  Here's the moment they first met.

You can see the chemistry right there.  As I said in Julia's comments, my happiness for her almost eclipses my burning jealousy that she now owns this wheel.  Almost.

Despite making all sorts of promises to myself about being a bit more responsible with the budget and not spending more on wool and yarn-related purchases than on, say, the mortgage, I did happen to fall down at the Bosworth booth, and I swiped my credit card on the way down.  A book charkha--the one that I have been coveting for a year now--followed me home.  I almost brought it on my business trip today, but I really didn't want to try to explain to TSA what it is.  FemiKnit Mafia was there to witness the incident.  She was enabled into a lovely Bosworth spindle in the process.  I will say that teaching people to spindle is much easier when your hands aren't numb and you're not soaking wet.  Rain date for the Mafia's spinning lesson.

The picnic, if you could call it that, went off pretty darned well considering it was 40 degrees and pouring and the covered picnic tables were occupied by kids' workshops that nobody was attending.  We found a small overhang and got resourceful.  It was actually a lovely get together.  "Your lips are blue, are mine?" was the standard small talk.  But we bloggers proved our mettle mental illness mettle and braved it all for a nice meet and greet.  Next year, baby, it will be sunny and think of what fun we'll have.

I'm very happy to report that my friend Barb's Foxfire Fiber booth was swarmed by bloggers, and I see the cashmere-silk evidence all over blogland today.  That's Norma and Carole fondling the merchandise.  Only Jo held out, despite the rich purpleness of the cashmere-silk roving.  I expect she'll cave at Rhinebeck.  Resistance is futile.

There's more, including photos from a much drier mother's day brunch the next day, but I need to post this if it's ever going to get read.  To round out my week of madness, I'm now in Chicago getting ready to do a poster session (woo!  as in, what the hell was my stupid idea signing up for this thing?) and then to meet up with Sara and Teri (real woo this time) for our professional conference knitblogger meetup.

Because life wasn't weird enough.  But in a good way.

Comments

[Carrie]

Okay, I looked at the linked page, I read the info, and I still don't quite get what the hell a charkha is. 'Splain, please?

[Bookish Wendy]

So, yah. I have spent most of today "looking on the internet for a wheel" errr I mean "working".

You people are like a disease. ;) I missed you Saturday night at Dinner. Mexican food wasn't the same without you!

[Jennifer]

My credit card is already crispy around the edges from this "fiber" addiction of late. You are not helping. Really. Not helping.

[wenders]

I feel like a looser - this time I WENT, but still didn't make it to the blogger meet-up. Although, I am resisting this spinning thing... I think lace is next for me (smaller. fits into North End apartments...) I am impressed we're sucha dedicated bunch, though. :)

[Katy]

I swear that the weather had nothing to do with me cursing you all. Really!
And now that you have the charkha, I wonder what the next major fiber tool acquisition will be. A loom for the addition on the house, maybe? ;)

[Norma]

Oh, I didn't even know Julia got a Vermont wheel. They are just SO BEAUTIFUL. If I get myself together, and get to spinning more frequently, I really do think I'd like one of those to be a part of my future.

I'm going to "borrow" that photo of me and Carol in the Foxfire booth for my post tomorrow, if that's ok.

[Carole]

Great photos - especially the one of your pants. Mine looked like that, too. I knew it was time to leave when the wicking from the hem was meeting the dripping from the jacket!

[julia fc]

Thanks so much for being there. Because.

[Dave Daniels]

That's a great post! I'm in the green jacket behind Carole, just before I took that brown yarn out of Norma's hand. My buddy Sean bought the other Charkha, just before you got yours. It was SO much fin, in spite of the rain.

[Kathy]

So great to see you on Saturday. Wet, but still a blast! I was unable to resist the lure of Foxfire too.

[colleen]

Ooof, I'm not sure that I could have lasted.

[elisa]

Oh wow, Cate - you may not have gotten tons of pictures, but you got The Pictures. Rock on!

[Ruth]

oooo!! Where are you staying in Chicago? If you're in the Loop, you should pay a visit to Loopy Yarns (http://loopyyarns.com/). You've never seen so much Lorna's Laces in one place in your life. And Vicki (the owner) is wonderful.

[Mel]

I thought the kids' workshop overhang loooked like a likely meeting place, but I think I noticed it too late in the game. It was good to get to see you briefly, at least. Before Rhinebeck, remind me to give you our cell #.

I still think my wet jeans beat yours out.

Oh, and say hi to Sara for me. Tell her now that I've got that Bosworth spindle, maybe I'll finally get around to doing something with that big bag of camel.

[Laurie]

I hadn't seen Foxfire before, and I am HOOKED. What luscious stuff! Like I needed another addiction.

You ARE dangerous. I wish you hadn't linked that beautiful little machine. I don't even WANT to spin cotton...but I do have cashmere silk on hand. What a coincidence!

I have to keep remembering how dangerous you are. You lull me into this sense of comforted security and happiness, and THEN YOU STRIKE. Suddenly...well, I guess both fleeces had little to do with you on the spot. It was just the IDEA that you planted. *sigh*

[CarolineF]

I saw those wheels at Maryland and was amazed at their reasonable prices considering what they were. Only the fact that my house is full stopped me from giving one a try. That, and there were about 8 people waiting to give one a try.

[Juno]

I feel so proud and happy to be part of this crazed circular wheel buying fiber hording group. And so sad I missed you all - even with the cold and wet.

And the answer is always yes.

[margene]

So does everyone around you end up buying a wheel? I might have to stay far, far away from you at Rhinebeck. Your wet pants make me feel cold and it's 80 degrees here already today!

[Helen]

Sounds like it was fun despite the rain! Those GF spindles are pushy, aren't they? ;-)

[Chris]

Heh, I'm trying to figure out exactly how many fleeces Kellee DID buy, based on various blog accounts... Sounds like it was a blast and that I would've made my retirement if I'd had a hot chocolate booth there.

[liz]

I've been writhing in envy over the fiber festivals of late, however cold and wet make for an unhappy Liz so, despite all the evidence that everyone had a wonderful time, I'm glad I missed that one. At least the cold and wet prevented your credit card from flaming out on you!

[Cassie]

You know, this almost - but not quite - makes me think it was okay I wasn't there. The wet, the rain... but I really need some fleece enabling, hon. Badly.

[Knittingboykit]

I'm sorry we didn't find you all until you were heading out...i had hot mead and sake in the car in Thermos's, just for you! Congrats on the charka. David is trying to get me to work at Rhinebeck, which I might, if we don't do my Dad's birthday that weekend and I can leave Jesse with his grands. I'm thinking about a Hitchiker or a bookcharka--Sue says if I get rid of the old subruban or my motorcycle, I can get another wheel....