Canada Day

In honor of Canada Day, I was reminiscing about the fun time we had last year visiting Winnipeg on July 1st. (scroll back to the beginning of July to get my full "first time to Winnipeg" posts.) The professor suggested I tell you this particular story about what's been going on lately.

On Monday, we received an enormous set of papers for buying our new home in Manitoba. Essentially, it was all the papers for closing on our new house from the lawyer. Bright and early on Tuesday morning, we went up to our local credit union branch to do all the signing in front of a notary. The professor wanted to go there particularly because, he explained, they all knew him personally.

The joke was on him when the notary smiled up at me and it was my friend (and talented artist) Myra! The professor is an exceedingly careful person and makes me look downright haphazard. (for those who know me, this is hard to believe but totally true.) So, he insisted on being in charge of all the paperwork, although we both were signing it. All went very well until...

We got to the piece of paperwork that asked for another notary to notarize the authenticity of the first notary's work. No kidding!! Now that's careful! Luckily, this bank had two notaries, and the professor pointed out that notary #2 had opened our bank account with us, six years ago. He again felt glad we'd chosen our local credit union branch. At that point, we were using the services of roughly half the employees!

All seemed great until last night, when the professor went through the paperwork one last time before sending it back northward. Then, he found the other piece of paper we needed notarized.

"No problem!" I said, with a smile. (because I had left it all to him, I was just cooperating...and packing boxes. 12 boxes yesterday..) It was another fun chance to see my friend Myra! Today, we hope, we will be able to send off the house paperwork to Canada.

We can conclude from this:
1) We've got something to learn from Canadians about being extra, extra sure that everything is just right.
2) It's just right that we didn't send out the paperwork yesterday, since everyone is celebrating Canada Day today! No one would have been in the office to receive it.
3) The Yarn Harlot does a far better job of celebrating Canada Day via blogpost, as a Canadian, than I (a US citizen) can. Maybe one day I'll get dual citizenship. I aspire, maybe one day, to being as careful as both the professor and the paperwork that requires that the notary's signature be notarized....but gosh, that's careful!

For now, I'm back to the boxes. We're up to 251. I just packed up the spindles from both of my Great Wheels, so no more spinning on those until they're in my new home. Only 9 days until the moving truck comes...and that's the news.

the spinning news

Well, as of today, we've packed 117 boxes. Out of curiosity, I checked our running list (we're documenting every box) and a little more than half are books. Willow and I have a lot in common...in any case, a professor and a teacher turned writer are bound to be readers, right? The funny part is how many books we've already given away to the local library for their used book sale!

Despite a busy social schedule--the professor and I have had 4 social engagements between Tuesday and Thursday, an all time record... I've been doing some spinning related things.

First, my spindle returned for my Lyle Wheeler Great Wheel. This spindle wasn't quite perfect for me and Lyle kindly worked on it again...I love this about handmade things, we can tweak it until it's right! I've gotten it on the wheel, and I've spun a tiny bit. However, I couldn't find the spinning oil (this despite buying 2 more bottles!) to oil everything, so more time with that wheel will have to wait. Also, we were in the midst of severe thunderstorms, so Sally the dog was trying to squeeze herself into a space between boxes and the wheel that was genuinely unsafe. She is afraid of storms as they are so violent here, and often cause tornadoes. I am perhaps more afraid of finding a squished dog in between the moving boxes...

For my "Back to Basics" spinning workshops in May, I'd purchased exquisite raw Finn wool from Misty Mountain Farm. I try to offer students a lot of different wool breed samples in my classes. This raw fiber was delicious. Even so, I can't say I recommend ever moving raw wool in a moving truck in the summer time. STINKY! So, I washed it. Due to our summer storms and high humidity (last I checked, it was 77% humidity AFTER a storm came through, so gosh knows what it was before...), this wool is drying in the guest bathroom. It's mostly dry after three days. I am dying to sit down and spin it straight from the lock...but first, I'd like to finish plying all the "anxiety" Shetland I spun while I was waiting to hear if we were moving. Bear in mind that I have about 30 minutes a day, at most, to consider spinning. It's a pipe dream!

I also discovered while teaching that many students want to learn good hand carding technique but don't have hand cards. Sometimes their hand cards aren't right for the materials at hand...they are too fine for wool or too coarse. (this has to do with the carding cloth, which varies a great deal in tpi--teeth per inch.) I've been gifted with some old hand cards, both flat and curved back, over the years, and it occurred to me that with new carding cloth, these carders would again serve their purpose! More students could practice at once.

Before I closed the "hand cards" box I contacted Howard Brush Company--new carding cloth at 72 and 90 tpi is on its way! This is a relief, because my very favorite hand cards, made by Clemes & Clemes, developed a wobble in one of the handles. No surprise, really, as they are 24 years old and have seen much hard use. I like carding, and I love those cards! Luckily, the professor fixed the wobbles with some glue and I'm back in business. (I too use glue, but dribble it everywhere. He's neater than I am.)

I am now off to sit on the couch, watch a Due South dvd and knit wool socks. I'm preparing for Canada. So far, it's my favorite Canadian show.

This actor might be why, but a close second is his sidekick, a wolf. (Sally likes the wolf.) I welcome other Canadian program ideas--please feel free to suggest them in the comments!

1,000 miles

Yesterday, as we drove to Frankfort, Kentucky, I realized that despite my best efforts to avoid cars and anything to do with driving places? I was yet again piling on the miles. That would be over 1000 miles in the car this week!

A few months ago, I was asked to contribute writing to a project that the Kentucky Arts Council organized. It became the Kentucky Quilt Trails program, complete with a book you can purchase. In this book, you can see photos of barns in Kentucky, covered in community-painted traditional quilt patterns. You can read snippets of writing about quilts, Kentucky, and barns. While the public art that this project has inspired around the state is fabulous.. for me, I decided this week that best of all, you don't have to ride in a car to see any of it! Just buy the book!

I was invited to sign copies of the book at the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort. Sure, I said! What's 150 miles each way for a good cause? Luckily, the professor agreed to come along and drive. It was rainy, cold, and 5 hours in the car. The good parts? This was my first time signing any books at all and it was fun! Also? We found a great Lebanese restaurant so I was full and happy on the drive home. I even knitted a little, between long moments of staring into space.

Nancy was 100% right about this week's activities. I baked six loaves of bread. (4 challah, pictured, 2 whole wheat, hard crusted beauties of at least a lb a piece.) I've also felt a little "toasted" myself...as Annmarie mentioned in the comments..long drives can do that.

My new nephew is doing better now, after a week of pretty rough complications from surgery. Still in neo-natal ICU, still struggling with the basics and being fed through an IV mostly, but he's off the ventilator and his mom got to hold him yesterday. That's huge. (Obviously all those thoughts and prayers are helping! Thank you!)

I'm slowly getting to know my great wheel, which requires some practice. I carded up some Shetland wool and every day or so, I spend a few quality moments spinning. It's not great yarn yet, but I'm ok with it... that takes practice with any new wheel. In the meanwhile? It's meditative time with a lot of walking back and forth. (nowhere near 1000 miles, although gosh knows I need the exercise.)

Best of all, this new wheel is safe and well-situated in my guest room...a well-lit and cheerful place.

Can you imagine any better amenity for spinning guests? Do you think I'll have a waiting list for houseguests? :)