Catching up, drawing breath

Oof! It has been a busy few days. Last week, with a visitor, everything else seemed to happen, too, so we had the day out at Riddlesden, the coven (and I actually have a picture of the cake it took me much nervous energy to make, but no battery in the camera so can't post it yet). And then on Saturday we went to the Association Summer School Trade Fair.

I was very pleased with how well it went. It didn't take us long to get there, starting out pretty early on a Saturday morning. About an hour and a half. It was maybe unfortunate that when we arrived, there didn't seem to be a space for us to inhabit....and I gradually gathered during the day that this was not at all surprising, had happened to many people and in short, Great Fun Had Been Had By All. However, we ended up right by the entrance, so we were the first and last stall that everyone saw. This meant we were highly visible, the point of the exercise as far as we were concerned. It was an inexpensive advertisement and a networking opportunity in my view. We achieved both those, but actually sold a reasonable amount as well. And, by and large, enjoyed ourselves - sueb encountered her first brush ever with anti-American feeling but you can't have everything!

I was also quite restrained in what I bought - could I be learning sense in my middle age?? I bought a not too expensive bead spinner, a lovely dichroic pendant, some knitting/crochet wire and a small reel of silk all from the same vendor, who I will definitely watch out for in the future. But I did get two pairs worth of self-patterning sock yarn, I who never buy commercial yarn, only ever use handspun really. But it is too cute - one ball of Opal, two of Socka. And despite the green sock languishing unfinished in my bag, I couldn't resist casting on yesterday to see what the Opal looks like. (Too soon to tell yet.)

So today I indulge myself with lounging around outside knitting - it is a glorious, perfect summer's day. Blue sky, puffy white clouds, gentle breeze, low humidity and temperature no more than 70.

Oh, except that I had a panic phone call from my mother. Whose doctor was sending her to the hospital for a check, presumably an ECG as she was seemingly reporting an angina attack. She rang off in a tearing hurry (sounding, I have to say, perfectly all right) giving me little information. So I phoned the residential home she lives at, and asked a duty someone, who seemed completely unconcerned. I know I sound like a total uncaring bitch, but it is so hard to know what is going on - it is always thus far a false alarm (Hilaire Belloc used her as inspiration) but she is eighty seven. Still, I could go over on Wednesday.....aach, I dunno. Let's kick back and enjoy today first.

gw

And - as a postscript: the mater rang me about three hours later, home from the hospital where she had checked out just fine. And had indeed been told that she had had an anxiety attack, but I don't know if she has totally taken that in. Partly, I think. It is a relief, of course, but it is also very difficult to deal with, or to know how to help. I am now making noises about chamomile tea, and I think I can see Bach Rescue Remedy in her future. Certainly in mine!