So, Friday's class, with a little help from my friends, went pretty well. I had a good time, anyway, and the two novices that I had sprung on me seemed to have a whale of a time. Most of those that pas through my hands are well-motivated and usually have "got it" by the end of the day; one of Friday's had it by lunch time, and went on to experiment with knitting, crocheting and tunisian crocheting samples of her own newly spindle spun yarn, whilst the other took longer but got there by mid-afternoon and had a really good time in the process. I have lost count - never kept it - of the people I have taught to spin over the last few years, but it is not inconsiderable, and gives me a certain small satisfaction.
I quite surprise myself starting out this blog entry like that. I was feeling distinctly subdued after a visit to my mother, who when we went in to her room on Saturday was lying on the bed looking exactly and I do mean exactly as my grandmother, her mother, used to look when I visited her twenty years ago. She has started following certain behaviours as well. Allotting some of her possessions to my sister and herself and making sure that we know what is hers and what to do with it. When she is dead is the ever-unspoken rationale. She is very melancholy and dissatisfied and there is not one thing I can do about it. She wants the impossible - her lost youth; to be living in her old home; and to win several millions on the Lottery (and she is not entirely joking.)
So to focus on the pleasures of introducing others to fibre crafts forms a wonderful antidote, as does the pursuit thereof myself. A little pursuing has been accomplished - I have finished to latest Opal socks, and have started sampling for the next pair, the Debbie Bliss silk. In the post this morning was some very nice Regia wool and cotton; after this, it is handspun all the way - oh, well, no, there is the Noro pair as well. Plenty to keep me occupied whilst travelling nest month, anyway. I also wound a couple of balls of handspun to sample for the next shawl last night, and will attempt that tonight. I have spindle spun a little in the sunshine, and the glorious day that we had yesterday; and if I manage to carve out a little time over the next few days when I am not mucking out the house which has got ridiculous, I will continue with the Jacob.
I cook, too. When you grow any veggies yourself you tend to get gluts. We have a glut of lettuce, bolting so furiously that they have passports, their suitcases are packed, and they are even contemplating emigrating to Alpha Centauri. Except that they are all now chopped and in a pot, destined for Lettucesoupsville. I have made it before, but can't remember what it tasted like. Presumably edible, or I would have remembered? I also adapted a Sophie Grigson recipe for red flannel hash involving corned beef (which of course, we don't eat)as we had a lot more beetroot in last week's veggie box. I used quorn pieces instead and it was absolutely delicious.
To decorate the blog and because it is such a lovely colourful image, I give you - AH begonias from sunny Friday afternoon. Enjoy.
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