After the Fest

Yesterday was just glorious! I spent most of the morning giddy with glee. It was sunny! there was enough of a nip in the air that I started out wearing my LOUD sweater, but by the time I got to the Festival site, it was just too warm, so I left it in the car. I wandered and pondered and fondled and dawdled, surrounded by like-minded people doing eactly the same. I bought a beautiful batt of Carribean blue/geen merino and romney with a touch of Firestar (sparkly acrylic) and silk. And somehow, as the lovely lady was writing up my purchase, a batt of alpacca,angora bunny, tussah silk noil, corridale and mohair in a grey and lavender blend lept into my arms snuggled itself against my bosom, and told me I was taking it home. So, with about five pounds of white roving glowering at me from the garage, I had to pick up another 9 ounces of fiber. But it was PRETTY! And it was new!

Also, our favorite waiter, George, hates to be cold and hates grey days. He wears hunter orange shirts in February, even though they don't suit him, just because he NEEDS the color. And he paid fifteen doollars for my book, even though I told him he could have it for eleven. I found 8 ounces of dk weight superwash merino that had been hand-dyed in vivid flame tones. Hat and mittens I think.

By this time, my tote bag was filling up. Then I passed the baskets from Ghanna. Elephant grass, hand woven in nice colors, big and STURDY! These baskets are designed for use. The handles are firmly secured and covered with leather. I alreaad own two of them, and am constanly amazed at how much they can carry. And of course I needed another one.

And then I went to visit the animals. I do love the shetland sheep. They are such cheerful, sociable creatures. I happened to be there when one unhooked the bungee cord holding his pen closed, and took himself out for a walk. I blocked my end of the aisle and hollared, and an owner from further down the aisle came over, and between us, we got the amiable guy back where he belonged. Evidently, a neighboring ewe had been making sheep's eyes at him, and he was simply responding to her allurements.

Since I had grabbed him and wrassled him, I couldn't touch any of the other critters without washing my hands. That's showbarn ettiquette. Idiot tourists spread more diseases than anything else in show barns. If you touch an animal, don't touch another animal till you wash your hands. So I walked past all the adorable fluffy pygora goats with hands in my pockets, and cooed at them like a doting granny. I wanted to take them on my lap and cuddle them!

I ran into people I haven't seen for years. I filled my eyes with colors and sated my fingers with textures and blew my brains loose with the plethora of patterns. Then I went home and sat on the sofa next to DH and we watched the "Scrubs-a-thon" while he continued to recuperate from his cold. And I could feel my subconscious happily tucking away all the wonderful presents I had given it, storing things for easy access when I need a warm memory or a new idea or a particular inspiration for the next story.

(Either my runny nose was a false alarm, or the Zicam has just kicked the butt of this cold. I feel wonderful!)

This blog has taken longer than it should, because I have the fibers and yarn spread out before me, and my fingers are just itching to get into them. Guess I'd better get to work!