SPS +

SPS! This time I remembered!

Boys are sleeping, head is stuffy (thanks to a surprise cold) but the day has gone well.

I was asked to teach about 12 kids at the Synagogue how to spin and knit/crochet a kippah or yarmulke. We've got four Sundays to do it in; today was the first. The kids are...um...hyper. But some of them are shockingly good spinners (two boys, two girls) the rest are going to take some time to work with.

We were able to dye their fiber, but not dry it. So I'm still cooking bags and bags of fiber (which is fine) and will salad spin it tonight...or something.

I was able to get a GORGEOUS California Red fleece from a local source (thank you Melanie!)—a fleece that took second in a NJ competition (and I can see why). Light lanolin, soft crimp, tiny micron count. And she tells me this was a cross breed to produce better meat, then whammo! They noticed it had great fleeces!

The kids weren't freaky at all about getting their hands dirty, or wet, and they loved that they were going to get to dye. It took too long (and not enough room in the dyebath--I should have brought the crockpot too!) so they'll have to wait to see their hand-dyed fiber until the next class. But that's good. Let them live with a little anticipation.

I'm writing different things now, and it's a relief, actually. I needed a break, but I also need an income. This has been a nice change. I'm writing passages now, and occasionally benchmark tests. Compared to the curricular work, it's a breather.

And now, life is pretty much just anticipating going to SOAR, getting into some cool air (though it's been lovely here in the mornings and afternoons), and getting a chance to learn. I'm starting the packing process now, which seems ridiculous, I know, but I don't stress if I just leave a suitcase open for a couple of weeks and randomly think, "Oh, man! I need to take this!" then toss it into the bag. Otherwise I tend to forget too many things.

Sadly, Andrew's birthday falls when I'm at SOAR—and I know he's reading this—so I'm working on something for him while I'm gone.

And that's about it. I've got papers to grade, passages to write, things to pack, fiber to dry (and spin), gifts to knit, and a house I really MUST tidy up before leaving Andrew alone in it.