Petunia rambles on and on….

I’m weeks behind in blogging, and while I knew I missed doing it, and said that I needed to find the time, it still didn’t seem to happen! I think the hot weather here has sapped the energy out of everyone for every activity. When typing is too much effort, you know it’s pretty damn hot up here.

We had Tour de Fleece, and I really did spin  that’s my excuse for not getting more blogging done  – I can’t spin and type at the same time. I got several projects completed and I’m pleased with the results. Here’s one picture taken of a bobbin of a red merino/silk blend 80/20. I filled up 2 Schacht bobbins on my Ladybug because she’s smaller and easier to get between me on the couch and the coffee table where there’s a cold drink.  Then I had to drag out the Ashford Traddie cause I have a Jumbo bobbin set-up for it and use it for plying.

Here’s a picture of the singles on the bobbin.

Then I went to a cranberry Polworth that was in the cedar chest waiting for my ambition to get back in gear.  Again a 2-ply, this time done on the Ashford Traditional.

Here’s the fiber on my knee in front of the wheel, with lots more to go!

It’s all spun and plied and on the niddy. That task maybe tomorrow – I filled up a Jumbo bobbin again, so there’s a lot to skein off. And the color is redder than it appears in this picture.

And there’s been the Firefly Festival that happened less than 400 yards from my house, a lot of overtime at work, the serious effort I’m making to learn about PhotoShop Elements 10 software (I have CS2 but there’s just so much in it that I dont know how to use) This looks like it’ll do just about everything I need and do it easier. I’ve got a terrific book by great authors that I’m working my way though. I’ve acquired a terrific tan at the community pool, and re-organized all the music on 3 computers and a back-up hard drive.

In my spare time, there’s meals, and laundry and showering all the time.

I’ll catch up soon.

While much of the world watches the Tour de France in you guessed it France, my friends and acquaintances will be participating in the Tour de Fleece, an equally challenging endurance type activity.

They will Spin! We will Spin! 

I’ve joined the Stashbusters Team, because I’ve got more to spin than time to live. The rules are pretty simple. These are taken from Ravelry

Guidelines (NOT RULES):

• Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible. Saturday June 30th through Sunday July 22nd. Days of rest: Tuesday July 10th and Tuesday July 17th. (Just like the actual tour.)
• Spin something challenging on the challenge day (usually the toughest high mountain stage: this year, it’s Stage 16, on Wednesday, July 18).
• Take a button if you want one. Then we can use the button on our blogs in show of solidarity. Take it from here or grab a clean one from the flickr pool. Come join the flickr pool!
• Wear yellow on Sunday July 22nd to announce victory. Why not wear yellow on any day you feel particularly successful? (Yellow is the color of the race leader in the Tour – but here we are all ‘race leaders’)
• Other colors if desired: Green (sprinter – think FAST), Polka-dot (climber – as in uphill), and white (rookie)

I’ll be doing a Merino/Silk blend in red tones, 3 ply, and then a turquoise Merino/Silk blend.  Both are 80/20 – both have been languishing in my mother’s old cedar chest, waiting for me to take all the junk decorative items off the top so that I could see inside. There’s a heap of fiber in there trying to be patient.

For me, the biggest challenge will be to make time EACH day for the spinning and blogging and showering, no matter what. This will be more difficult than the spinning itself, which will be enjoyable and relaxing!

Should I manage to get through the red and the turquoise, there’s un-dyed BFL in the back room and some dyed BFL coming in from Sweet Georgia Yarns. In Boheme. (you’ll have to scroll down to the variegated colors. I didn’t realize the company was in Canada, thus increasing the shipping costs, until after I fell in love with the colorway!

I’ll be doing the reds Merino-Silk on the Ladybug, then plying with the Jumbo Flyer onto my Ashford Traditional.

Wish us all well – and safe trip to all those out in the heat, in France.

So I’m on a fruit smoothie kick. Hey, fruit’s good for you!

Tonight’s was strawberries, banana, orange juice, a wee bit of orange peel and easy on the rum. My old blender is working overtime! Fresh fruit is the best, but I’ve got canned peaches somewhere, canned pineapple, and probably have frozen strawberries and blueberries in the back of the freezer under something.

Went out tonight cause I needed to fill up the tank on my car, and I told Pop that I had seen swim trunks in Sears the other night that were regularly $30 on sale for $9.99. We ran in to Sears for that ONE item, and left with 2 pairs of swim trunks, 2 pairs of short, a sport shirt, a “4th of July” t-shirt for him and a different t-shirt as a gift. And then, of course, we had to go to the liquor store and buy more rum, and a bottle of wine.

And I was surfing the internet and found something that will mean a great deal to some folks I know, and I bought them. And all shall be revealed when the package arrives.