Loose Ends

Cassie has been able to use her powers of obsession persuasion to talk many of us into trying spinning. It is through her encouragement that many a new spinner has been brought to the spindle and/or wheel. There are also several others working with her in this crusade of changing the world through spinning. Let's pray it works.

I have been practicing a little every day.  Achieving the right amount of spin, not too much so that the 'tornado effect' (as Laurie so aptly named it)  happens, and not too little so that nothing happens, as been the challenge. I have had several minutes of success in drafting and keeping the spindle moving on a couple of occasions. Somedays are better than others.  I want a wheel but it isn't going to happen soon.  The other day Smith was in the room while I practiced.  He watched me for all of 5 seconds and said, "I see what the problem is.  You need something to keep that spindle moving. You need a wheel."  (I think I'll keep him.)

The reason for my wheeless life is the 'not so new' car.  Neena kindly brought it up from Cedar City on Saturday.  Smith found it the day after 'the car previously known as mine' died and it proved to be the best available at a good price.  Thank you to to Camille and her sons, who so kindly offered their extra cars while I was without wheels of my own.  Smith and I were able to share his car for a few days.  The casualties of taking him to work, and picking him up, were my morning workouts and time to knit.  The bonus was extra time to chat with him. 

When he was looking at cars he knew not to look at anything green or any other bright colors.  A friend once said that cars, as well as appliances, should either be black or white.  I'm inclined to agree but, when buying used you can't always choose. The 'not so new' car is a boring gray.  When Neena handed me the bottle of touch up paint from the dealer it read 'Antique Sage'!  That was almost a deal breaker.  Everyone assures me it is gray...not green at all. 

Because of the car (two car payments, now) I will sadly need to give up Tyson, my trainer.  I'm going to have to work extra hard to work myself extra hard. At the gym there are signs all over the place advertising podfitness.com.  I didn't add a link because there is nothing there! I was hoping this would be a good substitute...baah. Guess I can wait a bit longer before I buy an iPod.   

And just so you know, I'm continuing my sock obsession. Here is River Rapids Sock from the  Sock Bug (in Pure and Fancy Wool) and the start of the second Birch Leaf.

Ya, I got nothin' today. Have a great weekend!!

Comments

[michele]

Smith is a keeper and you'll probably see that wheel sooner than you think. A car is just a car right? I agree with the colors, but yours sounds just fine. Love the sock colors and can't wait to see what you've been spinning..share please.

[Cara]

I want to see too! That Smith's a keeper for sure. ;-) Have a great weekend!

[Beth]

That was exactly why I sucked completely with the spindle. I just needed another appendage! The wheel fixes that. You might want to put out some feelers for a loaner wheel. Serious spinners tend to have multiple wheels and there's usually (at least) one being neglected that might be able to take up temporary residence with you.

[kevi]

Sage green, I would love to have seen the look on your face. :)

[Kim]

Hmm....sage green......gotta love that green! Bummer about having to give up the trainer as I know how much you have enjoyed working with him.

Somehow,I agree......I bet that wheel is in the nearer future than you think. Smith is definitely a keeper!!

[Norma]

Coming out of hiding (heehee) to say: Aww, that Smith! Good man, that one. Bummer about Tyson, but you'll continue on your wonderful path - I have confidence in you. Color in a car matters not one whit to me....although I'm rather partial to shades of red, for some reason. So much so that my daughter has an aversion to it for cars. She wants ANYTHING BUT red. Oh, the torture we inflict on our children. ;-)

[Lee Ann]

I keep looking on eBay for a wheel...but I'm very picky and want one that has been tested, want double treadle, etc., etc...I'm driving a few people, who think I should just get a damned wheel, totally nuts.

I still like the slowness of the spindle, though. Everything else in my life is supposed to move at lightening speed...this one thing slows me down. That's not easy to do ;-)

Someone in my knitting group sat and watched me spin, and said, man, that's like woolen valium....

[Susie]

Congrats on the spinning! It took me about a month (okay...I've only been doing it for *two* months) to get the feel of drafting/spinning down. Prior to that I used the draft/spin/park/draft method...you're a smart and able lady and you'll have it down pat very soon.

I'm on the lookout for a wheel. Dh has given the okeydokie and a budget amount (generous) so I'm trying to head to every fiberfest I can find to get some help and some 'professional' advice.

The socks are beautiful!

Blessings,
Susie

[sandy]

Is green just a personal hatred or does it bring on some kind of bad karma. Just wondering. Perhaps you have given clues to this in your blogging and I've missed it.
I'm sorry that you can't have it all. Trainer, wheel AND car.
Love your socks. As usual!
xoxo

[Kim/Chef Messy]

You have to lose your trainer!?!? Now that just makes me so sad.... ;)

I'm worried about this wheel business as well. If you ever get one, you have to promise we'll still see socks from you!

[Juno]

Sounds like a tough week.

Lee Ann's right to call it woolen valium - just keep trying and it'll come.

[Teri]

It's not green, it's GRAPHITE! :) Poor Tyson--I know you'll miss him.

[Marcia]

SO sorry about Tyson! A thought occured, based on hard cold experience, about your spinning, though. You might need a different spindle. Seriously, one problem that most of us in Judith MacKenzie's class at MDSW had was that our spindles were too light! I'm also now a total convert to bottom whorl spindles, but that's another story.

[susan]

Now that I think about it, maybe your car really is green. ;-)
Oh, and guess what I was doing last night. Hint: the package I've been waiting for arrived and everything was in order.

[Karola]

Hi :-)
if you sign up with audible for a year you can get an ipod for free.. i think it is only $14.95 per months.. my friend and a fellow blogger like yourself love it and raves all the time..
http://radio.weblogs.com/0129449/
here is her blog and maybe she can help you figure it out.. sorry didn't mean to do advertising.. but i was trying to help make you a happy camper with your grey car! :-) Karola

[Birdsong]

Maybe you can find a few fitness partners... although it is hard to keep beign as tough on yourself as the trainer can be. You have made such fitness progress that I know you will still take good advantage of the gym. Have a great weekend.

[Laurie]

All things are part of cycles, just like a wheel. So today is cars, yesterday was trainer. That means tomorrow is potentially something different, maybe new, could even be exciting. It's wonderful to have Smith on your side. Guys just GET the wheel thing. You'll know when that next cycle starts.

[Sharon]

I'm having trouble keeping the hula hoop going. Does Smith have any ideas for that?

[Cassie]

Aw, that stinks, about losing Tyson. But Smith is wonderful and I think you can wait a bit for a wheel, anyway. I know some people go straight to wheels but I still feel that starting on a spindle was good, in the long run. Keep at it.