update

it's been so long since i made an entry here that i hardly know where to begin. have not been doing much dyeing or spinning, but have been working on a baby sweater from the Mason Dixon Knitting book... it's a super easy kimono type and i'm using some washable wool yarn that's been lingering in my stash for many years. i probably shouldn't mention any knitting projects on this blog as it seems to be the kiss of death of projects never to be completed. I've really been enjoying this book and there are a few patterns I might use, but besides that it's good reading... entertaining and funny.

And... yesterday was Jim's birthday. His family had been wanting to get together to go over some geneology stuff, so we just combined that with a birthday party. And i guess i was possessed by my inner domestic goddess... while roomba vacced the kitchen i actually baked a cake from scratch. it's been many many moons since i've given in to that impulse and the carrot cake actually turned out quite edible. I used a recipe from a low-fat cookbook, whose name escapes me at the moment, but it's by 2 docs from OHSU and we got it right after his bypass surgery. so, it was low enough in fat that he could eat some! I got a big bunch of salmon at Costco and we were going to barbeque it, but the rain has still not quit, so the fishy went into the oven and came out quite delicious. there's a LOT left over, so now i need to find a recipe for what to do with it before it rots in the frig.

have i said lately just how much i adore my roomba robot??? damn, i totally love having my very own robot to clean the floors and she does a damn good job, too. top on my wish list now is a wet mop robot. between muddy dog paws and the general tracked in mud resulting from farm livin', the floor is always in need of mopping and i'm almost never possessed by that inner domestic goddess who inspires me to clean... thus the kitchen floor usually looks like a pig pen.

What else? have sporadically been dyeing fibers to take to the Shakerag reunion in
Alabama... so far there's silk top and merino/kid mohair top, and i want to get some BFL and/or corriedale dyed up. have been lacking in motivation and energy to do much of anything lately... so, haven't done much of anything until there's an urgency of some kind or guilt sets in.

I've written to Elena in Vamos to start looking for a place for us to rent when we go back to Crete next November. Plans are to go to Italy for 10 days or so before going to Crete, and we can't go til Jim gets his grapes harvested. (hoping for an early harvest)

when i get the baby sweater closer to finished (have back, one arm and left front done so far) i will post a photo.