My New Loom

It's finally here!! My new - to me - Structo Artcraft 4-shaft table loom is here!!

Isn't it beautiful! I went to De Leon Springs, FL yesterday to pick it up and to learn how to warp it. First I learned how to use a warping board where you count out the threads you will be using on your loom. This seems like a monumental task but it really isn't and only takes about an hour. Then I learned how to wind the warp onto the back of the loom - always covering the threads with brown paper bags to protect them. After the warp is wound onto the loom, you have to sley the heddles. This involves putting each thread through a flat, steel heddle that looks like a long needle with an eye in the middle. There are four shafts on my loom and you have a pattern that you have to follow and put the thread into the correct heddle on the correct shaft! This sounds tedious but it really goes fairly rapidly! After sleying the heddle you have to pull the threads through the reed. I have a 15 dent reed. This means that there are 15 slots to the inch on my reed. There are tables that tell you how many threads to pull through a reed that is not the same as the one in your pattern. Then you have to tie the threads to the front of the loom and you're ready to weave! I can't wait to become more proficient at this new craft! I am working on a scarf for my first project and will take pictures as soon as it's completed!

Gallbladder Surgery

I finally - after babying it for 20 years - had my gallbladder removed March 18, 2008. Since I work for an international hospital corporation, I had the surgery at one of our surgery centers. I was so scared that I was afraid I might wet myself so the kind people at the surgery center loaded me up on a myriad of drugs :) This was a good thing before the surgery but not so good after. I went into surgery at 10:45 and came to around 3:30! As soon as you can go number one they send you out into the world. This is usually before you get deathly sick so they don't have to deal with it!! My son, Dean, came down to take care of me. I don't think I could have gotten through this without him. He was certainly a Godsend! Once I could finally toddle into the shower, this is what I found. The surgery center personnel had put a tattoo on my arm while I was an unconscious person!! What a bunch of goofs!!

I get my stitches - very itchy - out today and am certainly looking forward to that! I still can't lift anything heavier than a pair of shoes but at least I'll be me again!! And I am looking forward to eating fried chicken!!

Sea World's Aquatica 3-12-08

I live next door to Sea World in Orlando, FL and they sent me two free tickets to their new attraction, Aquatica. I took advantage of their generosity today and went to the park with my neighbor, J. It was FABULOUS!!!

The picture on the right is me at the entrance of the park. The plantings were gorgeous and very tropical.

The picture on the left is the Lazy River - a man-made river that you ride down in innertubes. The children's play area is very extensive with two large buckets that fill with water and overturn, periodically dumping water on happy little children and unsuspecting parents! There is also a Wave Pool where waves, growing in size and intensity, allow surfers to body surf to the shore. All around the Wave Pool (and the swimming pool next to it) is a man-made beach with beach chairs and chaise lounges all set for relaxing in the sun. The last picture is of me doing just that!! I highly recommend a visit to Aquatica the next time you are in Orlando!

Dragon Boats

I took a Dragon Boat class at Weavers of Orlando on Saturday, March 1. Dragon Boats are Chinese in origin and have been around since 277 B.C. They were invented by a Chinese politician named Chu Yan. Chu Yan supported the emperor and was banished when the emperor was defeated. Chu Yan was so saddened by the loss of his beloved emperor that he committed suicide by jumping in the river. His actions made him a folk hero and his death is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese calendar. People put rice and bamboo inside the dragon boats and throw them into the river to bring good fortune. Anyway, the first dragon boat was made with yarn or ribbon yarn. I was smart and picked a wide ribbon yarn which required very little wrapping and finished quickly!

The second dragon boat was made of woven paper. The paper strips were fun to weave but that's where the fun ended. This mess is still sitting in my kitchen while I decide what to do with it ;)