Twists of Fate

Sorry for being radio silent for so long. It’s certainly not as long an absence as previous months, but I was really trying hard to do better this year.

I do have a good reason though! Last Sunday, my darling new niece was born! Asa Jane weighed in at 6lbs, 14oz and 20.5″ long. I ended up being an impromptu birth coach for my sister, who did it strictly au naturale, at a birth center with a fully trained midwife in attendance along with two trainees. I was planning on begin there strictly for moral support, but turned out to have a much bigger role. Which was groovy, and, I have to say, the very best birth control ever. From the time her water broke to the time she actually came out and greeted the world with some very hefty cries, it was nearly 45 hours point to point.

Nevertheless, mom, dad and the new little bit are doing fabulously. They’re working through the awkwardness of learning to breast feed like champs, and she’s totally got her parents wrapped around her teeny tiny adorable little fingers. She’s also wearing the baby camel hat I knit for her, since she’s so wee it’s about the only thing that fits her right now. She wore it home from the birth center, and mom finds it very soothing to pet as she cradles her newborn baby’s head. It’s all very sweet, and it was really quite something to be there for her birth.

Shortly after that, I came down with a hideous cold/flu/exhaustion type-thing, and have barely been able to scrape myself together to go in to work. I’m also hideously behind in reading my blog roll, but I did catch just today that Cathy of Catena Expressions gave me an award! That’s so sweet and thank you! I feel like I’ve cheated her a bit, given that I’ve barely done any new spinning and due to the baby and exhaustion, I have yet to spin on the new Majacraft Alpaca. However, today may be the day to fix that! I went a little overboard on ordering more roving and fiber recently, so I should probably start working on that today.

Why the Alpaca? I have to say, and this is utterly self indulgent and the lamest reason ever for choosing a wheel but…I liked the woodburned alpaca motif. There, I wrote it out loud for everyone. I like the specs of the Susie, and though I probably would’ve done better to get a Little Gem with the head that rotates to wherever you want it to be, but I like what I have. I’ve been sitting on the couch now and again and treadling, just to get used to the feel, and I have to say it’s pretty darn effortless. LOVE that!

Thank you Cathy, for the award. I’ll have to put some thought into who I’ll add to my 10 blogs that make my day roll, but it’s a fair bet yours is one of them. :D

Happy day everyone!