It was NOT a good weekend . . .


I'd been looking forward to the First Annual Spinning Retreat hosted by our Guild - although most of the work was actually done by Doris!! I hadn't been feeling too perky the week before but I was determined to go Hell or High Water. The event was held at the Timberline Dude Ranch,in Maple Ridge, in the Lodge, which is spread over three floors. Beds on the top floor - yeah, haul all the stuff up there huffing & puffing because we had to supply pillows, towels & bedding as well as the usual clothes & toiletries. The dining room was on the main floor - nice & bright with big windows to look at the wildlife looking back at us. And our work room was downstairs - yup, lug all the spinners, bins, books, fibre etc downstairs & NO bathroom on that floor.
The place was rustic but warm, dry & the food was good. Tea & coffee - some of the best decaf I've ever tasted - were hot & ready constantly but you had to go up & down those damned stairs all the time!
And then, on to bed. I'm just not built for wooden bunks with 3" mattresses. I thought I was going to die on the first morning - I ended up in tears with shooting pains down both legs. Doris, bless her beautiful, generous soul, hauled another mattress into the room for me. I slept much better the next night but still had to crawl up & down those stairs with shooting pain down my left leg.
Other than that, we had a good time & were locked up with two Vendors who brought lots of lovely fibre - & planted their wares between us & the exit!! Grrrrr . . . . I missed the Spindling workshop taught by Jeff, one of the vendors. Two more workshops in Beading & Plying for Color were offered on the Saturday & Sunday.
We got door prizes of sock yarns from Knitopia & Designer circular needle holders by Doris in the picture on the left. I planned on giving a pair of Mexiko socks in the Gift Exchange - but as you can see on the right, they didn't get finished . . . guess the sock basket gets another offering! But I got 3 cute Sheepy ornaments in the gift exchange! Oh, I did buy some fibre even though I swore I wouldn't - Lynne had dyed some that I just couldn't resist - it's pictured at the top along with a ball of neon pink that I just had to have ever since Karen beat me to the last one at Desert Mesa!! And I bought myself a NEW Majacraft spinner. I can't believe I did that!
The pain in my leg is almost gone thanks to drugs, vodka, a soft bed, lots of walking & NO stairs. Thank gawd.