Cell by Cell

I've been sick. And I don't mean my usual "under the weather/am I only lazy?" kind, but a full-blown sore-throat/runny-nose/continuous-sneezing/coughing-all-night-all-day version with fever and pains since Wednesday. I was taken by surprise and mightily annoyed but what can I do? I've occasionally fringed, occasionally read, ate a lot of frozen berries, (best for sore throat,) but mostly slept.

As far as sicknesses go, it's nothing and I was willing to give it a couple of days before Ben's Easter break. He's taking time off so we can clean up the house and garden for visitors and we were going on a short road trip. Darn.

Friday was my birthday but I was still sick so we watched hours of recorded TV programs, among them half a season of Monty Don; apparently 2012 was a wet year in the UK. We'd been having lovely still autumnal days and by Saturday I was utterly frustrated not being able to go outside, so in the morning I moved the pots on the patio so Ben could waterblast two exterior walls. Then I needed a lie down. 

That night we were supposed to have a full lunar eclipse. Ben's camera positioned at a vantage point, he stayed outside for a couple of hours but I kept coming in then going out to check progress. In the end we didn't have a full eclipse, but I stand around for over an hour, too, and this is Ben's best effort. He reminded me had it been a full eclipse, (i.e the white light at the bottom disappeared,) the whole moon would have been quite saturated dark red; we can't remember if we saw such an eclipse a few years ago but we know this wasn't our first outing.

It was a bit chilly outside, so Sunday was my worst day yet. However, unable to garden nor weave, nor cook nor read for any length of time, I have managed to fringe, five since the cashmeres, one already on its way to Japan. (No pic of that.)

I discovered some silks smell bad while immersed in warm water so I put the middle and right pieces through vinegar rinse. I used identical wefts for these pieces. Now they are supposed to hang in the air but since this is the first wash for the middle one, I laid them flat. I continue to struggle with technique/basic skills, but I do love these off of the gray merino warp. More pics when they're completely finished.

The wool piece isn't bad, either; this was the warp that didn't pleat. I like the color combo; the weft color doesn't change and I can't see this in real life, but here we are. I'm too smitten by the gray lot I don't have head space for this. Six more to fringe and finish. 

I'm now 57 years and 3 days old, 1093 days left for stash reduction. If you subscribe to the theory cells in your body gets replaced every seven years, I'm at the top of the Ninth Inning, and it's time I stop fluffing around and hunker down to the serious stuff of life, not just weaving but health maintenance and such; it's a fresh start and an ultimatum of sorts at once.

I think I need a nap before we go to the supermarket.