Back in the South

Back home after my combined trip North to see my folks and go to Woolfest. Lots to tell about both. Also some pics of the trip.

A nasty surprise awaited me on my return - a speeding ticket! I am now an official 'criminal' and I'm not very happy with my stupidity, especially as it was on my daily route, minutes from home. I am now driving around like a model citizen and wondering how much this is all going to cost.

Looks like I'll really have to think long and hard about getting a second job, as lots of unforseen expenditure has been popping out of the woodwork recently. I wish they'd hurry up and ban smoking in bars, as some evening work would suit me best.

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I went to my regular spinning day yesterday with my newly refurbished (second-hand bargain) Ashford Traveller Wheel. This pops into the boot of the car as it's quite compact. I tried to get started with some Cotswold fleece I bought on ebay, but it is such a long staple length, that I couldn't get it to draw, so went back to my spindle. Then one of the Sues in the group came to my rescue and showed me how to prepare the fibre differently, and I eventually managed to spin for several hours. Everyone agreed that the fleece I bought was probably one of the trickiest for a beginner - who knew? I have so much to learn. I'll do a lot more reading and observing before I buy any more materials.

Via the Guild I picked up two fleeces at our last meeting. One was £2, and one was free - both are better for beginners. The only problem is storage to start with, so processing it would be a good idea, as the bulk reduces by about half once you wash and prepare the wool. I'll be very busy for the rest of the year, on top of work and household chores.