Trenchwork

I’m still working on deadlines, so this is just a temporary resurfacing to reassure everyone that I’m alive—although craving a week where I don’t have to talk to anyone, look at a computer, worry about meals or house (although admittedly I’ve done precious little of that last lately), read anything serious, coordinate anything, or be responsible for anything.  Don’t you hate it when you get into this mode?

However, such is not to be.  I’ve just realized that among other things, I’ve forgotten to set the date for the next Norwegian reading group meeting (which should be in the next week or so).  Two different universities (and therefore three different courses) start this week, and I have varying degrees of responsibility for all of them.  Should I mention that one of those has a couple of texts which are new to me, and given that I’ve not yet read the book for the Norwegian group, life is about to get very interesting?

I’m scheduled for hours with Smarthinking, but unless I want a repeat of last term’s chaos and an early ticket into the nearest mental ward (but you’ll all come visit me, right?), I need to cancel them.

Monday was a spinning meeting with a new spinner for a spinning intro.  We’re slowly converting folks.  That makes 3 new spinners, with at least three others expected at the next meeting in two weeks. I’ve made arrangements for a monthly spinning meeting at a local school, and have sent the word to the regional Husfildslag coordinator.  Other advertisement will come about over the course of the next week or two, and I’m waiting for word about a couple of other things on another fibery front front or two–which will only add to the load currently on my plate.  I’m wondering if I’m not slightly nuts, but give me time, and I might have a solid group built up—and spinners might have a much higher degree of visibility here—in six months.

However, there are a few things which show a tiny—and I do mean tiny—bit of progress.  If you’re wondering about that grey fiber, I have a grand total of 2 very full bobbins spun.

I’ve been finishing UFOs in the free minutes, so the brown yarn is now knitted, felted, and looks remarkably like a nearly-finished messenger-style bag.  The purple beaded yarn has become something of its own.  DH received a very simple garter stitch cashmere scarf for Christmas (all 400 stitches per row).  I’ve decided to frog a sweater which has been on the needles for mumbledy-mumbley long, and that leaves only a single thrummed mitten and a Faroese shawl in the UFO pile.  Given the lack of real winter here lately, it’s not precisely a crisis.  At least, the mitten isn’t.  I’m starting to feel guilty about the shawl.  Nevertheless, I promise, you’ll get photos of the other stuff later this week.

And there you have it.  I’d thought it would be a quiet semester, but  . . .  HA!  Now if I can just figure out when vacation will be, and if I can combine it with a fiber festival . . .