Chores...

...are done!  Not forever, of course, but I just spent the better part of two days completing a big ol' list of things that required my attention, including the dreaded house-cleaning.  I hate doing it, but I have to admit, I do feel better about pretty much everything when it is completed.  This morning was the last of it, including registering my car (the online option couldn't find me this year :->(, hanging around waiting for the satellite repairman to come, and making a yummy chocolate peanut butter pie for my youngest's 25th birthday tomorrow!  Let's see, if he's half a century old, then I must be...precocious???


(Please excuse the out of focus cell phone photo!).

Happily, I can now return to my rainbow wrap warp prep ( say THAT three times fast!).  I started measuring last Wednesday, and wound four sections that day and the next, then I had to work on Friday.  The weekend was very productive, completing another 14 sections.  After three very busy and long days at work this week, I'm back at it and only have another three sections to go!!  I am SO excited!!!

Winding seperate sections on my mill and using the tension box has had a bit of a learning curve, so I'm sure I will run into some snags as I proceed with threading and sleying, but over all, it has gone pretty well for a first try.  After the first couple of sections, I realized that I needed to make sure I laid the warp in the small "reeds" on the box in the same order in which I wound them in order to make the process easier (duh!! experienced weaver here).  I hadn't made any crosses while winding, since I don't really know how to use them with sectional warping, but I finally came up with a plan to take some string, double it, and alternate the two ends going over and under sets of two warp ends.  This allowed me to keep the warp in order at the tension box and VASTLY improved the process.



One more session at the mill and I should have the entire 13.2 yd warp on the loom! I can't wait to start threading, though with the birthday boy coming home for the weekend, I doubt I'll get much done.  It can wait, though - the weather is supposed to be perfect, my older son is coming for a short visit tomorrow to see his brother, and the garden is starting to show some pick-able greens, so there is plenty to do, and I'll get to this soon enough.

The only other news is that the base of my right thumb has been quite painful for about a month.  I'm presuming it is arthritis, although every now and then I get a zing into my wrist, so carpal tunnel might be the issue.  I'm a leftie, so you would think that would be a good thing, but I use my right hand a lot, and not having the same grip strength, along with the accompanying pain has been pretty depressing. The worst is when I pinch my thumb and index finger together, as with holding threads under tension, and when I play my flute, which I do weekly in our community band.  I'll get it checked out at my next appointment in July, but am trying to keep a good attitude.

PS The new issue of Downeast Magazine has a story about our band , including some photos of yours truly and other fine band mates!  I have to wait until it hits newsstands, but those of you who subscribe can take a peek now!

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