Happy New Year!

[helwen]

Yesterday we slept in a little, having stayed up late for New Year's Eve. Then some puttering, weight training, and reading of books followed. fitzw wound the warp for the barn loom and I tried out an experiment with the twill setup on the table loom. I'll try to post a pic of what I have so far, later on.

Then fitzw starting putting the warp on the big loom and I tried to start on my floor loom, but couldn't figure out how to do it from back to front -- my loom design is a little different from modern looms, including have an extra bar that neither of us know what it's for. I may take a picture of it and send it to my mom to see if she remembers what it is, and if she doesn't, then maybe one of the older weavers at Webs might know. Anyway, he suggested I go from front to back, as I had single warp not grouped warp (warp wound from a single cone, not from several cones at once).

We stopped work in the studiolo and went to Webs. I wanted to get lease sticks for my loom but they didn't have two in the correct size, so I'm using a couple of fitzw's for now (resting on the frame of my loom). We got more carpet thread for the barn loom, some more bobbins for the small shuttles, and a couple of large spools of Shetland wool (grey/white "pearl" and a light grassy green "birch"). Let's just say there's no doubt we qualified for the large purchase discount.

Then back home to work on warping the looms until I was starving and had to stop. In for dinner and for the evening. I finally turned on my PC, checked a few things online, tried to catch up on some of the news at energybulletin.net. Some of it's a bit on the dry side, and some of it I just can't get all the interested in. I did note that there has been an increase in defaulting on mortgages, to the point that another mortgage company has filed Chapter 11. Most of the defaults are happening in the Midwest, where there have been car mfg. plant closings. But looking at some towns in this area, I noted that there are more houses in pre-foreclosure than usual, and our unemployment rate isn't too bad... but people may not be making enough to keep up with the increased cost of living.

After a bit of time on the PCs, we had tea, I worked on handsewing one of the linen tops I cut out last week, and fitzw read aloud from _The Protector's War_. I also finished up my weight training for the day during that time.

fitzw and I have been talking about a couple of do-it-yourself passive solar ideas I saw at MotherEarthNews.com. If we could make them, they could help us save on oil use in the house and make the print shop and studiolo more usable in the winter. The space heater is doing well enough right now, but when the sub-zero temps hit it simply isn't worth the strain on the poor thing.

This morning we'll be working a bit more on warping the looms, then fitzw's mom Marian and sister Doris will be coming for a tour of the workshops, and then lunch together. Then possibly some more warping and maybe even weaving! No Concentus today, as two members are travelling. They're two of the more experienced folks, so it wouldn't be fair to the newer folks to put the stress on them of having to carry the parts. The fiddler is actually a pretty quick study, but she's still rusty on choral singing. And with the cold weather it's just as well not to expose people to the extreme temps if we can avoid it. Like as not, whatever we get done on the looms today will be it for the week, between the incoming cold weather and prep for Novice Schola.

All in all, not a bad start to the new year :)

Comments

Defaults and fireclosures

[msmemory.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of people signed up for adjustable-rate mortgages, or ones with balloon payments, without thinking through the likelihood that they would have to come up with bigger payments at some point. Sure, some people are out of work, but I think more often the problem is that their payments for mortgage and fuel have grown faster than they can handle.

Re: Defaults and fireclosures

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Ah, true on the adjustable mortgages, etc. Fuel I was including in cost of living. People with electric heat will get hit harder this year as well, as the rates are going up this spring in some parts of Massachusetts -- 20% - 30%. Holyoke won't be affected, at least not directly; we have our own hydroelectric dam. But Mass Electric is another matter entirely.

We're expecting oil will go again up by next winter, so we're definitely looking into building some passive solar things to help with that.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

[dianaim.livejournal.com]

May the blessings of the New Year be joyous, prosperious and full for you and your family.

Dianaim
(Ng Ping Fa)

Re: Gong Xi Fa Cai!

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

And may the New Year bring you and your family good health and good fortune in all you do.


(An Ching Yuke (my father was a WASP and chose An for himself) -- my mother is a Lee)

Re: Gong Xi Fa Cai!

[dianaim.livejournal.com]

My father is half Cantonese and half Italian and my mother is half English and half Russian (the steppes) :)

Dianaim