12th night & ROC day

    Remember in The Great Gatsby when Daisy laments that she never remembers to have a party on the longest day of the year? Well, I always mean to celebrate Twelfth Night and rarely remember to do so. Now, thanks to spinning/spindling friends I know about ROC day: Return of Chores. The Christmas season is officially over, so back to work, folks.

    Momma never put up any Christmas decorations before December 1st, and once that day arrived it was a slow build-up rather than everything out that day. Tree didn't go up till closer to the 25th -- even closer for a real tree. But, come January 1st EVERYTHING came down and was put away... it was bad luck not to do so. I'm living proof that this is not true (or that it IS??), for I do not like to take down my Christmas decorations on New Year's. (I believe it is the principle of ROC that was also behind my mother's tradition of doing on New Year's day a little bit of everything you want to do all year.)

    Stephanie, like many others, says she does this on Twelfth day to avoid bad luck. But as I think about Twelfth Night celebrations and ROC, I'm thinking that you can't take down the decorations if you are celebrating the Epiphany! So, as I move the decorated mini-trees to itheir storage places on the top of the bookcases in the library tonight, I am ROC'ing. No bad luck for me.

    As for ROC day... well, it was nice to be with friends. Even better if Lisa had been along. It was nice to see the pretty wool and yarn. I was, however, hoping to find a spindle to purchase, and there were none that I wanted. What I want is one of Jen's Mantra spindles, but I have been trying to contact here since October without success. (Obviously, if anyone can help me reach her I would be grateful.) The day would have been better if Lisa had been along, and if there had been more vendors, and if there was... I don't know exactly what I had been expecting, and don't know what was missing. Perhaps it was only me. Still glad I went. Lunch was delish!

    Evenso, I did not come away empty handed:

This is 4.5 ounces of Gulf Coast wool from Running Moon Farm in color "Afternoon Tea," though heaven only know when and how long it will take me to spindle it all! The color is a much lovelier red-violet than the photo shows.

    Last evening, Rissa, Karin and I stopped by to the stash we'd heard someone was selling off. Talk about pay-dirt! I was very good and only bought a cone of dark rust-colored alpaca. The woman brought out some mohair and mohair blend when she heard me say I was a knitter more than a spinner/weaver. Then a pile of needles. I picked through to find the smaller circulars and ended up with 11 packages. I had to force her to take a very modest payment. She seemed so thrilled that we were so interested in her treasures (she is having to destash for health reasons). I found myself guessing that her own children/relative must not have any interest. Perhaps like me, she had only sons who aren't interested in fiber arts. It was kind of sad, but she is such a sweet lady -- and honestly, I think she is probably a hoot as well, judging by a few passing comments. We are all three thinking of having another look soon.

    An unexpected event along life's path, another person passing through one's life.

    Only a half-day of work tomorrow, though it's an afternoon half, not a morning half. The university football team is playing in a bowl game in Mobile, AL, tonight and the university will be closed until noon. I won't even try to make sense of this.

    I will enjoy an extra hour or two of sleep in the morning, have a long lingering cup of java at the coffeeshop near the college, run an errand or two nearby and have a bite to eat before I go to work.