Adieu, Adieu

My darling little Dell laptop that has been my soul and my highest inspiration...okay maybe not all that, but I did think I would shed a tear or two when it bit the dust, has died. I think I actually lost part of my life with that death. But then I thought of my friend Dolores, whose house burned down last summer, and the loss of the contents of my computer paled in comparison. Get a grip girl!

I recently heard about a study done that evaluated the happiness of people around the world. Guess who won? The Danes! The reason? Not the crappy climate and lack of sunshine, but their happiness was closely correlated with health levels, followed by wealth, followed by the provision of education. So people with really good health care, a higher GDP per captita, and access to education were much more likely to report being happy. FYI, the USA is #23 on the list. The nations of my forefathers and foremothers (Sweden and Ireland respectively) were ranked 7 (Sweden) and 11 (Ireland). That explains the longing for the homeland....

In that vein I was recently gifted with a Great Wheel by my lovely daughter for Mother's Day. It is currently in my office, which I may be turning into a library. It is beautiful and came from a lovely little antique shop in Brattleboro, VT. It was not complete and needed a spindle assembly that I luckly got on Ebay. For a wheel this old they are rare! I was given a Schacht Matchless Spinning Wheel as a Christmas from my husband. I love it but have been unable to produce anything worth keeping. My plan this summer is to take some spinning classes, so that I will be prepared for the longing that overtakes me in the Fall and Winter. If I could learn to spin on the Great Wheel it would be a double bonus. It is also called a Walking Wheel, because one must draft the roving out, then stop the wheel, hold it up and walk toward the wheel to begin again. It is said that one walks 20 miles by the time a skein of wool has been spun. Two wheels. Does this mean that I am going to begin collecting spinning wheels? Where would I put them? That is my friend Madeline's essential question. I always think that If I love something that I can fit it in. I imagine myself in a large barn-like room, with a pile of golden straw, spinning and spinning....