Wow!  Dear Daughter,  Remember when we use to always do that Dear Dora, Diamond daughter thingy?  What book was that from?

It looks like we both took the month of August off from the blog.  I didn't mean to but we were pretty busy, with me visiting in MO, and having company for two weeks at my house.  And then both of us getting sick, is an allergic reaction called sick?  Not sure? But it was a full two weeks of prednisone and itchy.  I don't want to do that again!  I really don't like those Noseemu bites--next summer I am wearing long pants, long sleeves, socks, spraying myself whenever I go anywhere on your property beyond the lovely patio.

Anyway,  when I brought my friend John to see your place and to see how you process the wool, I think he realized how much work it is to process all that wool.  I was amazed at how dirty the soaking process was.   I wonder how much it would cost us to send the fleece to a professional processing place to get it done?  We should look into some places and get some prices--what do you think?

Having him help us by doing some of the carding was interesting.  I think he thought that the one time he put the wool through the carder, it was then ready to use.  I know neither of us told him that it probably needed to be carded at least three more times.  I don't think I would want to do the processing on a regular basis, do you?  Let's find out about having it done?!

I have been working on gather everything I need to do my part of the workshop we are doing on Sept. 21.   I'm going to have one table with things I have felted that I feel are successes and I'm going to have one table of what I considered my failures--do you think that is a good idea.  I figure that way the people can see that you learn from doing.

I also dyed some of the white wool we have brown, red, blue, and green--to use to make those gnomes at the workshop.  You are right, it is much easier to card it after I have dyed it, although a lot of "stuff" still comes out of it--the mess on my floor was yuk after carding the blue.  I don't get long strands but I think it will be fine for the workshop--and the price was right.

I have been making lots of flowers, I did find some small glass vases for $1, not exactly what I was looking for but nice ones.  Oh, and I have begun a bird on my owe.  it isn't so beautiful but kind of fun to fool around with it.  I am very excited about the workshop I am going to this weekend on winged birds.  I have wanted to take a class from Kiyoshi Mino for at two years.  I have to drive up there early Thursday morning for the class that starts at 9 because I'm going to a play tomorrow night.    I think this will be a good learning experience!

I have not had time to look at my text book yet for the tax class, I'll take it with me to Wi, if I get tired of felting I guess I can look at the tax book.  Glad I am feeling healthy again!

Oh, one more thing--yesterday at our usual Monday condo gathering, not sure why but I took out a bunch of my felting and showed it to my neighbors, now they have asked me to do a workshop for them.  I told them I would do it after our Sept workshop.  Between felting, taxes, and LWV events --I really don't know how I ever had time to work!