I never thought I would ever...

... Need a third wheel
... Like a huge Saxony wheel
... Buy a wheel from a Dutch dealer....

But I did all of the above!

Time-out and vitamins

Since last blog, my life has ground to a forced halt. After all my hard work and after all that happened to me and my kids after the divorce, I just felt so exhausted. There seemed to be no give anymore. Just dead tired and totally out of balance. Thankfully, my GP told me I ought to take a time-out to regain my strength, get some help, and stop working for a while to sort out my issues. At the same time - oh yes, that dreaded direction in knitting patterns- we decided to also check some physical stuff. And guess what: I was very low on vitamin B12. So low I need to start with intramuscular injections. I had all of the symptoms: extreme fatigue, muscle stiffness and fasciculations, paresthesias, light-headedness, a sore tongue; and I'd never ever connected those things or thought of vit B12 deficiency! It must be due to poor take-up from the diarrhea. Because I do eat meat, eggs and cheese, which are sources of it.
Anyway, I'm still off work and I'm coming back to it slowly. You can imagine I have loads of time for spinning and knitting!
In another month, I'll be going back to Florida too!

Last weekend, I went to the Landelijke Spindag. 200 women and a couple of men were gathered in a big room with their wheel! It was truly a unique experience. In the afternoon there was a vendor's market, where I bought lovely Wensleydale and also a Merino/silk combed top, as well as some yak down. There was a Schacht dealer there and to our surprise she'd brought along a 30" Schacht-Reeves wheel. I was very impressed. Very impressed! I think I want one...

Back blogging with some hurdles

So, I wanted to put in a new blog, as my last one was made last year November and a lot has happened that I wanted to update you on.
However, I couldn't for the life of me remember either my username or my password for my Blogger account, as it's linked to an email account that I don't use regularly. And when you put out a request to Blogger that you've forgotten your password, they send you it on the email account that they have for you.. Which I couldn't remember!
It took me a long time of trying different names and combinations until finally it clicked and it let me enter the blog.

So what's happened, since I last blogged. I have been back to Florida, not once but twice. First time alone, in November, the second time in February this year together with my two daughters. We had such a great time! It was the first time in the US for the girls and they really loved it. I guess they've been as bitten by the Florida bug as I have.

I have bought an amazing second spinning wheel, a Schacht Matchless. I was so proud to be able to buy her, she 's a magical wheel, that is now my to-go wheel ( sorry Little Gem!). This spinning wheel is able to spin you any kind of yarn you like, be it gossamer lace or bulky fun art yarns. Since getting her, I have spun almost every day, as opposed to in fits and starts as with the Gem. Still, the Gem is a great traveling wheel, since the Matchless is not that easy to schlepp around.

I've become a member of the Enchanted Knoll Farm batt club (Happy Hooves club). it's so exciting to get a beautiful batt of silky, sparkly batt every month! Josette of EKF makes such beautiful batts, that are wonderful to spin, in gorgeous and imaginative colorways.

After a long hard think, I have decided to break it off with my boyfriend Theo. We had a wonderful year together and he is a great friend still, but he's not my big love. I have found that, and I don't know if we can ever be together, but I'd rather be alone than be with someone who is not the one that I want to be with.

On another personal note, I've had some health issues. Since about a year, I've been suffering from terrible bouts of diarrhea and bowel cramps. After some tests with the GP, I was referred to a gastro-enterologist , and had to undergo more testing including a colonoscopy, yuk! The gastro doctor thinks I have some sort of late complication of a stomach operation I underwent as a baby. It makes the food in my stomach enter and transit my small bowel too quickly, which results in cramps and diarrea very soon after eating. I have to keep to a couple of diet and lifestyle rules, and got prescribed medication ( Questran), and with these measures I'm able to keep the symptoms at bay, even if it's not a cure. I have to be careful what I eat and I tend to avoid spicy foods and anything containing milk and cream. Yes, that does include ice cream!

In only three more weeks, Ellen, Kars-Jan and I, together with the dog, will leave for France, where I have rented a villa with swimming pool in the Loire valley. Yay!! So looking forward to some sunshine and quiet! I will take my spinning wheel ( the LG) and do lots of spinning I hope..