Home From Spring Break

Well, we're home again from our spring break in Williamsburg, Va., which was surprisingly un-fiber-filled. I asked one of the interpreters where the spinning and weaving went on and they indicated a small shop that was only open some days and was closed the day I was there. When I reviewed the history, it stated that Williamsburg in 1774 was a properous town and they mostly imported their cloth. Some weaving and spinning was done on outlying plantations, but the city folk, in general, didn't do it themselves. RATS!

During the long drive, I worked on the final panel for the interminable Sample Stitch Kimono. Somehow, this one panel just seems to get shorter and shorter. I also played around with a little surprise I'm making for someone. I'll show pictures later.

While in Williamsburg, we stayed at the King's Creek condos and were pleasantly surprised. For about $140/night, we got essentially a three bedroom/2 full bath condo with a whirlpool tub and lots of space. The third "bedroom" was what they called a sunroom with lots of windows and a pull out couch, but it was separated from the living room by french doors and Kate preferred it to sharing a room with her sister. It was new and clean and we thought it was great. We didn't even have to attend a sales talk (although we would have been reimbursed over $100 if we had).

We didn't really push ourselves to see the sights. We mostly enjoyed the evening programs like the plays and the "trials" and the revolutionary war debates. I'm always impressed with the knowledge of the interpreters.

One day we went to Jamestown. I was very impressed with one of the guides, whose name was Jay. I later learned that he has a degree in history with a minor in archaeology. It showed. He told me that hemp and flax were introduced fibers and that, prior to their introduction, Indians spun cord out of a plant called dogbane. It was very strong and used for bowstrings in wet weather when sinew bowstrings would stretch.

On the way home, we stopped to see Monticello. Jeff really enjoyed seeing the architecture in person again. He designed his new office space based on Monticello and it was fun to recognize how elements of the building have been incorporated in his office. It was also interesting to note that the Jeffersonian historians seem to accept, now, that Jefferson fathered several children with Sally Hemmings, who -- although a slave -- was 3/4 white herself. Their children moved north and passed for white for the rest of their lives.

I developed a cold --thanks, Ally -- somewhere along the way and got home feeling sort of under the weather. I've been washing clothes today and resting and taking cold meds. My Spin-Off was waiting for me when I got here, so I've been reading that and re-reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (which I hadn't re-read since the second book came out).

I think I may join a spinning challenge on the Lime and Violet ravelry site. Violet has put forth the challenge to spin something you've been putting off because it intimidates you. I have two candidates to choose between: an ounce of cashmere that has me terrified and a sampler of vegetable "silks" that I'm bound to mess up. I can't decide which one to do. I think that's a problem for another day. I'm sick.