Hobbies

“Hobbies of any kind are boring except to people who have the same hobby. ~ Dave Barry

And this weekend was one big party for all people who spin, knit, crochet, weave, felt or hook rugs.  It was the weekend of NY Sheep & Wool at Rhinebeck, NY.

I went on Saturday.  (Reminder to self, leave home earlier to arrive earlier or buy tickets on line)  And how did it go you ask?...like this....

1.  Park in BFE (in case you don't know what that is the E stands for Egypt)
2.  Hiked from there to within view of the gate
3.  Stood in line while body adjusted from car temps to outside windy temps
4.  Took $ out so I would be ready so others wouldn't have to wait as long to attend their addiction
5.  Wind blew $20 from hand
6.  Caught up with $20 and fellow addicts let me resume place in line
7.  Paid and entered the grounds
8.  Found bathroom and once needs were attended to it was onward

It is a big fair ground so suffice it to say...walk...ogle...smell....touch....walk...ogle....smell....touch
...spend....walk....ogle....smell.....touch and repeat. 

Walk - to move about in visible form.  Walking is not quite the right word while inside buildings it is more of a shuffle, stop, shuffle, move out of the flow to ogle, touch or spend.

Ogle- to look at especially with greedy or interested attention.  Ogling was not just of the products offered by vendors or the animals,  it was also what everyone was wearing.  It is a people watching paradise...the finest lace to someone's first attempts at spinning...all worn proudly. 

Touch - permit a part of the body, especially the hand or fingers, to come in contact with so as to feel.  If the vendors got a penny for every touch they would be obscenely rich by.  The feel of the different fibers, the difference between roving and a fleece, to tightness of a hooked rug and the yarns. OH my!!!

Spend- to pay out or expend money....the man LOVES me going to sheep and wool festivals!

Smell- To perceive the scent of (something) by means of the olfactory nerves.  The smells were not just from animals but also from foods being offered which before long sent your stomach on a quest to eat it's self it not attended to immediately

The line for the pot pies was insane so I settled on a hot dog and fries.   The stomach was satisfied but I have a feeling we will be having a pot pie for dinner this week. 

...walk...ogle...spend...smell.  But then some people were getting obnoxious and it was time to leave.  There is no award for who spends the most, makes the most trips to their vehicle or dies with the most yarn.  We are all there because of our love of this hobby so there is no need for the nasty "can YOU move?" or being shoved.  I guess it is naive to think that our hobby could bring us closer as it does take all kinds to make the world go around....so it was exit stage left before I got to the point of giving them a piece of my mind since I still need to use it for a while.

I left with some Shetland roving, some light and dark gray alpaca roving and an 8 inch #2 circular needle.

close ups.....

I arrived home to #2 son cooking dinner for the newly weds, his beloved A, #2 son and daughter, the man and I.  Steak, potatoes, broccoli casserole and corn.  #2 daughter did the dishes and I sat and relaxed.  It was a damn near perfect day.  Repeat next year.