Great Wheels and Sunrooms and Mittens: Oh My

In the computer frenzy, I lost Photoshop, and so currently I can't adjust the enormous files that my camera makes into a webfriendly size. As a intermediate solution, I am currently posting from flickr, which is a little alien, but still, mightly cordial of them to offer the service

How was your Christmas? Did you get something in the way of the wool? Me? I was bracing myself yesterday for what I thought was coming, by way of Santa. The Mister had a particularly good run at the flea markets this summer, as you may recall. He had brought home one terrific circular sock machine which I have been keeping busy ever since, and one not so terrific Norwegian style spinning wheel, which is currently decorating the stair landing. Over the summer, he often asked about Great Wheels because he saw them on the flea market field. By way of forbidding that such things as a mangy old Great Wheel coming home with him, I explained about what there had to be present to make the wheel work, about the finer points of the miner's head, and about the pieces and bits that all serve to make yarn in the old way. Then sometime in November, I overheard him say to the phone that I was getting the best present ever for Christmas. Suddenly, I was scared. Had he actually found one with all the parts?

It's not that I don't want a Great Wheel, it's just that I have several wheels already, and I have a Watson coming in the spring (Huh? When did that happen? you wonder. At SOAR, of course. Oh, I forgot to tell you that bit, didn't I? Sorry. A girl has to keep some secrets for later).

But a Great Wheel would be too much. Where would I put it? The Mister was getting positively giddy about bringing home the part about the wool that is almost as cumbersome as the stuff he collects. The gadget part of my hobby has him sillified. I was worried. I held my breath, and on Christmas morning, as is customary around here, when everyone had everything open, happy with their giving and getting, The Mister turned to me, as he usually does when the dust in almost settled and said "I bet you wonder what I got you."

"No." I said. "I like my present. Isn't this everything?"

"Well, I wanted to get you something really special, but you're so difficult. So I got you what you have been asking for for the last three Christmases."

"You mean the sunroom? I can have my sunroom back?"

The sunroom. Oh bliss, the sunroom. It's been a storage locker for The Mister's cardboard boxes and styrofoam peanuts for over ten years. He has a lot of ebay activity, that stuff is the flotsam and jetsom of doing business via the USPS. He's been cleaning the place out for weeks. It may not sound like much, but to me, it may be the best present ever. On sunny days even in the dead of winter, it is a warm and lovely room made of windows, perfect for knitting or spinning, and drinking tea. I'll put comfy chairs out there, and a rug, start my indigo and tomato seeds in March, and revel in the sunlight all winter long. What better present could there be but that?

Now as for where all the cardboard and styrofoam peanuts are going to go, I don't know.

Comments

[Country Mouse]

That is possibly the sweetest Christmas present I've heard of this year.

[Kathy]

Wow, that sounds so nice and warm and relaxing, a perfect little place for a tea party, all dressed up and nowhere to go but home sweet home! Big cyber hugs to the Mister for warming your heart and passing along the love to cyberland knitters everywhere!

[claudia]

Thats a darn pretty mitten. We already know about the wonderfulness that is the Mister.

:)

[Carrie]

That is stunningly wonderful. (My husband is the type to hold up a box of wool and say, "Can you do something with this? I need some space for my new (fill in the motorcycle engine part here)?"

[Cambria]

that's the best gift a husband can give...listening. congrats!

[anne]

oh that IS the best present ever! can you have the mister call david to talk about what SHOULD be our dining room, but now houses HIS boxes and styrofoam peanuts? his excuse is that it needs to be gutted anyway, but still . . . a firetrap is a firetrap.

[Marcy]

Nice Mister!

About the images, go to www.irfanview.com . Tiny little graphics program, free, fast, multi-talented. I use mine daily. Photoshop? Maybe once a month.

[Danielle]

Aw, what a nice gift!! It looks like the perfect place for knitting, spinning, tea, and company.

[Emma]

What a marvellous gift ! It will be a haven.
The mitten is gorgeous.

[Ruth]

What a great gift (the mitten is pretty, too).

[Beth S.]

I'm so happy for you. :-) It's the perfect spinning spot! But does this mean that the boxes have migrated to your living room? ;-)

And I can't wait to see the Watson, when it is ready to make its debut. I hope it won't be too long...

[Wanda]

That's a beautiful gift from the Mister! Glad it was a Merry Christmas!

[Norma]

Wow! That is so cool.

About the photos, I find that Typepad automatically resizes mine even if I forget. It takes ages to upload the biggies, but it does happen.

[Kim]

Sounds like the best present of all!! Mister is a keeper!

[Charlene]

Lovely mitten, and pretty good mister too! You obviously got The Good One. The rest of us have to squabble (or not) over the leftovers.

[PumpkinMama]

What a great gift! Mitten is looking good too.

[Tameson O'Brien]

Indigo???? When you get ready to dye with it can I come by and apprentice? I got some dyeing books for christmas and I would LOVE to learn hands on.

[Lucia]

That is a fabulous present. Bravo the Mister!

[Cat]

Oh how wonderful!!!! I think we all need sunrooms in the winter.

Hugs!!!!

[Tonia]

What a wonderful present. I would love to have a sun room. I am hoping that one day we will be able to add one on to the house.

[Vicki]

Oh, how beautiful. I know just how you feel about your sunroom. Enjoy!!

[Vicki]

Uh-oh. I meant to ask about the "something" over the door. It looks like it might be something retractable? An awning or little roof-type thing? I've a frightful and dangerous snowy-ice mess happening on my back porch steps and it looks like you might have experience with such things. Maybe?

[KarenJoSeattle]

The gift of light through winter, of a cosy space to practice your favorite activities, has to be one of the best possible gifts. Don't question the logistics.

[kate]

Aww, you lucky lady. You got a room of your own!

[Meghann]

Awww, that's sweet:) Isn't it nice when hubby's listen?