There is a new issue of Fiber Femmes out and my article about the Bendigo sheep show is in it. I am pleased with the result and the use of the photos. In retrospect I sound sort of passionate about agriculture, which is strange for a "city girl" like me but I really am interested in how we as humans produce food and fibre and live on the land. His Majesty's Spanish Flock continues to intrigue me as Sir Joseph Banks distributes the King's merino sheep to "progressive" English landowners who do things like try to cross them with Welsh mountain sheep or Rylands. Sir Joseph was trying to improve British wool but the idea of crossing breeds so diverse seems so strange to me. So far (1800) the merinos have not proven adaptable to cold and/or wet conditions and the heaviness of their fleece sometimes irritates buyers because of the extra work they have to do to clean it, even if the end result is superior.

The insurance assessor came today and we will get a new ceiling, the carpet removed from about half the bedroom (I was surprised to find the floor under the carpet was still wet) and my Moroccan rug cleaned. He didn't even want me sleeping in the room because the ceiling could fall, but we got a guy in within an hour who took it down and put up a covering over the hole. Once the floor dries out, we will get new carpet installed. I was so glad I could lay my hands on receipts for the ongoing maintenance of the roof to show we had been trying. I now think it was the hail, not tree debris that caused this because the storm the previous night with minimal hail and lots of rain didn't leak, but the hail storm essentially blocked all the down spouts. I don't mind paying for new carpet since it was on the agenda and painting once I figure out what colour to paint it.

There are so many new gorgeous sock yarns up on Etsy that I am looking at them with my tongue hanging out. I must stop this and finish what I started. Almost finished with the weaving: another foot and the first band will be done. The Bear dropped the top plastic box of the stash when we moved it out of the bedroom. The top box is all scarf/shawl yarn and there are such yummy things in there like Brooks Farm Yarn kid mohair in blues and greens and creamy spring yellow that the Forest Canopy Shawl would look so nice in. And I have to go back to work on Monday!