My thanks to ATHA’s Region 12 Adobe Wool Arts Guild here in Albuquerque! I attended my first meeting Wednesday last and was welcomed graciously. It was a pleasure hooking with others again even if I was actually sewing twill tape for the day – prepping one rug and finishing another.
Unfortunately, I left my phone at home that day, so I have no pics to share. My bad! But imagine my surprise when I returned home and took a look at my ATHA magazine that had just arrived, forwarded from my old address in Massachusetts. On page 48, there’s a photo of Dagmar and daughter Fiona Byrd. Gene Shepherd wrote a piece about how my new guild has been admitting youth members for over a year. Fiona’s been hooking for two years. She’s even won a blue ribbon at the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta. How great is that? For Fiona, for the art of hooking, and for Mom Dagmar, Dagmar who I’d met just that day and even sat next to.
Coincidences – or perhaps “synchronicity” is a more apt word – didn’t start there. A gentleman and his wife from Santa Fe showed up at the meeting bearing antique rugs. He was interested in restoration work or possibly selling them. My thoughts immediately went to Jessie Turbayne back in Massachusetts who hung with my old Charles River Guild. “I know someone back at home,” I offered tentatively. But being 2200 miles or so away… And just like that, someone asks, “Anyone know where Jessie Turbayne is?” Uh, yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. I passed her info on to the Santa Feans. Hopefully, she’ll be receiving an email and some pics soon.
So, I have high hopes for my hooking here in Albuquerque. The emotional pains of moving away from friends and family are somewhat ameliorated in this day of easy Internet contact. I can stay in touch with pretty much anyone with email or Facebook. But after almost two months here, I’m craving live-action friends and community. Last week was a good welcome and a perfect start.
This Wednesday brings us to our final moving hurdle; we close on our new house. The process of making it a home starts Thursday. I’ll be busy, but I’ll try to check in as often as I can. See High on Hooking’s Facebook page for updates. And if you have any tips (I’m talking to you, Deb!), please feel free to share them in the comments below.
Exciting times!!!! I doubt you need any advice from me….. Just enjoy unpacking and seeing your things in a new place. If you’re like me, you’ll “need” to buy some new things. Really, how could the MA things look good in NM?
Seriously, we didn’t get much of anything new when we moved from CO to IL and now I am replacing things. All the brown upholstered dining room chairs are going and I’ve ordered unpainted chairs that I will do something creative with. And a brown couch went and we now have a grey one.
Nesting in the new house is the best part of moving! That and figuring out who you are in the new spot.
Words of wisdom to live by, Deb. Thanks. I think. I’m surrounded by boxes, and my kid is crying that her box of winter clothes is missing. How? I’ve opened all the big boxes. We know nothing was left behind. I tell her to wait, they have to be here somewhere. Still she cries. It’s 92 degrees, for Pete’s sake! And told her we’d make her whole.
I do stand firm in my belief that all women need some kind of “shower” later in life after our original towels are faded and threadbare, and we’re tired of our dinner- and glassware. But I too headed to Target to get some new things. It is true that certain things don’t “fit” here. Like curtains. And we did need a living room set, we left the old one behind. Dumb things like a counter-top paper towel holder. I always had a mounted one under the cupboard. Not here!
Figuring who we are in this new place. That is the BIG question.
Love your newsletter and new home. So desert-like. So happy that all is going well and that you are busy with many things at present. Whew, I envy your energy! One of the nicest parts of all the moving and getting used to an (alien?) environment is finding all the new friends that go along with that. And Laura, you are such a special person, everybody will want to get to know and enjoy your particular brand of humor and life’s joy. We miss you badly.
You’re making me cry, Mary. Up to my eyes and ears in boxes, but really finding that I need to meet people, be part of a community or five. 🙂 Thanks for reminding me that I have energy. Kind of flagging after so much unpacking and seeing so much more to do. Enjoy the day at Randy’s. I will be there in spirit bearing the rattlesnake appetizer. Hope to send you guys some writing sometime soon!