Slow news week

There's not much going on here this week, other than a little progress on the standing needle-felted figure I wrote about earlier.

I've attached the legs to the base and have started covering the wire with padding.  I had an old sweater that I cut up and used to wrap around the wire, and then I applied some fiber to it. The only problem so far is that the figure sways a bit.  Next time I'll use a sturdier wire for the armature.  In fact, I've just learned there is a special kind of coated wire just for this purpose. 

So this past Tuesday I delivered Mr. Gadget to the airport at zero-dark-thirty.  Who knew there was really such a time as that?  It was similar to our trip two weeks ago to JFK...but without the snow....and without me getting on the plane.  I've been wallowing in my solitude ever since, and doing very little housework, hardly any cooking, and adding to my ever-expanding piles of interest all around the house.  There'll be plenty of time to clean it up before Mr. G returns...or not.

Yesterday I went to the Friday afternoon knitting group....which last week was just a knitting duo.  It was me and a very talkative German lady.  When I ran into another member of the group during the week and mentioned the small crowd, she insinuated that this talkativeness had driven a few people away.  I've had this happen in other groups and it's too bad.  There's really no good way to let the talky person know they're spoiling it for others. But this week there were four of us, so it wasn't just me listening to a two-hour monologue.  Although I have to admit I'm much more aggressive, I mean assertive, than I used to be.  That's thanks to living on the east coast for so many years.

I've been perplexed by an intriguing mystery since arriving here at the Calcondo.  I may have to call Sherlock.  It concerns my painted rock turtle--who sits in the planting area next to our front gate.

Last time we were here, and this time too, I've found him with his legs in disarray and some of them missing.  Someone suggested it could be the gardeners, although it doesn't look like this area has been gardened in a while. I guess I could set up a webcam for 24-hour surveillance and discover just who the perpetrator is.  Maybe the time has come to just patch him up again and take him to the nature park and set him free.  I'll be sad to see him go, but I think it's the right thing to do...