I’ve been writing this blog for a few years now. And I try hard to write only when I have something to say. Most who know me well know that I usually always have something to say, but we won’t go there right now. Since the power came back on, which has been a couple of weeks now, there hasn’t been a lot to talk about, but that’s not because there isn’t anything happening. There seems to be some cosmic shift in my priorities at the moment, and for the first time in many many years, the priority isn’t within the four walls of my studio, it is with friends and family and opportunities to be with those I love, what I do and create in the studio seems to come in a distant second…
I thought when the end of October rolled around, I’d be finished with teaching for a few months and I’d be able to jump in and start weaving/sewing/dyeing/felting/organizing/writing up a storm. I had dreams of what I would create, where I would start, and when Hurricane Sandy (for insurance purposes the storm was not a hurricane and that is an important distinction here in NJ) and we lost power for 10 days, my life got instantly simpler, and basic survival became the priority. I entertained friends for many meals, we could cook and others couldn’t. I stayed in the moment, since there was no sign of when the power would come back on, and since there wasn’t a whole lot I could do about the situation, I stopped fretting.
My son was activated in the National Guard, and then two weeks ago, he was officially deployed, not in remote Afghanistan or Iraq, but right here on our own soil, down the shore, for possibly eight months. He is technically only a couple hours away. And he is keeping the peace and protecting our own citizens and their belongings and helping out where needed.
And so my calendar suddenly filled with opportunities to get out of the house, and be part of life, after laying low in the dark for 10 days, and I felt the need to jump at every opportunity. Monday night I went into NYC to pick up my piece of artwork from a gallery in Chelsea, and was invited to a meet-up group for spinning in the city, up next to the skating rink at Rockefeller Center. I had met members of this group at the Fiber Fallout in September and hung out with them whenever I could. Incredible spinners, I watched them pull out spindles and they were creating some amazing stuff. How cool was it to sit on the lower concourse of Rockefeller Plaza near the skating rink and exchange fiber and ideas and techniques with other spinners.
Tuesday my lovely wonderful daughter came home. Other than the few moments I acted like a mother (sorry it is in my blood) we had the most magical time, just being together, doing her favorite things, like a Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese on an Egg Bagel. It is a Jersey thing… We hung out in my studio where I watched her see if she could do a turned four shaft Krokbragd on the inkle loom (the answer is yes, stay tuned…) We spent hours pouring through old photos together, reliving the early moments in her childhood while I work on the family album in Powerpoint. I’m up to fall of 1993. We spent a quiet Thanksgiving evening, just the two of us while my husband went off to the Jets Game. We had her favorite Stouffer’s Vegetarian Lasagna for Thanksgiving dinner.
Friday we drove to Maryland to visit my sister and her family, and to have real Thanksgiving dinner with my Uncle, my dad’s only surviving sibling, and his son and family. I haven’t seen my cousin in more than 25 years I think. What an amazing homecoming. We drank wine, and played a hilarious version of Apples to Apples, called Cards Against Humanity, thought up by a bunch of college guys, and I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard and for so long. It felt really really good.
We came back home on Saturday, and again, just being with my family, was enough. My daughter left to return to Massachusetts this morning, after another breakfast round at the local bagel shop, and my husband and I headed into NYC with friends to see A Christmas Story: The Musical. What an amazing show, if you love Ralphie and the Red Ryder BB Gun, this is the ultimate trip, including the major award leg lamp, and the Bumpus’ hounds. Thanks Judy!
And in spite all of that, I did manage to actually accomplish a few things in the studio, but I’m finding it hard to work at my usual frenetic pace. Life is too short, and when opportunities to share with those we love bubble up to the top, it is important to pick the priorities that make us smile.
I did finish the jacket from Jerri Shankler’s handwoven fabric I received in a guild exchange. I also finished weaving the turned 3 shaft Krokbragd band I had on my inkle loom, from 8/2 Treenway silk. I pulled out some additional Treenway silk skeins in my stash, 20/2 and some fine silk cord, and pulled a hand dyed skein of tencel off the shelf. I’ve been dying to try the Runic 1:1 pick up variation in Ann Dixon’s Inkle Weaving Pattern book, and this seemed like a good opportunity. I love the look of this, and it is quite simple to weave.
And so my husband gets on a plane tomorrow morning, and one of my dogs goes in for spaying on Tuesday, and I’ll find myself very much alone after a month long party of sorts, and I am hoping to hunker down and take care of some pressing business, some deadlines, some shows I need to enter, some paperwork and bills I need to address, and a six page article I need to write before my dearest and oldest friend Candiss comes to town. My husband and I had planned a weekend getaway down the shore next weekend, but at the time we booked it, we had no idea that the world would come to an end for much of coastal NJ, the hotel is in good shape, but it is filled with displaced NJ residents whose homes were destroyed and are being housed in any available hotel courtesy of FEMA. We can go away any time. I’m glad the hotel survived and is able to provide temporary housing for those who don’t have anywhere else to go.
And my son sent along a Thanksgiving wish for us, via Facebook, from Check Point 4 in Bayhead, NJ. He is a special kind of kid, both my children are, and I’m grateful for each day they are on this planet. I hope all of my readers from the US who celebrated Thanksgiving had a magical weekend of good food, good memories, good friends, good wine, and lots of gratitude.
Stay tuned…
OH, lucky YOU, for your family and all those moments.
And so super woman took over…family, relaxation, friends, fun, priorities and work which involves all of the above. It’s called change. You are so lucky to notice.
Looking forward to playing together in your studio and having time being girlfriends.
The jacket is lovely, and the weaving is super cool! Glad you had such a wonderful Thanksgiving! Just curious, if Sandy wasn’t a hurricane, what was it?
Daryl, I was touched that you made time to share stories with your daughter, and are making the extra effort to write them down. That’s a precious gift not many of us are left with when our mothers die. Good for you. Life does have a way of adjusting our priorities – so glad you are embracing the change.
Been wondering how you and your family have been making out – so glad you are all intact and enjoying the wonderfulness of life! I look forward to your blog no matter how frequently or infrequently you write it because you bring everything to life and believe it or not, your passion for everything always shines through. So thank YOU.
Daryl, As always, I so enjoy your blog when it arrives in my inbox. Thank you always for sharing.
Note to Hilary! Sandy hit the Atlantic City area as a tropical storm, but it combined with a front coming in from the west, and full moon/high tides to create something unprecedented. The numbers are staggering, just the amount of telephone poles that had to be replaced in five states was frightening. So the media term for Sandy is “superstorm” since we have no other term for what happened. By not labeling it a hurricane, there is no hurricane deductible or limitation on insurance payouts. Storm surges on the east coast were more than 13 feet. Many of the barrier… Read more »
Note to Hilary and Daryl: Sandy was classified as a “post-tropical cyclone” with hurricane-force winds when it came ashore. It lost its tropical characteristics yet retained the hurricane force winds.
Reading about your time with your daughter makes me nostalgic for my college days. Wish I could have hung with you at the meetup. Maybe next time.