Our Wonderful Followers who come back again and again to read about us...

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Loading up and getting ready to roll!


We have the motorhome all packed up and ready to roll for the weekend.... actually it is for a longer four day weekend!   We are going down to a cute little weaving studio in  a tiny village called Shopiere, WI.  It's owned by my friend Juanita Hofstrom and the name of the studio is called Vavning.   (about 200 miles from here)

She bought this vacant church and made it into the most comfortable studio, complete with lecture hall, studio space, kitchen area and offices.   It is in a tiny town about 4 blocks long, nestled in a vally along a bubbling brook and a tiny park.   I have been coming here for close to 10 years now.  I help Juanita hostess the event, and she contracts with Jason Collingwood to come and teach for the 3 day session.  He is a famous weaver from Great Britain,  son of the late Peter Collingwood, an innovator of a special technique for rug weaving called Shaft Switching.





We come early and help Juanita and Norm with some projects around the studio, and in return we can park for the four days in their parking lot.   Sure saves on the hotel fees and transportation from nearby Beloit.   Usually about 20 people attend and it's a very intense hands-on workshop with evening classes of interesting field  trips, swap meet of weaving supplies, show n tell, and eating out with groups for social times.





Being on site, I can unlock the studio early for weavers who want to come and get in some loom time before the classes start, or stay late into the evening after classes are done.  Also I am known as the Aide De Comp, or the Kitchen Wench...  we prepare various snack foods and lunches in the kitchen, and on the last day I prepare a full meal for all the weavers and their significant others to join in and wind up the conference.

Steveio finds many things to do while I am busy in classes.   He later joins us for socializing, eating out down the road at the restaurant, and just hanging out with many of the workshoppers spouses who are also looking for things to do.  Norm knows lots of cool things to do and see in the area, so Steveio hangs with Norm too.

In 1996 we were here in April in our Coachmen gasser motorhome... and Steveio took a ride on the scooter to get a replacement part for our Onan generator.  Lo and behold, he just HAD to drive past an RV dealer in Rockford, Illinois.  There he wandered among the rigs, and saw "THE MOTORHOME of his DREAMS!"    He came back all bubbly and excited and wanted me to go see it too!  But I didn't want any more payments and for sure didn't want another bigger motorhome.   But he was persistent.  Each week he would check the website and see if it was still there.  Each week it was.   Finally... finally.... (after some life-changing events)  I gave in to go and just "look" at the rig.   Three days later, it was ours!    So THAT is how we got our diesel pusher.

8 comments:

  1. How exciting!! Have a Great Weekend!!

    Hugs..Cindy and Walker

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, I think the only weaving & spinning I ever did was back in the bad old drinking days.

    Hobbies are great things to occupy the mind & all you blogger gals with your quilting, weaving, & spinning, sure keep yourselves busy alright.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your weekend sounds like it will be so much fun. Taking your wonderful MH is a real bonus. That is one of the biggest advantages of having an RV, being able to take it to use as your own "motel."

    Have fun bobbing and weaving.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like such fun!! Isn't it nice that you can park your motorhome right there in the parking lot.

    Love the story of how you all found and purchased your diesel pusher. :)

    Have fun and travel safely!
    Mike & Gerri (happytrails)
    http://freedom2roll.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like a very busy, but fun weekend. Enjoy yourselves!

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cool beans! I know you'll enjoy what "looms" ahead. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. We'ew stuck at home this weekend, so we'll enjoy RVing though your posts. Great having a home away from home, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to comment on my blog! I moderate all comments so it may take a little while for your comment to appear.