WeFF and Camelot and then Today

Every year on the first Sunday in November, the Southern California Handweavers hold their annual Fiber Festival at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center.  This year was no exception.

Eric, Gabby, and Miles accompanied me in the late morning, and shortly after noon, we arrived. 

As soon as I walked through those doors, I was accosted.  One friend after the next stopped me, seemingly as thrilled to see me as I was them.  I was ever so excited that Dave is moving only about a mile from where I live.  I was extraordinarily happy to run into other great friends like Garen and Nancy, Shari, Ann, Helene, and so many others that I am going to stop naming them here as if I try to name them all, I'll forget somebody and that person will be hurt.  But I love you all.

It was difficult to get any shopping done for everywhere I turned, I was engaged in another conversation.  Eric even commented that he thought that I knew and was friends with every single person in the whole event; vendors and shoppers alike.  And that was almost true.  There were a couple of new vendors that I haven't had time to make friends with yet.

Then today, I took Gabby up to her horseback riding lesson for the first time in probably a couple of months.  Issues of health have made the drive impossible, but other issues of timing made it impossible for her to go unless I bucked up and drove.  And I was greeted there like a long-lost friend; a returning hero. 

After all, I do know horses, even if it's been decades since I rode myself, and I am of like mind with the people in charge.  I was so happy to see them and they were happy to see me too.  

Finally, today, I had lunch with a long-lost friend who wasn't able to make it to our wedding reception, but she came armed with a beautiful wedding gift as well as a patient attitude as I spent some of our precious time together dealing with a crises that Miles was having at school.   We picked up right where we left off despite the intervening weeks and months and over a year.   That's a real friend for you.

When things seem bleak and I'm all alone, I just have to look back at this post and then remember this week.  There are a lot of people who have got my back.  Wonderful people.  Lovely people.  People with their heads on straight.  They are patient as I work through the issues we have as a family, and love me all the more for seeing me succeed at a very hard transition.  I thank you one-and-all for your steadfastness, and I look forward to having you over and entertaining you very soon.

xoxoxoxo