Puppy Therapy

When people ask if I'm ready for Rhinebeck, I don't know if I should laugh or cry.  I've checked off a lot of items on my original to-do list, and while I'm still dyeing yarn, I'm reasonably confident I will finish, and it will be dry before I hit the road next week.  It's a common occurrence for indie dyers to travel with wet yarn, so I always consider it a bonus when I'm not drying yarn in the hotel.

The problem is I keep adding odds and ends to my list.  Lightbulbs.  A couple of the bulbs for my booth display are burned out, and I'm out of replacements.  This is going to require a trip to the hardware store. Clean tablecloths.  I've made a mental note to wash said tablecloths and make sure I pack them immediately, so they don't get left behind. Enhanced checkout system.  This is still in the works, but the other day I invested a couple hours of precious dyeing time to set the wheels in motion.  The whole shebang still needs a test run, but I'm holding my breath and crossing my fingers.  I'm the eternal optimist.

My family has been encouraging me to get more sleep.  While I don't see that happening any time soon, the other day I did adjust my routine.  It was a gorgeous fall afternoon.  Lately I've let too many of them slip away, so I took a little break and went outside with our newest family member.

Meet Benji.

He belongs to my daughter, Luz, and while she doesn't live at home any more, her puppy has been spending a fair amount of time here.  It seems we're in the puppy sitting business - not that anyone is complaining.

He's cute as a button.

He even comes equipped with a beard.  

Every day Benji confirms that puppies are a lot of work.  Thank goodness there are a lot of us to share the responsibility.  And he's a good excuse to take a break from work.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway.  As always, I enjoyed reading the comments, although when 1Geek2CraftAll made mention of Rhinebeck Sweaters (3!), I immediately felt like a slacker.

The winner, chosen at random, is Pat's here.  How appropriate since she can't make Rhinebeck this year.  I'll miss you, Pat, and will think of you when I eat my cider donut.

There's nothing like the impact of colorful trees this time of year, but sometimes I enjoy a single leaf just as much.  This week's color inspiration . . . 

A splash of yellow.