Bizzy Fun Weekend

I went to Tien's on Saturday, with the idea that we would get her fly shuttle set up onto her loom, Emmy. 

Turns out, it seems, that some parts are missing or misplaced, and consultation with the experts is indicated.  I had thought I'd be able to suss it out just fine, since I have a fly shuttle set up as well, but mine is an earlier model, with one detent, and has a far more straightforward design.  For Tien's, which has two detents in order to work with two shuttles, there is a sprung return for the fly shuttle's pickers, which must return to the extremity of the shuttle boxes in order for the drop boxes to rise or sink; that sprung return was mysterious!   I felt a little guilty for saying 'sure, I can help!' and then not being able to.  Learning curve.

We also inventoried some amazing paper sheets covered with lacquered gold or silver leaf and cut into fine strips for use as weft in weaving.  They are amazing objects, gorgeous in their own right.  The smell of the sheets, which date from the early '70s, was mesmerizing.  One whiff and I was back in Kyoto.

Yesterday I went to Berkeley to have lunch with a friend and to see the new work she's been doing.  She is working meticulously on scroll-mounting, as is done in Japan, and it was a treat to see the beautiful things she's made.  Driving back into the city was nowhere nearly as bad as I thought it would be; yesterday was the annual Bay-to-Breakers race, always a fun event that shuts down several routes through the city as the hordes of participants make their way from the Bay to Ocean Beach seven miles west.   Once coming off of the Bay Bridge, the freeway in the city was a parking lot, so I took the 9th Street/Civic Center exit.  To my astonishment and relief, there was zero traffic beyond Stanyan Street, though I did see people returning from the race still clad in their costumes.  It was still light when I arrived home.   So tired, though!!  I fell asleep through much of last night's Game of Thrones episode (darn: I'll just have to watch it again!) and didn't wake up at all in the night.  Alarm jangled me awake at 5:57AM, with me feeling not as rested as I would have liked.  Thank heaven for coffee...

The visit with Liza yesterday provided much fuel for inspiration...