I cannot believe that I haven't written anything since the 27th of March! Where has the time gone? It MARCHED right on by!

And what have I been doing you may query? Well - I have seen all of my doctors except for one. My left knee and femur are healing very well. My eyesight is still 20-20. I have rejoined the Elkton Community Center, and have been riding the recumbent bike five miles in 30 minutes. I am now on level 3 and very proud of myself. Ann Yager and I went to see ARTHUR and it was okay. But just okay.

Last Friday, Matilda and I got back on the road, and headed for Martinsville, Virginia, to see Alison Sisson in her school musical, CINDERELLA. It was so much fun, and Alie played a great regal Queen! I stayed overnight at Anne's house, as did Jennifer, Jeff, Jacob, and Andrew.

The next day I took off about 11AM headed for Abingdon, VA to meet up with Edna and Mike Shirley. We didn't go to the Barter Theatre, but we did go have dinner at Alison's Restaurant, at the suggestion of son, Frank. And it was wonderful. Thanks Frank! The next day, Sunday, after breakfast and touring the town, we set off in tandem for North Carolina and Brasstown and the John C. Campbell Folk Arts School. We got there around four o'clock, after a beautiful drive through the mountains, and along a river, where there was quite a few people rafting. We registered and went to our respective living quarters.

I am in a three bedroom cabin, with a shared bath. It just so happens that there are only two of us, although each room can hold two people. So we have LOTS of room, as well as a sitting room. My house partner is a teacher at the school, and came up a week early to take a class, but it had been canceled, so she is working on a writing project she has going. She teaches chair caning and she showed me one of the stools she had with her. It is beautiful. And she also drives an Element! So Matilda is extremely happy to have a companion with which to talk!

Monday, directly after breakfast, my paper making class started. Our teacher is wonderful. I am simply loving every minute of it. Something new and different. And because it is Earth Week, we are recycling paper. Rajeanna(Regina)has some friends who separated different colors of paper from their places of work, and shredded them. We have mixed up blue, green, purple, pink, apricot, white cotton. I have already made about 25 - 30 small sheets of paper, different colors, some embedded with flowers, etc. It is fun. Edna is also taking the same class, as is one other woman, Andrea. So we are learning a lot, and getting a lot done. Tomorrow we are going to make a different kind of paper, and make some paper with water marks, which we made yesterday and today. I have two. On Thursday we will make pamphlets, Japanese Stab, and French Link (types of binding) books.

Rajeanna has also taught us some very interesting words! Flocculation!!!!! (look it up!) And couching (pronounced cooching.)Look that one up too!

Breakfast is 8:15 AM. Class starts at 9AM to 12 noon. Lunch is 12:15PM. Class starts up again at 1:30PM to 4:30PM. Dinner is at 6PM. The food is great! There is something to do every night. Tonight they were dancing upstairs, with mostly folks from around the area. Square dancing, contra dancing, with a fiddle, guitar and banjo and a caller. I watched a bit of it, and then came down to the paper making room, because I can get the internet down here. And there was no way I could get up and dance like these folks were doing. My left knee is already protesting, as I am standing a good four to five hours in class. I drive Matilda from my cabin, just to save my knee. She understands, even though others may not!

The weather has been wonderful. And it is warming up even more in the next few days. We have had no rain fortunately, as like every place but Texas, the ground has been saturated. We have yellow lady slippers blooming just outside, along with azaleas, rhododendron, and many different wild flowers. The leaves are stretching themselves out to the sun, and the birds are singing and building nests all over the place.

I am going to close for now, but I will post another blog in a couple of days. I want to tell you more about this wonderful place, the people, and the food! I will definitely come back.

Adieu, Adios, A Hui Hou,
I love you all,
Sally