An old cardboard box

I was home for a very brief time yesterday.

It was a fortuitous break in my day, let me tell you. I was in between tutoring, and working in the library, and dropping off cards, and getting groceries, and picking up Skip after his final final, and helping out at Nate's school party, when I dropped back in at the house (forgot the card I needed to drop off at a friend's house).

Bing-Bong...

Oh look! It's the postman, and he's got a parcel that I have to sign for.

Hmm. This is a big box. It's kind of heavy. And egads! Look at the extreme postage. Someone better be working overtime to pay for that!

All the way from Canada...

Let's take a peek...

Ah, this is a box that's been around the block a few times. Sturdy. Good to guard the fragile contents...

(ok, I admit, this is AFTER I emptied all the great chocolate out of the corners where the bars and bags of candy were wedged...)

I will spare you the image of my schmeared mascara as I read the letter that was folded on top of this pile of bubble-wrap. Such a beautiful sentiment, and I still get a little choked up thinking about it.

You see, this parcel? It was my birthday present. And it was brought back from Bolivia by my very best friend.

And look what was inside it:

Yes, people, that is an honest-to-goodness HAND MADE Andean drop spindle. And it's attached to a pound or two of real honest-to-goodness high mountain hand-sheared wool. Hand dyed, too, and look at the FANTASTIC color!

Here, let's get that in some better light...

The yarn was being plied onto the spindle when my BFF bought the whole works out from under the watchful eye of the spinner. As Jenn said "I'm sure she thought "Crazy gringa!", who wants the spindle, too?" But I just can't get over, as I keep stopping to pet this wooly bundle, that this was being spun by hand... in the Andes... and Jenn watched it, and thought of me, and carted this whole pile back with her.

I am so excited to think of what I should be making with this yarn! I could continue to 2-ply it, and then make something heavier-weight... or I could stop 2-plying it, and make something lighter and airier with the 1-ply. I keep envisioning a giant lacy triangular shawl... I've never made a shawl, but it would be SO beautiful in this colour.

For now, though, it's on display. I want everyone that walks in my house to see it, to pet it, and to learn the story of this incredible gift.

Thankyou, Quechuan mountain woman, for your yarny skills.

And thankyou, Jenn, for EVERYTHING.