Surprise

I do love surprises, and I love presents, especially the ones that come so unexpectedley. When I picked up the mail in Brookfield yesterday Barb, our local post mistress, said she was glad I came to collect this box which had been tempting her all day. Barb went into the back and brought out this aromatic package which contained two pounds of the powerful, bombastic, and fabulous Multatelli Coffee Beans, of the Thor's Hammer variety. The box also contained a clever and lovely sheep ornament and an artistic feathery creation crafted by the talented Lindsay Parkinson. Kimmie Cornerstone, my fiber-art soul mate and booth partner, must have thought I needed a bit of a boost during this busy pre-show time period. I do love her so, and wish she wasn't all the way up there in Kingston, Ontario. I'm so lucky to have her. I always said I could be struck by lightning and Kim could do a show for me without breaking a sweat. "Tulip" is a big, strong, Dutch girl, whose family emigrated to Ontario after Canadian troops liberated their village from the Nazis. Her folks were active in the Dutch Resistance. One uncle was captured by the Germans, who put him on a train going to a concentration camp. The other uncles blew up the train and recaptured him. When the family's ship docked in a Canadian port after the war, all their worldly goods, which were packed in a big wooden crate, were accidentally dropped into the harbor when being off-loaded. Kimmie has some terrific stories. My favorite one is the story of how, when she was spinning at some remote sheep dog trials in Canada, two little-old British ladies made their way into her tent and said, "Excuse us Dearie, but are you the Kimmie Cornerstone of the Maggie's Farm Blog?" Now I know I've arrived!