I've always relied on the kindness of strangers

This past week I have been a victim of many acts of kindness, perpetrated by friends and strangers alike (not to mention strange friends).
Just as a warmup, Deb and Ed brought me this lovely Vermont pewter from the Green Mountain Spinnery.

Bunny buttons!

They must know that I am in a sock knitting rut and need some inspiration to complete a couple of long-overdue baby sweater UFOs.

You probably couldn't help noticing the lovely bit of blue roving. That is ingeo, a natural fiber made from corn. Kim presented this to me at the cafe last week as part of a lovely "welcome to spinning" package. Behold:

Big white ball - Bluefaced Leicester
Little white ball - soy silk
Blue ball - ingeo
Garnet and plum balls - superwash merino (yippee! handspun socks!)
Lavendar ball - merino and tencel, and oh-so-silky

This will keep me busy for awhile. Simply put, Kim rocks.

So those kindnesses were not from strangers. But here are a couple of vignettes for you, in which I am the object of a generous act.

(Art) Fair Weather Friends

If you are from around these parts, you know about the local phenomenon that is the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Actually Fairs, plural, but then I'd have to fix a tricky subject/verb agreement problem in the last sentence.

Anyway, the Fairs, as they are known, are renowned for huge crowds, inpenetrable streets, and bad weather.

So of course we decided to visit the Farmer's Market downtown, on bicycle, with the kids, Saturday morning. After living here 16 years, you'd think I would have a clue. Nope. Sometimes the need for fresh cucumbers moves people to irrational acts.

But I digress. On the way home, in the sweltering heat, Evan started a raging fit on the back of my bike. While waiting at a red light, a hot dog vendor asked if the kid wanted a lollipop. I said no thanks, but I sure could use a drink. In seconds he was at my side with a bottle of cold water. Not exactly the drink I had in mind (note the time, 10 AM), but exactly what I needed. He refused to take any money. The light turned green. The car behind me honked. I pedaled off.

Man, I could go for a hot dog about now.