Knotted Lace and Foreign Visitors

We've had some wonderful visits lately from far away friends. Last Sunday LOM's cousin who lives in Guam visited. It had been two years since we'd seen him and his wife. Back in the 1980s they cruised the South Pacific in their yacht and eventually settled in Guam where they have swallowed the anchor. It was fun to see them and their daughter, son-in-law, and new twin baby grand daughters.

Then last night we went out to dinner with friends from Australia. We met him waaaaaay back in the 1970s. We both had Mooney airplanes and flew to Mexico several times together. Then we ended up buying sailboats and cruising, but never together. He cruised thousands of miles whilst we only went to Mexico and back. He eventually met his wife and settled in Australia, using it as a base for the last 15 years of cruising in the Indian Ocean.

His wife is a wonderful woman who makes lace. She's well known in the worldwide lace community and has written two books on Mediterranean lace. She was born in Greece, lived several years in Scotland and immigrated to Australia about 1960. She recently got interested in this Turkish knotted lace and will be teaching classes at the Portland Lace Society's 2010 convention from July 25 through July 31. She gave me this amazing bookmark last night. Traditionally the lace makers used flowers to symbolize their feelings and intentions. She mentioned that she might work up patterns for different Australian wildflowers and publish another book. I am in awe.

So that's what's been happening lately here Amongst The Oaks.