Gifted and Grifted.

I went to three fiber people groups this week.  On Monday, the Triangle Fiber Guild met, and in the meeting reminder we were told that the topic was planning for Carolina Fiber Fest and the beginning of making triangles for banners to decorate the guild's display and information table.  I decided to take a box of leftover bits, mostly from a friend's holiday knitting of facecloths, because I have less use for cotton yarn.  The person who was supposed to bring yarn didn't attend, so my box was welcomed and well-rifled by the end of the meeting.

On Wednesday it was Yarn Buddies at the community center.  Somebody who couldn't come in the evening is moving and sent a pile of books and yarn with a friend.  At the end of the evening, the others decided that I should take the remaining books and leaflets:

Also, the remaining yarn:

I've turned some of it into pennants, along with some of the cotton yarn that people didn't select:

I also finished a hat this week.  All still need to have ends
run in - and there are a lot on the sock yarn beanie.

Next up, I am going to try to crochet a pennant.  The pattern is only for knitting, but should be easy to convert.  This shows the group is not only knitters.

On Thursday I went to the Twisted Threads Fiber Arts Guild.  It was a show-and-share of fibers, and since I didn't take any and my wheel is out of commission, I came away without anything new.  I wound some yarn while I was there, to make something for myself, likely a shawl.

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And for the Grifting:  Somebody I knew in Connecticut, whom I supported through his formal conversion to Judaism (which he said was a 'reversion' because he found Jewish persons in his family's history), then we drifted apart, asked if I could help him get to California to visit a seriously ill cousin.  He told me the ticket cost $400 but he has only $200.  I've helped people get on flights in the past, when I can due to my flight credits, so I said yes, and asked which part of California.  Of course, it's Los Angeles, which has been under wildfires and flights can be questionable, or full of relief workers.  I pointed out that this might be complications.

However the fires have died down and he found out the cousin is at home (still very ill) and which airport is closest.  I checked and flights this week - of course, short notice! - are closer to $1,000 for that airport.  Maybe another would be cheaper, but he wants to get to the one closest to her.

I had a rough night of berating myself for agreeing to help before I knew the true cost.  And it's the second time for him, although the other was a much cheaper ticket.  As a rule, I limit people to one gift ticket, but I know how much family means to him since his mother died and he's not sure about his father.  (I met his parents during the conversion process, and attended his mother's memorial.)  So he managed to talk me out of a second ticket, and I tossed most of the night dealing with my responses.

Part of it is that he hasn't been in personal contact for most of the last two years, and when I scrolled back, the last message I have was when he was on the trip for the first ticket.  He has mentioned me in some public posts, but checking I saw that he hasn't responded to mine.  I think he's one of the people I've left on my feed out of inertia, or sympathy, and I just let myself get suckered.

This morning, I sent him a message that I would live up to my side of the bargain, because I am a woman of honour, but that it is the absolute last time.  Late in the day, he replied "Fair" and we've tried to connect to finalize his plans.  What he doesn't know is that once this is over, I don't care how much he claims I mean to him personally - I'm blocking him.