That's A Lot of Spoons

My Dear Fellows and Dear Princess Normal,

Yesterday was a whirlwind of emotion, hysterical laughter, drunkenness and jokes about poo.

I loved it. 

TK's mum came along for the ceremony, and we took her for a curry afterward and had a great time. After the meal, we all went back to the cabin Cazza had rented for me and her in Levin. The party carried on there until midnight, with the wine being passed about and the stories coming thick and fast. 

I tried to remember as many as I could for yesterday's blip. But really - I suspect most of them went in the wine bottle.

This morning I was feeling pretty bloody ropey. But we all went for breakfast and the chat brightened me right up.

LouLou is a hippy. There is no other word one can apply here. She was explaining how she went on a fire-making course delivered by a guy in a yurt.

"He's got his whole family in there," she explained. "All these kids running around in bare feet, their feet like saddlebags. He has a proper house as well as the yurt, but he decided that his wife and kids weren't allowed to use the heating system until everyone could make fire without flint first."

That's a bit harsh.

"It took them THREE MONTHS," LouLou continued, "and the amazing thing is HIS WIFE DIDN'T LEAVE HIM."

LouLou went on to explain how to make fire without flint. It's the friction method you've seen before, where you fashion a bow-like structure that spins a stick on another stick. "But the secret is nose oil," said LouLou with a straight face. 

"NOSE OIL?" said Libby. "You mean, like snot?"

"No, NOT like snot," said LouLou. "The oil off the side of your nose." She mimed rubbing the oil off the side of her nose and onto a stick.

We all decided that this was JUST disgusting. You wouldn't want to eat anything cooked over THAT fire.

"I've also set myself a goal to make 25 spoons this year," LouLou went on.

It turns out that LouLou is part of a whole spoon-making community. Which I didn't know existed. She goes on spoon retreats where groups study the art of spoonery.

"It can get VERY competitive," she told us. "People get very worked up if they think you've copied their design."

We all furrowed our brows at this. Spoon design? There's a handle, there's a bowl. That's it, surely? Design?

"I'm serious," she explained. "Look - this is definitely a JoJo Wood." She showed us this picture of a spoon. We all agreed, it was definitely a unique spoon. 

"She's part of a whole dynasty. Her father is Robin Wood - actual name," explained LouLou. "Then there's Barn the Spoon. Oh wow, I really hope he's there at Spoon Jam."

Yes, there is an actual Spoon Festival called Spoon Jam. All the "spoonies" get together to discuss technique. Apparently it is very important that you fashion the spoon with your spoon-knife. And ONLY the spoon-knife. "You CANNOT sand your spoon," said LouLou. "You're a c*** if you sand your spoon."

She feels quite strongly about it.

Cazza reckoned that this festival was RIPE for a Christopher Guest style documentary. Especially when LouLou clearly couldn't contain her excitement at potentially meeting Spooning Superstar Barn the Spoon. 

"His name is Barney Carver - again, real name," said LouLou. "I love his spoons."

Cazza asked what you are supposed to do, if you're not using sandpaper. "Oh, you just use your spoon-knife and then apply oil to smooth it," said LouLou. "It's a much more organic, loving way of making the spoon."

That sounds lovely. We all agreed. It's a much more personal thing, a spoon fashioned purely in someone's hands. 

So long as they're not using nose oil. They're not are they? 

I might have to take this up with the organisers of Spoon Jam.

S.