“For a while there I didn’t think I’d be able to get my spaceship to work.” I said to Maisie.
This of course implied that I had, in the end, gotten my spaceship to work… and indeed I had. How pleasing!
I had attended the lantern making workshop arranged by BACAT and facilitated by Kate Munro, who charmingly enthused us about the task at hand. Fifteen people were welcomed with a cup of coffee and a place at a table covered in plastic sheet.
Those who had expressed an interest had been asked to think of something to make at the workshop, and after Kate explained the technique of bending the willow twigs that she had bought along (pre-soaked); we set to our plans.
A quiet buzz of activity consumed the room, in the same way that a room falls silent of conversation at the start of a good meal. Silent apart from the chink of cutlery and china; or in this case the sound of ripping masking tape. Occasional muttered apologies could also be heard as the springy willow inadvertently clips your neighbour around the ear.
We all did our thing, in studied concentration, punctuated by brief words of encouragement by Kate or the other er luminaries.
Around lunch time we reluctantly left our work to eat a baked spud, some cheeses and an inventive salad including nuts and berries. Delicious!
More peace and quiet while we worked on our projects and then tea and a sticky bun.
Then time to go… five hours had whizzed past and we were able to pack our, mostly finished, slightly sticky lanterns into our cars. They were bigger than planned – so some of us had to walk home.
If you haven’t attended one of the many workshops organised by BACAT, I encourage you to do so. From a personal perspective; approaching the day it seemed like a lot of time away from getting necessary chores done. At the end of the day I felt tired, peaceful and satisfied… which is pretty much as good as it gets.
…And the plans for a flying saucer space ship had worked!
