Bobbie got up and fed Fossy, he was growing fast. She mixed up some gluten free carrot muffins and played with the cat while they cooked. She took them out to cool, got cleaned up and packed them in a basket to take to Quinn and Ray.

“Knock knock, how are all my cousins?”

“Come in Bobbie, they are just having second breakfast and almost ready to be changed and go down for a nap.” Quinn and Ray were each nursing a baby. “My milk came in.” Said Quinn.

“That is an incredible bonding experience. You need sustenance so I brought muffins. Let me change them. I’ll do Cora first then Edie because she still seems hungry”

Ray laughed. “Thanks Bobbie but it’s Cora that’s still eating.”

“I had a 50/50 chance right?”

Ray made coffee and Quinn and Bobbie changed the babies and put them in their cribs. When they settled in with coffee and muffins Bobbie said. “I have a proposition for you.” They both looked skeptical but urged her to go on. “I found three big boxes of sport weight cashmere and merino wool sweaters at the thrift store. They were factory seconds so effectively new. One sleeve on each of them was sewn inside out. It doesn’t even look that bad. I took some apart and now they are ready to unravel to make lovely reclaimed yarn.”

“Bobbie that sounds really cool but what are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking it’s a lovely day to bring my little cousins up on my roof deck and unravel some yarn this afternoon. I can invite a few people and show them how satisfying it is to unravel. You still look confused. When we are done, we will have almost 300, 100 gm skeins of yarn and you guys could dye it and sell it in your home shop or set up a little market stall and sell it.”

Ray looked up. “You would give us all that yarn?”

Bobbie nodded. “It was so cool to find such a lot of nice reclaimable yarn and I already took all I wanted. It’s hard to explain but it just makes me feel good that it can be used and I love the process of unwinding.”

“I think I get it Bobbie, we’d love to try and sell it. Maybe we can get pictures of what you make as part of our marketing.”

“We could sell the bare yarn at the market and the stall itself can be an advertisement for our farm shop. Lorne promised he was setting up our shop with shelves and stuff so we’ll take what we can’t sell, dye it and take it to the home shop. He promised we’ll be home in September so we can harvest and bale our critter food.”

“If things aren’t ready or we can’t get our shop organized, we can bring some more products to the market.”

“You have started us thinking for sure Bobbie. We’ll meet you upstairs after the babies wake up.”

“I’ll get set up and we can have lunch there. The babies can sleep in the shade in the afternoon while we wind yarn and drink a few spritzers.”

“That sounds really nice. We’ll see you then.”

Bobbie waved goodbye and walked out to the pool deck. She sat in a chair closer to the pool and texted Barb. “Hey Barb can you sneak away this afternoon and come to yarn ravelling party? Our two new twin babies will be there.”

Barb texted back. “Yay, I can take the afternoon off; I have lots of leave left.”

Effie walked by and said. “Hi Bobbie”

“Hi, how is it all going? Do you have much on tap for this afternoon?”

“Um not really I guess.” Said Effie, hesitating a little.

“Oh don’t worry, I’m not checking up on you. Quinn and Ray and the babies will be out on my deck this afternoon playing with yarn and you can come visit if you have time.”

“Thanks, I’d like that.”

Next Bobbie texted Lorne and Trixie. They might not be so keen on unravelling sweaters but they agreed to come for a spritzer and a visit.

Bobbie went back to the apartment and threw the toy for Fossy while she decided what to take out to the deck. She already had a veggie tray, a nice shrimp ring, a layered Mexican dip thing and was making some devilled eggs. While she waited for the eggs to cool she made seafood sauce. And chopped up limes for spritzers. She found the nacho chips in her pantry so she piled everything on 2 trays and carried the first one out. She got the second and put it in the mini fridge. Finally she brought 12 large plastic baskets from the dollar store and awkwardly carried up her big box of deconstructed sweaters. Her swift was in the stack of baskets so she set it up horizontally on the railing of the deck. She sat in the sun but liked how there was natural shade under the pergola.

No sooner did she sit down, Quin and Ray showed up with babies. They were both awake and sucking on soothers. Their eyes were as big as saucers. They put the carriers down in the shade and moved their chairs over. Bobbie knelt down, did a little peek-a-boo and got some coos and smiles. A few minutes later, Uncle Lorne and Aunt Trixie arrived and were each holding a baby against their chest and bobbing around the deck.

Bobbie brought over a tray of spritzers and set them on the table. “So about this yarn unravelling…” She pulled a basket in front of her and said. “I have started this piece. As I pull the stitches out and get more yarn I just let it fall in the basket. If there is a break I tie a knot and at the very end I put a piece of tape on the tail because if you lose track of that end; all is lost.”

Both Ray and Quinn took a basket and a piece of sweater.

Trixie and Lorne were still bobbing and Trixie said. “I think mine is asleep”

“Mine too.” Said Lorne. Ray and Quin put down their sweater pieces and took the babies and gently put them in their carriers.

Soon they were all unravelling, taking little breaks to nibble on the food Bobbie kept serving.

“This is more fun than I thought it would be.” Said Trixie. “I’m done, what happens now?”

Bobbie stood and said now I have to wind it. She took the basket over to the swift and secured the taped end and started to spin, applying a little tension as it wound. “It stays untangled because it just comes out the opposite way it went in, with no tangles.”

Soon Barb was there and Bobbie had them all unravelling and she was winding like mad.

Johnny, Rocco and Rick Dawson arrived. Rick was out of hospital and was on crutches but had been staying at the motel for a few days. Bobbie was avoiding him, until now. Johnny said. “I was showing Rocco and Dawson my plans for my house. Rocco’s going to help me buy materials at contractor prices and knows a couple of guys I can hire to help me. I’m going to build soon and will clear the brush away then get that started by the end of the month.”

“That is so cool Johnny, it’ll be hot work clearing brush in the July heat, Maybe you should rent some goats.”

“Ray that’s a great idea. So how old are these babies; they seem quite new?”

“Just under two months so they are little new but they are growing fast. We have to nurse them now, that won’t bother anyone will it?”

“Go for it. I’ll go get my guitars and we’ll sing a good nursing song.” Johnny stood and slid his finished basket over to Bobbie and grabbed a couple of devilled eggs and left. He was not long and he sat, handed Rick a guitar and they played a bit and sang some quiet songs. Rick could play really well and had a nice voice.

Effie appeared. “Hi, I’m done cleaning rooms and wanted to visit these babies on my break.” She sat down and chatted with Quinn and Ray.

Lorne started to work the swift and do the winding, giving Bobbie a break. “Maybe I should learn to knit I really like this yarn stuff.”

In the end they had about 25 skeins of yarn and 4 baskets of yarn that they still had to wind. And of course a big box with about 17 more sweaters to unravel. That didn’t even count the two other boxes she had in storage.

Quinn suggested they bring what was left of the sweaters and the swift down to their place and they could work on it when the babies slept.

“Great, I’ll get another box out of storage and start taking apart more sweaters.” Said Bobbie.

“I bet Florence and Linda wouldn’t mind taking apart sweaters, I’ll take some home with me.” Suggested Lorne.

“It would be better if Ray and I drop them off tomorrow and bring the babies to visit.” Said Quinn.

“They would love that. Are you guys getting a little shack wacky?”

The Babies were fed and changed and back snoozing in their carriers. They ate snacks and spritzers and sang a few songs with Johnny and Rick.

By seven, everyone was gone and Bobbie and Barb cleared stuff off the deck and brought it all inside. “Unravelling sweaters, we are not a very lively bunch are we?”

“Bobbie, that was a lovely afternoon. You had crafts, babies, refreshments and Johnny’s music. What more could you ask for?”

“Ya, Johnny and I had a fight and he’s found a new singing partner.”

“Rick is good but not like you Bobbie. What was the fight about?”

“Just the age old question of whether I’m going to ride off into the sunset chasing a music career with him or not.”

“He can’t expect you to leave the motel. You’re almost finished. Trixie said the building was all done and paid for.”

“Yes I used up all my money but it’s all paid for. I think he’s just freaked out about Brose. He wants me along so he can have a relationship with me if and when he ever chooses.”

“Well, that’s an old pattern. You guys seemed to patch it up.”

“I think we’re good. He’s got a new friend and that land to develop now. His garage business and apartment were stunning, I can’t wait to see his house.”

“Yes that should keep him occupied. He does go all in when he gets a new project. I guess I’ll hit the road too, have you any plans for the weekend?”

“We’re going to build a market.”

“That sounds fun, I’ll find my coveralls and join you.”

“So, should I invite a certain police detective?”

“I might bring him along.” Barb winked and went out the door.