quite a day today...

yes, quite a day

without anything else scheduled in between drop off and pick up I ran a few errands...

the cargo bike has a broken spoke so I got on the Specialized cyclocross bike with riser bars and an Ergon backpack
with camera in my pack I took off with a lock and an agenda
a trip to the bank
the purchase of the final items for family christmas shopping
checking to see if I could find any "modern" fireplace screens and fireplace tools in various DC stores... I FOUND NOTHING
and off making a trade

yes... a trade

strapped an Afgan pannier bag rug to my pack
old meet new
random Afgan pannier bag of woven silk that sat on top a mule or a horse
strapped to the modern fiber Ergon backpack

years ago I brought this pack to my friend Mehmet at Woven History on Capitol Hill to have it repaired and cleaned
I could see that he appreciated it

so... when I saw this beautiful piece not being properly displayed in my house... well... well... I thought I would work a trade

so today I rode down to Woven History and met up with my friend Mehmet
we met... we spoke... like an Episode of Antique Roadshow I did not get as much for my piece as I had wished... BUT I STILL GOT A LOT!

did a fair trade... no exchange of money
walked away with a small Turkish drum and a Tibetan singing bowl from Nepal

really... I told Mehmet that he would get the "carpet bag" either way
it was just a matter of what we traded for

always good to see my old friend
funny... I still have a map of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal that Mehmet gave to me
a place I would not have visited had he not stressed it so

wished I had more time to hang out
sort of wish I had haggled more... I love to haggle... but I hate doing business with friends
unless... the business can be done to the advantage of both parties

and yes...
I got a good deal from my friend the carpet salesman

which of course makes me think of my old friend Peter Coe
it has almost been a year since his death

the boys are stoked and intrigued by both the drum and the bowl
I wish Peter had met my boys
enough on that