Holiday Sale at the Pottery Lab

You're invited!

change of season

On Thursday, I went to pottery. As I got out of the car, I caught my first really good whiff of autumn. I think that it is a lot stronger in Boulder. I've been feeling pretty good, as far as my neck is concerned. I tried throwing, but not too successfully. Friday I felt my symptoms increase a bit. Maybe as a result of throwing, maybe a little bit of work. They seem a little better now.

It has been raining all day. I decided that I would not cover the garden tonight. If everything freezes, ah well. I have a feeling it won't quite freeze tonight.

Woodfire meeting in North Boulder at, I think, 9 a.m. tomorrow. Then, if the weather improves, I'm going to try having a sale at Zazou's. It is one of my 40x40 items - have a sale during the Open Studios. There are officially less than two weeks left until my birthday. I wonder if I even did half of the things on the list? Again, ah well.

relapse

So, I was browsing for an image to head this post. Googling "pilates rollover", the first site I go to says quite clearly "This is not an exercise for clients with osteoporosis of the spine and herniated disks."

Where was that little voice of warning two Friday's ago? I had been feeling so good, I was back to doing yoga twice a week. Felt I could begin doing some more advanced stuff. There's no telling which pose it was, but my gut tells me it was the rollover. About an hour after class, I started to get this pain down the inside of my shoulder blade. I did not recognize it for what it was. Saturday morning, more pain. It took me until Saturday sleeping to recognize the pain that was spreading down my shoulder as the one I had leading up to Christmas and the original herniation. Anyway, it never got as bad as in December. But, I did have pain killers on hand this time.

I seem to be getting better. This time I'm doing more chiropractic work. The pain seems to be subsiding. The freaky thing is how weak my left tricep is.

This, two days after they fired Rhonda.

So, this long week-end, what did I do? Mostly I slept. I recognize the edge of depression. I did try some gardening, but quickly stopped that. I made some little stilts to try firing the beads for Kwan Yin. That's about it.

Happy When It Rains

It was pouring when i left work today - the first moisture from the sky for so long i can't remember. Happy? Yes, I had this huge grin on my face. Until I was half way home and my soggy jeans were becoming a little uncomfortable. Worth it though.

Kwan Yin

Here is a photo of the Kwan Yin sculpture I have been working on for months. and months and months. A long time. I'm pretty happy with the results. This is the point where detachment is difficult. The sculpture still needs to make it through the bisque, and then the final firing. At this point, I am planning to fire her in the bourry box (wood/soda kiln).

I finished the wet work two weekends ago. Last weekend I drove her up to Boulder, to the Pottery Lab. (Pissing some folks off along the way for driving too "gently" - ah well.) And there, thought to measure her. She is 30 inches tall. The bisque kilns at the Lab accept pieces 24 inches high. So, I separated her crown from her head, and now she is just under 27".

Plan B is to fire her in Ami's 12-27. Wish me luck.

The goddess has now been successfully moved to Ami's kiln in Louisville. She takes up 1/4 of the space. And now to wait...

Update 4/4/09 - the wait has been longer than anticipated, but I sense movement towards a firing...

loves me some Chardonnay

k & i just finished this bottle. took me one glass to remember that I should not, in fact, work this weekend. Woop Woop was the name of my 1985 subaru GL wagon, who died at ~350k miles a few years ago now. that's for the sound it made: woop-woop-woop. yes, I'm one of those folk who are influenced to buy wine for the label. well, that and it was in the price range.

Québec

Here's one of the photos from my holiday in Québec. There is the crêperie, essentially attached to the Chateau Frontenac. My sister and I could not find it our first day there - had dinner there on our second night in town. myam myam!

It was lovely to go on holiday. After a while it felt like, if I tried hard enough and gave it some time, my French language skills (maybe even my quebecois) would come back.

Spring Sale at the Pottery Lab

I don't have much work in the sale this time, but I'll be there all day Sunday.

Thorntonfest

My friend Jan has a booth at Thorntonfest tomorrow, and invited me to add my pots to her stained glass. So, today I priced and boxed up what I have. Maybe I will sell something!

a little something to make you (or rather, me) happy

you're going to make it after all

les chatons

Well, I did work on the Kwan Yin sculpture for a few hours today. She is coming into shape - there are definitely elements I am happy with. I don't feel any adverse effects from working, so definitely healing (though slowly).

No photo of she who hears the cries of the world yet, but in the mean time here is a photo of the cats, staking out their pieces of sunshine.

New Perspective

Well, I've got this fantasy that I publish interesting and articulate posts somewhat regularly. There are a few blogs I check on regularly that are the model for this fantasy. As it is, when things are going well, that doesn't seem to be the top of my list. And, when things are going not-so-well - it is nowhere to be found on the list.

This past month, as you might gather, has been on the "not-so-well" end of the scale. That there, boys and girls, mesdames m'sieurs, is an image of a herniated cervical disc. And that is what has been going on with me since 18 Dec. I am on the healing path now, definitely, and am truly thankful to be out of pain. It is an amazing thing to be pain free after this experience. It is very difficult to express with words, but relief is wonderful. Going through it and coming out gives you a new perspective on feeling normal.

I am hopeful that soon I'll be back to creating some new pots and sculptures. I have to remind myself not to overdo it - not easy let me tell you! Tomorrow, the wood-kiln is being unloaded - a firing that I was not able to help with one bit. I did have a few pots to add, but everyone was carrying my load this time. It is not easy for me to sit back and let people do things for me.

I do feel I might be allowed an extension on some of my 40x40 items, until next year when I'll hopefully be back to doing the things that keep me sane and bring me joy! (As it is, I should probably start deciding who the lucky charity is going to be.) I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of potting, yoga, snowboarding ("next season"). I might have to let go the wakeboarding... Did I mention pottery? Can't wait!