House of the Moon

I forgot. I have to go out to the studio and prep for a demo at the Museum of Contemporary Craft tomorrow. And I need to bring my camera so I can take a photo of my work on exhibit before the show gets taken down in a week or so.

I haven’t played in my studio since before Christmas, I have been so busy and the rain has been relentless. I still love it though, the sound of it on the roof and hitting the lawn outside doesn’t get old. I would like a nice, sunny day, however.

I told Derek today we were going to get some salmon for dinner, and he added, “get bacon, too?” I guess he takes after Dad. I like New Seasons bacon, it has no nitrites in it, but I didn’t have the time to trek over there.

You know,  this quickly turned into  a very boring domestic entry. I actually have a lot going on in my brain right now. I am supposed to go to London in February, a very, VERY short trip. It was short by my decision, so that Derek, who has not been away from me for more than about 10 hours, wouldn’t have to deal with my absence for too long. I could have stayed longer with my friend Thomas, but we are planning a trip specifically to stay with him in the nearish future, and I felt like I couldn’t do that on my own without the family, also a reason for cutting it so short. But now, it’s in upheaval in my head for several reasons. Being away from Derek, being someone who hates flying and cannot sleep on planes then dealing with jet lag, plus being on gig-time while I am there, as I would be helping out and enjoying a very special sold out gig of a very special friend’s…and not have much time to do anything else. Combine that with not having a hope of recovering with a day of sleep when I get home (re: Derek) and  the eco footprint of such a long flight for such a short time, plus United screwed up the schedule and is sending me both there AND back on different flights with different layovers in different cities than I booked with…

I’m still struggling to decide. I know what my gut says, and usually my gut is the “GO GIRL, GO!” type and this time…it’s whispering something else instead of that.

I have a little more time to think on it. Either way, I win, and either way, I lose.

Anyway. I have to get in glass/demo/informal lecture mode now, to teach some folks tomorrow about how fun working with molten glass is!

p.s. BT has a new album coming out! Makes the BT/Dolby tour seem so far away, yet the days on the bus just like yesterday all at the same time. I am very much looking forward to it.

Not enough time around for all I want to do. It is no one’s fault, no one to blame, but with various illnesses, and other distractions and time sucks, I’m behind. I am behind on my glass straws. I haven’t updated that blog in weeks. Months. I just goofed on a big order and unless the buyer is nice about it, I will maybe break even. It was my own fault for not looking over an alchemy bid on etsy well enough, and as a result she’s getting a FABULOUS deal unless she is understanding about my mistake.

I love making my glass straws, I just wish I had more time. There is a due date for items to be in a local museum in a few days, and I have nothing new for it. I WANT to give them something NEW…very recent…but I may not have time. I have some good stuff in stock…but…

And then I want time alone. Time to just be. But if I take time to just be, I am not taking time to create. And I miss creating. It’s cold now down in the studio, so creating takes a little forethought to turn the heater on. I think I need to make a “Cave night.” Something a friend of mine has. Something another friend calls “bro-ing in.” I need a night to bro-in.” Or I will go mad. And I must create on that night, not sit and do nothing. The sitting and doing nothing should be daytime, during a Derek nap. Fridays were supposed to be that day…but it never happens. Hm.

So, while I would like a pony, I would also like:

A whole day to myself.

A disk cutter (saving up for that.)

Coffee that hasn’t gotten cold by the time I get to it.

An extra day every week to just be with DLJ.

One more REALLY warm day.

Drinking chocolate.

A chasing hammer.

TIME. MORE, MORE, MORE time.

I have some neat news, but it’s not completely sorted out yet. Soon.

But hey! I have a bead in a magazine! The Winter 2010 edition of <i>Bead Unique</i> has one of my focals in it. I am doing a holiday show Dec. 6 downtown in Portland, and it will be nice to have a newer magazine to display with my work. Oy. I need to finish my brochures! Another thing on the list that never ends….

My stomach hurts. I need to nap.

So this is shorter than I wanted.

I got my first set of needles today for knitting, that are my own. I am going to try to make Derek a simple scarf for my first project. But I have to remember how to cast on, I may try tonight. My friend who taught me the beginnings of knitting helped me today to pick out my yarn and my needles and is up for a refresher one evening next week.

Too short, sorry. Must rest.

Sorry, sorry, haven’t posted in this journal for a bit.
We are all fine here, everything’s fine…how are you?

Last week we went to Breitenbush and soaked in hot springs and slept in tents and hiked and drank fabulous filtered water from the nearby river. It was excellent.

This morning DLJ put the final waterproof seal on our back deck…a couple weekends ago he and my Dad sanded and re-stained it. It looks great and this was one of our 3 projects for the summer to complete, and the biggest one. The other two, one is almost done, that was repainting the bathroom. That is complete, I just need to repaint the cabinet and put on the new glass knobs I made myself for it. And the last one is repainting the front door, which is not done at all, but luckily is a one day job.

Derek turned two last week, and had a fine party and fun with friends and family. It moves so fast. I am glad he still nurses with me, loves to nurse and snuggle in the mornings and late afternoons, and still sleeps in his crib. He has his whole life to grow up, and I’m very content with him taking his own time with things. I can’t believe how fast it goes and it will only go faster, so each stage is precious and well-loved.

I’m at a cafe, and need to be writing instead of blathering here, so I will end for now. All is well. I hope all is well with you, too.

Sorry, sorry, haven’t posted in this journal for a bit.
We are all fine here, everything’s fine…how are you?

Last week we went to Breitenbush and soaked in hot springs and slept in tents and hiked and drank fabulous filtered water from the nearby river. It was excellent.

This morning DLJ put the final waterproof seal on our back deck…a couple weekends ago he and my Dad sanded and re-stained it. It looks great and this was one of our 3 projects for the summer to complete, and the biggest one. The other two, one is almost done, that was repainting the bathroom. That is complete, I just need to repaint the cabinet and put on the new glass knobs I made myself for it. And the last one is repainting the front door, which is not done at all, but luckily is a one day job.

Derek turned two last week, and had a fine party and fun with friends and family. It moves so fast. I am glad he still nurses with me, loves to nurse and snuggle in the mornings and late afternoons, and still sleeps in his crib. He has his whole life to grow up, and I’m very content with him taking his own time with things. I can’t believe how fast it goes and it will only go faster, so each stage is precious and well-loved.

I’m at a cafe, and need to be writing instead of blathering here, so I will end for now. All is well. I hope all is well with you, too.

Sorry, sorry, haven’t posted in this journal for a bit.
We are all fine here, everything’s fine…how are you?

Last week we went to Breitenbush and soaked in hot springs and slept in tents and hiked and drank fabulous filtered water from the nearby river. It was excellent.

This morning DLJ put the final waterproof seal on our back deck…a couple weekends ago he and my Dad sanded and re-stained it. It looks great and this was one of our 3 projects for the summer to complete, and the biggest one. The other two, one is almost done, that was repainting the bathroom. That is complete, I just need to repaint the cabinet and put on the new glass knobs I made myself for it. And the last one is repainting the front door, which is not done at all, but luckily is a one day job.

Derek turned two last week, and had a fine party and fun with friends and family. It moves so fast. I am glad he still nurses with me, loves to nurse and snuggle in the mornings and late afternoons, and still sleeps in his crib. He has his whole life to grow up, and I’m very content with him taking his own time with things. I can’t believe how fast it goes and it will only go faster, so each stage is precious and well-loved.

I’m at a cafe, and need to be writing instead of blathering here, so I will end for now. All is well. I hope all is well with you, too.

Well, the kiln has no cure. But it can go onward as is as long as I can put up with it. When it goes south, it will go south quick, but is totally usable until then, as long as I ignore what temperature it SAYS it is. I think I found the right temp for my glass, so I can keep working with the kiln. It is in perfect condition, save for the control board. The brains. Yuck. But at least it’s not dead. I can use it and keep on keepin’ on.

My straws are selling very well. This is good. Practical item, not like jewelry. Which is also selling pretty well, even in this economy. I can’t complain.

I got a used drill press which will allow me to do a LOT more with metals in my work. Yay.

Today is Copper River Salmon day. Once a year we splurge on the really good stuff, both since it is so good, and also to support wild caught salmon as an industry vs. farmed. We buy wild whenver we can. So dinner tonight will be yummy. When Derek wakes we will walk to the store that has it, and he can have a cookie. Then back home and run around, I guess.

Tomorrow I get stitches out of my thumb. Yay. And I need to finish a large straw order, and take photos of the straw carrying cases, and make dinner, and…and…

it’s good to be busy.

This weekend, since the kiln issue is as resolved as it is going to be, I am going to set up my new torch. Finally. I am looking forward to that!

It was a really good day today. Last year I was sick, sick, sick for no good reason in bed all day.

Today we were at the coast. Derek had his first in-the-ocean experience and really had a great time! He was cold but didn’t want to leave, but walked up over 50 steps all by himself back to the car.

These two pictures are from the beach:

He just kept pointing out into the water saying “Wow” and “More,” wanting the little waves to come in again. He watched paddle surfers and ran around the beach, until he found the water around his shoes, that is. Then that is all he wanted to do. Ocean boy!

We had a lunch of breads, meat and cheese in the back of the car before we went down the stairs to the beach. Dinner was BBQ from Riptide, just down the street.

More later, my chocolate chip cookies are just out of the oven!

Yesterday was Summer Registration Opening Day for the local park and recs dept. I wanted to get Derek in a gym type class that I have heard excellent reviews on, and a swimming class. The phone lines open at 8, and the web at 10. It felt like buying Def Leppard tickets in the 80’s, redial, redial, redial.

I ended up giving up around 8:30 and waiting till 10, hoping there would be some spots left. I managed to snag a spot in the really good class, there were  only 4 left by the time they opened the web at 10. As soon as I got it in my cart, which reserves it, the website went pretty south as everyone clammored on to try to reserve things that way. I imagined all these moms of preschoolers cursing each other and trying to get spots, along with yoga practitioners, weight lifters, and crazy artists.

But, I got him his spot in the class I had hoped for, and then added a late-summer swimming class. The pools get very crowded in the summer, understandably, so it’s nice to have a month of knowing you will have good pool space at class, at the very least.

Last night DLJ started up the grill for the first time. He made wonderful burgers, mixing the meat with garlic and spices before making the patties. It was really tasty, with roasted potato salad and fruit.

Today is mostly a fun day. Popsicles, planting a few seeds, and DLJ just made homemade french toast, so it’s almost time to eat. I think we will take a bike ride today as well, and who knows what else!

My first boro is done and out of the kiln, I need to take some photos and now I am waiting impatiently for my bigger order to arrive. I just got a few small bits to test with, and I have over 2 pounds of the stuff I won over two years ago at Glass Stock. Speaking of, I got into it again this year, yay! 4 days of glass amazingness at the coast. I am so thrilled. It is a great event and you learn SO much. SO SO much. And have fun!

What a day! I finished getting the gravel down around the beds. I didn’t think I would finish today. We still have more lawn to get rid of, but around the beds are done, and we want to build one more smaller bed to be Derek’s to care for. He helped a lot today, taking small handfuls of gravel out of the wheelbarrow and walking to the gravel area and dropping it down with the rest.

In the afternoon we went swimming and for the first time in months, we went down the waterslide with him. Previously he had been indifferent; NOT TODAY!

He wanted to go over and over, and went at least 7 or 8 times. He was so excited each time it was our turn to climb the stairs, and DLJ said when we came around the final turn Derek always had a huge smile on his face. I was going to dunk him today for the first time, but one of the times he went down the slide with DLJ they went under, and he came up sputtering, but then wanted to go on the slide again, so that counts as his first dunk!

Our Sunday ritual of pizza for dinner is underway in the oven. I hung out with a neighbor who is a gardener and gave him some of the leftover asparagus crowns.

I have to cut out a bunch of bunny buck teeth and eyes tonight after Derek is in bed. We had a nice stroll after dinner around the hood (time lapse finishing this entry.)

Busy week, including picking up cream, milk, and our veggie/fruit box tomorrow. I am going to make butter this week!