steady progress...getting hotter

 You could tell from first thing this morning that it would be hot today. I think eventually it reached 26⁰. So today was not hurried!

Gradually working towards our goal..plus. looking at more things, more jobs to decide how to move forward on them..and not necessarily doing them myself!

We bought the right disc to cut a kiln shelf to make the damper..and this afternoon collected two glass cases that were not needed in the gallery. These I have given on semi permanent loan to the little arts and crafts shop in Ayr.

Supper was delayed until the temperature eased a little..then we went for a short walk...

that was at 9pm....at 10pm it changed...

Nice and warm!

 Today was a very pleasant 21⁰...and we got a lot done. 

First stop was get xrayed and scanned as I'm getting new plastic teeth at the top...nice to know that sinuses and fillings are in decent condition!!

A coffee to celebrate before business started in earnest...sourcing things that I need to get the kiln going, mainly gas hoses 

I've got the main hose , so I'll be able to use one gas bottle at a time to dry out the kiln , shelves and shelf props.

Lunch out!! Really pushing the boat out!!

Then home to get on with things. The Oily One got very busy....and looked at my car as well. I DO have a pollen filter...aand it us dated 2017, the year before I bought the car!!

I didn't know it had one. I've had them in other cars I've had (all Peugeots).

All that and washing nearly dry too!! (started too late)

The wee beastie of Beastie Bites cafe....it had to be a mouse...

gallery day

 I commuted by car today...can't desert the Oily One for 11 hours having got him up here !!

We are actually having some hot weather ..just over 20⁰ !!! 

people were commenting how nice and cool the gallery was..but in it all the time it was just chilly. For most of the afternoon we were covered by an intermittent haar (sea mist) and you could see it billowing past. 

One of our members has sadly left so the gallery has been shuffled around. My work is looking  very nice on the glass shelf unit

then the sun shone....

The Oily One got me out for a walk again after dinner...which he mostly made..I could get used to that!!

and with a clear sky, it was still almost light at 11

Although a friend sent me this....she is at Burghead, further north than here...

Flue!!

 The Oily One arrived just before lunch...and this afternoon I was the assistant..as with Pirate, finding things and holding the ladder!!

I've messaged a joiner friend about doors for the kiln shed.

like me, OO is usually behind the lens!!

next step , new gas hose....

and while he was busy I looked at the garden....

beetroot

carrot

carrot with beetles and bugs

sunflower

and we had half an hour's walk after supper.

I need to get back to that.

Damp

 I'd hoped for a dry afternoon...and did the sheets and things hot wash and the everything else wash...it didn't get to the line!! Maybe tomorrow.

Otherwise a day of bits. Having baulked at buying granola for £4 for 250g (?) I made 500g!! A mix of porridge oats, jumbo oats. oil. golden syrup and assorted seeds.

In theory in the oven at 140 for an hour. In practice I check the oven every 10 minutes as the oven gets too enthusiastic...It was done after 40 minutes!

In the short period of nicely dry weather I picked more fruit. The competition with the blackbirds has now extended to the blackcurrants!!

I turned the living room light on again....

and that is all for today!!

Friends...and pots...

 Visiting friends today..now my car is back on the road...it would be a three bus journey to see them and their local bus is infrequent...and possibly not on Sundays either! 

It started as yet another drizzly day, but by Girvan the sun was shining and the windscreen wipers were no longer needed.

I've been wanting to see them since I returned from Limoges, and we spent a very pleasant three hours talking about all sorts of things.

Plus the bonus that one is an ex GP...who explained my results as brilliant but satisfactorily boring!!! It is one thing just to have a list all saying Normal....but even better to know the what and why of all the tests.

So physically I'm ok...mentally I'm still finding it hard to be on my own, but it is good to recognise that and deal with it.

and pots....selling more of what I have left...and the decisions about what I let go...and what should I keep. 

At present I'm getting nearer having a working kiln. However these were fired in a salt glaze firing. I have no access to that process and I certainly wouldn't be doing that in my kiln. 

It is too near other houses for one, and the other reason is that the kiln is built of HTI bricks ..soft white High Temperature Insulation . For salt or soda glaze you need proper heavy bricks that would withstand the glaze vapours ..the inside of the kiln ends up glazed like the pots!!

So do I sell my salt glazed work like these boxes?

Cro's blog

 Message to all who follow Magnon's Meanderings..

I contacted his sister Susan.  Cro is ok, just locked out of his blog.

Comments have also changed to Will be published on approval...so a message to others couldn't be left on the comments!

All being well, Kimbo will be able to sort this soon.