Positives

 Jobs done today....painted 4½ fence panels of 6 before rain stopped play.

Acquired a balance for weighing small amounts of glaze materials....£40!! It had only arrived at the second hand emporium yesterday!! Plus he gave me a can with some brake cleaner in it to clean the kiln's burners

And thirdly, I've just started a batch of yoghurt to "do" overnight.

Plenty of other things crying out to be done...but these are a good start!

renovated!!

 

Returned this morning....and it is beautiful!!

He did a proper job on refurbishing it..and it is like new!! 

Not a cheap job...but before he packed it to come back here, he was offered £800 for it.....

He guessed correctly..I'm not selling !

I'm looking forward to a warm workshop in winter...and if we get power cuts, somewhere to cook on.....

just another day

 Doing this and that...tidying corners...

Took the burners off the kiln....

That is the end that the flames come out of..

definitely in need of a de-crud!!

For which purpose I went to look for the equivalent of a small bottle brush...but in wire....nothing small enough. It may be done with an electric toothbrush...I'm wondering what might help attack that carbon build up....

I did get some "Red Cedar" fence paint for the fence....of course it rained!! 

Frustrating....so I did the ironing and moved things around in the kitchen!!

recovery!

 Today was mostly a rest day!! Plus last night's...or should we say this morning's..sleep was good, right until 7.30 with only a brief awakening at 5.30!!

I don't think that it was two long drives to Leith and back, 150 mile round trip...it was a relaxing day, observing a kiln being fired, talking life, ceramics and everything!!

I need one of these to help firing my kiln...it shows the pressure in the bottle I think...and us a guide to how much is in there...

So today started late and carried on slowly!!

Still, washing was done....by the machine...and now I've just realised that my bed is still not made..ah well..nicely aired anyway! Not a big job to make it.

Today's sad news is that I think the rest of the potatoes have caught blight....I had wondered....hopefully it hasn't spread right to the tubers...I've cut off the tops and made sure nothing is above ground, then covered with cardboard. One reason is not to have any bare earth , the other so that spores don't get washed down into the soil if it rains.

We'll see...

just for a change..

 Something different

scrubbing six fence panels ready for painting.

And when I find the Safe Place that tbe hinges are hiding in...I can ask someone to install it all!!

The blogosphere...and her other friends and family...lost Joanne the weaver yesterday .

A feisty woman with skills and strong beliefs in justice.

Over the years it felt as if we had met. But we never did.

Good in Parts

 Anyone remember the story about the Curate's egg? He was invited to tea with the Bishop....boiled eggs, bread and butter, tea....and at the end the Bishop asked him how his eggs had been. Well...they had been a little...."off"...but he couldn't say that...so he replied.."Good, in parts"....

As was the firing ...took far too long, one burner didn't work properly, I need to remember how to do all this, how to adjust secondary air and fire efficiently...

plus the roof of the kiln is sagging a little more....

I doesn't help that it has just been sitting for 14 years...and that I've been doing other things..

I probably need advice on this!! 

First , though...check the burners tomorrow.

Elephant!!

 Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar.

How it arrived on the back door mat I don't know!!

Now moved to the wildlife corner with the clump of nettles....which I think have been home to the peacock and tortoiseshell butterflies that have been in my garden this past week