homework!

 or, Les Devoirs!!

I have to write 120-150 words using the simple future tense....what Iwill do this weekend (ie the one  just gone), during this week, where my next holidays are and what I'll be doing next year.

First draft has scraped up to 120 words...I'll get that right and submit it tomorrow. 

At least I have to write about facts...nothing imaginary, or respond to a question about anything hypothetical!!

The weather has been definitely dubious today...we don't need more cold wet and very windy, thankyou!!

The bowls I threw yesterday have dried nicely...with careful wrapping of rims in clingfilm and turning over to dry the feet.

I took them down to the studio two at a time to finish ..I didn't want to be caught halfway with a ware board full of pots!

I haven't quite got the moisture content right for drilling holes to make berry bowls..but near enough.

One job I do need to do is to sort all my tools so I'm not hunting for the right tool..which I know is somewhere....

slow start

 I didn't feel enthusiastic atall this morning...back to wet and windy....well this IS the West of Scotland!!

But the forecast was good for later...so washing on, and organise the kitchen. ready for the next batch of pots.

The weather changed to sun and breezy....with rainclouds going either side of us..so I risked it...clothes on the line and me with clay on my hands as I threw some bowls..living dangerously!!

When it starts flowing...you just go with it...half a dozen smaller bowls that could end up as berry bowls (colanders)....two more 2 pound bowls that may be yarn bowls...and two three pound bowls.  Gradually working up towards what I was throwing before.

I finished...as it started raining gently..lunch was at three!! 

Now after nine it is raining steadily...and the kitchen is full of pots!!

Weekend

 Saturday morning started with a frost. I was safer to walk down the road to the bus stop than the pavement!

The lesson went ok..getting our heads around the subjunctive tense...

the one you use when you say

"that I did...."

I thought of lunch in Kelvingrove....but baulked at the cheapest being £15 for 

Macaroni cheese!!

A view of Glasgow university from the top of the park

A "Puffer"

This is by the entrance

A grand pile..but the mid section of thep front of the building has scaffold and sheeting over it...mending needed.

I found a fish and chip shop over the road..with a few bar stools so that you could eat in..Proper chips and mushy peas..with a side of freshly fried veggie pakoras!

Followed by a walk along quieter back streets back to the bus station..

Sunday was finishing pots day

This and That day

 I could have done without going out from home today ..but needs must. 

The vase necks and bowl rims got cling filmed...packed lunch made....and out!!

Shopping...I'm glad that I can do that at the most once a week ....then eat lunch sitting in the car. Drive two miles and park in a convenient place..that is also free and unrestricted and pointing in the right direction !

Enquire at the bank about my travel insurance as I haven't been able to phone or go online...no, I don't need to say that I'm going....no change in health and it is less than a month. No extra payment needed!

Waterstones bookshop for a hot chocolate...relax!!!

Then French Conversation..discussing such words as Bah! Alors! Du coup!...en  fait ! Bof!

words that sound similar..but aren't..

Boeuf....Bof....Beauf.....how to learn a language...have fun!!

I had to leave half an hour early to travel to the Artists Collective AGM...which was relatively painless and was over in an hour and a half!! Aided by homemade cake of course!!

I came out of the glass artist's home..an old school..and the sky was dark and the stars shining brightly...it is dry tonight and will get down to freezing. Over to the East it will get to about -5⁰

The vases and bowls are totally wrapped now as I wont get to them before Sunday.

Getting on with it

 Back to cold and wet..so I wasn't exactly enthusiastic to get out there!!

One wee moon vase and six bud vases thrown this morning..and after a decent lunch, I increased the weight of clay to two pounds (normally I'd work in metric ..but these scales are imperial measure!) and threw five bowls.

Thinking of the shapes I'd like to make, practicing techniques. Getting used to this clay again if nothing else.

I'll have to watch that they don't get to the right stage of drying when I have to be busy doing other things!!

Day out

 Another day of warmer Springlike weather ..it wont last....so I went down to Lauriston to see the first day of the season at the Gallery. New artists there too...as well as good coffee and cake and Phil singing!!

He found it hard to believe that it is nearly two years since Pirate died...so do I.

He really liked him..and Phil is a good judge of character. His word was "genuine"...

Down to Castle Douglas..I'd tried to phone a friend...but only had an old phone number.

She is a busy person...so that visit will have to wait until I can check first!

A leg stretch along the high street...but nothing inspired me to stop for lunch. On the road again..such a beautiful sunny day.

Along to Dumfries and back north again on the usual route.

Lunch at home, and the first half of homework. Better than I'd hoped...as was the correction for last week's submitted task.

I must remember to change language on the laptop when I submit work...to get the accents..and proofread it properly....

In the evening a gallery preview at the Grain Exchange in Ayr. A small old market building refurbished by the council, on the high street which has a fairly well used gallery space. Three artists, two of them from the Carrick Artists Collective.

I look forward to the time that I'll have enough decent work to do this!

Bumble!!!!

 Not a lot done today..housework..meh! It is ok when you can share the jobs...but needs must do it, even though it takes away from doing interesting things!!

I do like ironing though...the smell ..and the results!

So, I didn't get out to my studio until after lunch. I was nicely warm from the sun...and on the way down the garden I had a flypast..the first bumblebee this year!!

The soap dishes...became candle plates.

I've started using my collection of stamps, mainly made from clay, but some found objects too. These make a feature impression,...which helps to attach a handle soundly. 

I'm working on irregular verbs...you just have to learn them! But I look at the lists...and I realise ..I don't really understand what the verb tense names mean..

Look, I had to re-sit English Language "O" level...and only just passed it.  I succeeded in French with higher marks, especially spoken..

Which is odd...as I never have done much talking....