kiln opening

The opening today was a little of an anticlimax.
The kiln hadn't reduced as much as usual, although the pots were still good, just quieter.
I didn't have much in this kiln. A couple of porcelain shallow bowls with blue slip inside, tests for the new mix of the shino ( it does need to be applied thinly) and a retest of the last batch as slip.(ok)
A small box came out nicely despite having been waiting around for eighteen months!!
A large alphabet platter wasn't so lucky. The writing was in black slip. I'd never taken this over cone 9 and I reckon this went to a GOOD cone 10 as it was on the top shelf at the back of the kiln.....and the letters have started to melt!!
The celadon in the middle carbon trapped as well, which would have looked interesting with a plain rim.
Bother.
Due to two of us (not me unfortunately) going to France in December and another doing a collaboration with a textile artist not to forget the weather, the next salt firing wont be until the New Year at least.
I'm having a weekend away so The Carpenter and The Oily One can look after the housework (!) while I get work photographed for my website and gallery submissions and design work with my Daughter .
Other bits of Britain seem to be about to get snowed on, it is just getting colder here.