Thursday, October 9, 2008

Missing Daddy


It has only been a week since we left Logan, and we have jam packed a lot into that week: visiting with our cousins and friends, a day at the zoo, lots of walks and trips to the playground, some shopping and a few nights out for the mama even! But we are all starting to miss daddy, already looking forward to our return trip home after the Thanksgiving day weekend.

Although Robin has been busy at school, we've had lots of phone conversations and he admits the house has been quiet and a little lonely without us. This past week he has been prepping wood, glazing pots and loading the double wide train kiln. Today they started firing the kiln but were unfortunately shut down because of the smoke factor. A poor design of several air intakes to adjacent buildings right next to the kiln compound make for difficult firing conditions. And you can't fire a wood kiln without creating a little smoke! So they've had to change their firing schedule to fire through the nights and then on the weekend while there are fewer people around.
They will fire this kiln for 5 days total. These firings require quite a few people to make them happen, seeing how the length of the firings demand constant attention. From what I can gather from the previous firing of the reduction cool and now this one, everyone in the department seems to pull together to participate in one form or another to make things happen.

I have always loved that aspect of clay, the communal spirit of firing and celebratory nature of bringing a kiln to temperature, particularily it seems with wood kilns. Even with our little cantenary arch back home, although it was a fast fire, only 12 - 18 hours, we always had people around helping out and asking questions.

And then of course the excitement that builds while the kiln cools and we anticipate what the results of the firing will turn out to be. The kids and I will be home just in time to partake in the unload and ohh and awwe over daddy's newest pots while he will surely ohh and awwe over how much two little people can change in only two short weeks. I am sure they have both grown and mastered new skills and vocabulary this past week. If I could only get Roscoe to say mama......





1 comment:

Schmoo and Beans Mom said...

Nice to see Isla wearing the Dola pj's.....let's try to catch eachother before you head back south.