Sunday, April 25, 2010

Ob La Di, Ob La Da

April 25,


Since March 3 ................Life goes on.


My son is sort of settled in Brisbane. He has everything but a job. John has learned very quickly that life costs more and things take longer than you could ever imagine. He needs a job fairly soon, he knows that, but he is a bit fussy. I’m not sure how much long he/we can afford to be fussy. My sister is back at home, coping and moving forward. She will be fine.


The Clay Teacher has been busy. We have been booked every day available since March and we are booked all but two days in May. June is still fairly open, but I am hoping to pick up a few more before the year is up. Jim has been joining me for the bigger jobs. If we have four workshops in a day or if the classes are large he comes along. It is so much easier with two and the school gets two teachers for the price of one. He is good with the kids and we have fun working together.


The last job he came out with me was to Hobbema. We had four workshops that day and had a blast. Working with clay was new to most of the students and they really enjoyed it. They liked watching the pot being thrown, most had not seen it but on T.V. I always throw a vase in my demo and give it (or one that looks just like it) to the teacher with the returned projects. I asked the class, “if your teacher has a vase and there are flowers in the spring …what could happen”? They didn’t say much, so I asked “what if you picked the flowers for your teacher”. One little girl answered “they would all die and if you leave them in the field we all can see them”. She was right and I had never thought of it that way. Kids have such a wonderful way of looking at things. I get many of “my” best ideas for workshops and projects from the students. The kids were surprised that we were married, I’m not sure why. They thought that we were just two teachers working together. One girl asked me if Jim was my real husband or my step husband….not to sure what that means. We all enjoyed the day and Jim and I are looking forward to working with more of the students next year.


Jim and I are planning a trip this summer. Last summer we took a family road trip to Virginia to visit Jim’s son Tory, my step son, and I am sure what that means… The last holiday before that was 2004 our road trip was to New Mexico and then put a toe into Mexico but walked over the boarder and left the van in the US. This summer the kids are old and have their own plans so we are going to go to New Orleans via Nashville just the two of us. Then back up through Memphis and St. Lewis. We like road trips. We can take a three week road trip for about the same or less money than spending a week in an all included hotel on a beach somewhere and see a whole lot of country. We were in New Orleans and up the coast a bit before Katrina hit and we are going to go back and see the coast and the city after. We are looking forward to it.


I am going to make some pots today. I have only made two pieces this year that are not connected to the Clay Teacher. I have some orders to get out and I need to be a potter for a while and not just The Clay Teacher so it all balances out.


Until the next time.


Cindy

The Clay Teacher

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