4 Days

Four days without my arthritis meds in preparation for the colonoscopy. OOOOH, I'm stiff and achy. I swear things were popping and breaking in my feet in exercise class tonight. Clear liquids tomorrow. I have to remind myself, no Friday morning omelet at the best little restaurant in town. I think I am going to crip to bed after my shower. then really crip out of it in the morning. I did my acrylic painting demo today and the kiln guy came and put my kiln back together. He told me all was well and to go ahead and use it. YaHoo!

Cloth Mache Day

Much to my surprise, the layer of cloth strips we put on the Oaxacan animals (papier mache version) went rather well in both classes. This is the hardest step because the Elmer's is pretty messy and the kids really think it is icky. This may have been the very best overall cloth mache of this small project I do with 6th graders. The layer of cloth and Elmer's makes the animal very very tough. Regular papier mache is rather fragile. I learned about this in a book called "Make Something Ugly."

Cell Phone

I am very untechy, but I have learned, on my second cell phone, the joys of a calendar alarm. I now put everything on it. Yesterday I remembered to go buy sheets to rip for the last coating of our Oaxacan animals made in paper and cloth mache. I am ready to rip. I have to buy because I have used up every old or aging or merely disliked sheet in the house. I now get white because they are more easily painted in bright colors. I am ready for 6th grade today. Every day next week has a purple light on the number including clear liquids on this Friday.

Do Not Read if You Can't Tolerate Whining

I am 60 years old and today I found out it still hurts my feelings to be given a size related nickname. And of course there was a student who felt he had to give me this information. As a kid I was called beanpole, when it fit, followed by crane legs followed by the jolly green giant. (I had to wear a green formal to a convocation at another school where we installed their honor society) and today I find I am big bird-- do I get some yellow feathers and wear a hat? I can't believe that it still has the power to cut. OK that's it. I shall let it go now and start looking for a hat.

What to Do?

The messed up kiln really screws up my 8th grade curriculum.... I need to remember what I did before I had clay.

Beautiful Morning

The temperature was 55* so I tied my shoes and got my ID and rode to the end of the trail on one of the most beautiful mornings ever. I met several other teachers that I know from my school and others, the trail was very busy with runners and bikers. Yesterday I did the Western ride and today I took the long Eastern ride. There were no deer today, too many people, I think. That's OK the deer are surprisingly huge. I love my new bike, it has suspension and a really nice seat. There is enough distance for my legs and my back so riding is not so uncomfortable. I have had 2 or 3 $100 huffies over the years, but I finally got a bike that is tall enough for me and it makes a world of difference. Does that make up for the Krispee Kremes? I don't think so.

Gathering

We had a blast today in central Illinois. My cousin and two of her grandchildren joined us and it was the first time she'd seen our toddler grandson since he has been here. We had really good food, our daughter and her husband are wonderful hosts and cooks and I took a berry salad I think I found on Kalyn's kitchen. Children ran and shouted and squealed and swam and nearly toppled over in exhaustion. Dh made a secret trip to the sugar shack, otherwise known as krispee kreme as this was one time the grandson didn't need to know about this trip. Too much excitement already. Chicago daughter came down and taught me how to e-mail myself some photos I took with my phone, and what was in my mailbox when I got home? 5 photos of a local fundraising art project! Success. The quality of the photos leaves a lot to be desired, but at least I got it done. Who knows, in two or three years I might be able to text message somebody.

I had a bit of excitement at school on Friday. Some of my 8th graders wanted to look in the kiln. My kiln room has seemed strangely spacious the past few weeks and when I opened the kiln, I realized why. The custodians had shoved the kiln up against the wall, it was knocked a couple of inches off its base and some of the firebricks inside are somewhat CRUSHED. I was really really mad and I don't think the kiln guy will be able to come and fix it in time for this grading period to get to do clay. grrrr. On the other hand, the kiln is not school quality and maybe I will be able to get a better one, not a hobby kiln. You would think I would be a little more observant, after all, I am supposed to be an artist and don't we observe? Something was just not right, but until I looked inside the kiln, smashed up against the wall on its big electrical umbilical cord, I just didn't notice a couple of inches of kiln bottom showing out from under the edge of the stacked walls, where it should not have been.