Awaiting nightfall to fire the kiln

Damien is napping and the kiln is loaded, and we're having EZ chicken potstickers tonight. It's been on & off raining all day, and we had the wonderful sound of waking to rain pounding on the roof, and not having to leap out of bed and go to work. That feeling of coziness lends a glow of "all is right with the world, even if winter is around the corner."

Just a few more hours - maybe when this heavy rain shower is over - and I'll start the first bisque firing I've done since APRIL 2006! Shocking! I knew it had been over a year, but that just seems wrong. However, I have plenty for a glaze firing after this bisque, and I have Damien very interested in getting the big kiln firing. Maybe (after Margaret & Ivan's wedding present) we'll get it loaded and fire it to cone 6. He was quite interested in the fact that the BIG kiln can go to cone 10.

Other crafty highlights of the week... finishing the 2nd pair of Elann Harlequin self-striping socks - these with less ribbing, AND also the first canadian souvenier yarn sock (Inidgo Moon, "victoria gardens" colorway). Now all I need to do is remember how to do Judy's magic cast-on, and I'll get the second sock started. I am beginning to understand how one can accumulate lots of bits & pieces of sock yarn. I am also beginning to think I need to try out some bootie patterns. AFter I make myself a hat, since I still need one, and I still haven't cast on for one.

Spending your money to make problems go away... highlights of the week include FINALLY getting around to buying my tickets to DC for Christmas, cementing my plan to travel three more times before the end of the year, bringing this year to an all-time high of cosmic-ray exposure due to high-altitude hours. I also had to re-order the bridesmaid dress shoes, since the wide size also assumed that my foot was very tall (who has tall feet? not me!) and the strap wouldn't keep my foot actually in the shoe itself. This was unfortunate, because the footbed was great. C'est la vie. Big BIG plus? Slapped the return label on and the postman took it! I left it out on a whim, figuring he wouldn't but also figuring I had nothing to lose by trying. Sometimes, it's the smallest thing that can make you happy.

Time to rouse D from his nap. Happy October, all!