11-24-17

Today Dan and I took the boys and Jes to The La Brea Tar Pits, which we learned means The the tar tar pits, and the pits aren't really pits, and the tar isn't really tar. It's really a place that should be called Asphalt Seepage.

I cried when we got to pet two whippets. This one, named Gracie, was so tender. I really really got emotional. It was just like being with Frisbee again.

11-23-17

Today we flew the friendly skies to California.

We picked up our car (it only took ~2 hours to get it) and drove to Sakura's house. Jes made a delicious vegan pumpkin pie and Sakura made lots and lots of dishes.

Here she is demonstrating how to cut bread at the perfect angle.

The boys and LV got to sit at the kids; table! 

11-22-17

Today I packed up all the stuff into kits and cut the snail sponges.

I tried out the new power plant circuit diagram and mounted them on box lids. There is so much to do! 

11-21-17

I got to hold a baby on the day she was born! 

I decorated my little creamer with cobalt oxide. Hope it doesn't run.

Teensie with catnip.

Urn

Bee urn

Large stick bowl ready for the first firing.

11-20-17

Spent most of the day working on the curriculum some more.

11-18-17

I'm participating in a postcard making thing to encourage people to vote on 12/12 in the special election in our state. We have a very strange republican with some bad behavior running against a democrat with integrity. Overall, the democrat is a better person to represent us and do good things.

11-16-17

The blue shino pie dish. It's ok.  A little warped.

11-15-17

My students and I go every week to a couple of afterschool programs to try out different activities we create. Here are some in action.

11-14-17

Working working working on a solution to the Kindergarten gravity light!

11-12-17

The day after a big win! 

11-11-17

Today I framed 25 little paintings and donated them to our church. We have a craft corner to raise money and I wanted to donate some things. It felt great to do this! 

11-10-17

Painting the William Smith portion of the mural

Teensie got a new hidey hole!

11-9-17

Today I figured out I can write on photos... so I can keep track of which glazes I use.

11-8-17

Got two pieces back from the studio today. My bowl above had too much glaze run down into the bowl and it bubbled up. I hope I can Dremel it flat.

This is a lantern I got back. I'd hoped that the rutile green would run more onto the denim blue.

11-7-17

 My students and I are BUSY BUSY getting ready for our big trip to Los Angeles to try out our new curriculum. My office is full of curriculum materials.

Meanwhile, my house is serene. I looked up and saw this view and thought it was really pretty.

11-6-17

I walked in my classroom to teach and found my students working on the mural! Hooray!

11-5-17

I spent the morning working on grading notebooks and running to WalMart for supplies, and the afternoon at school working with my students on the mural we are re-creating, and then going to Hobby Lobby for more supplies. It's looking pretty good. Not as good as the original at UVA, but still pretty good. I spent the evening grading notebooks.

11-4-17

I figured out how to write on my photos so I can remember the glazes I use. 

BECAUSE... the twin bowls turned out badly. The glaze ran all down the sides and globbed. The top parts are beautiful, but the bottom parts are a disaster.  Here I tried to make sure the glaze at the bottom does not run. 

11-2-17

Worked on my "bee pot" today at the studio. Went to the evening school and saw the kids finish their wagons. I was really impressed with their motivation and pride.

11-1-17

I had to spend all day at a school today observing my students. Seven hours. Well, the highlight was when one of my students brought critters to class. She brought this beautiful indigo snake, which is a protected species. It doesn't bite people. One of the kids even held it. I got home and was so exhausted, I got on the couch with Teensie and slept for three hours. Then had to wake up and work more.

10-31-17

I don't know what got into my cat, but she is a little monster. I was working at the kitchen table and got so fed up with her constantly getting on the table and the counters, that I coated them with Al foil and sticky tape. I was in a mood! 

We didn't get may trick-or-treaters, which is good, because I had to work.

10-30-17

I ordered this cat tree for Teensie and it arrived today so I put it together even though I was in a big hurry to get ready for class tonight. I wanted to build it and see if she liked it. She was interested in the feather, and ripped it off, but that's about it. Hopefully she will start to like it.

Taught a class on assessment. It went well for a typically boring topic.

10-28-17

I have not been cooking lately. No time.

We went to Mellow Mushroom tonight for dinner and sat at the bar and watched the kitchen workers make pizza. 

10-26-17

I finished my lantern-- that I made at home--

And went to the evening school tonight to help the kids with their wagon designs.

10-25-17

I glazed my matching bowls but the glaze went on so thick because I had to pour it on. I tried to get the excess off but don't know what will happen.

10-24-17