An afternoons work

Here are the two clay bodies that I'll be testing. The really red one is the new Vortex red from Georgie's and the other is R2 from Laguna.  The Vortex doesn't contain red art, but it's so red that it's like throwing with Red iron oxide. I prefer the R2 so far. It seems to feel better throwing and I certainly like the color better. That bright red iron was a mess to clean up. The firing color, how each work on the flat slab pieces, and how each respond to the glazes will determine which one I decide to use; but I'm definitely leaning to the R2.

Yesterday was a good day - morning chores included getting most of the night's dinner prep started, then I had afternoon studio time throwing some tests tiles and rolling out some slabs for more earthenware tests. My slab roller lost some parts and screws during the move so I had to spend time trying to get the rollers up and down and finally gave up and just used pliers to adjust them. I have to pick up some small screws today and hopefully that will do the trick.

I got these containers marked and ready for the slip and glazes tests I still have to weigh out.

Studio work stopped around 4:30 right before when electrician came. He got the last of the lighting fixtures installed. Big yeah! Since I did most of the dinner prep early, I just had to get some rice started a bit before making the omelets. I find that I'm pretty tired by the time I have to come in from the studio to start dinner, so either making a very simple, quick dinner, or getting a lot of the pre-dinner prep done in the morning works best at my age. I won't be able to do that today, so I'll have to stop work at 4 since the soba noodle, tofu salad I'm making tonight takes an hour from start to finish.

Last night's Thai pork omelet was a huge hit with Jim, so I'll be making that again.

 I got the slabs and tiles uncovered this morning and I'll finish them this afternoon and get a couple of white slips batched and applied. This morning was for house and garden chores, and now I'm heading out for a few grocery items and lots of ingredients for margaritas.

Our son has another barbecue party Friday night and I've been asked to make my margaritas. Figuring that half  the people might have 2, I need to get a great deal more lemons and liquor than I keep on hand.