Tools hung, tempura and sake night

 Since I lost a lot of wall space in the move, I came up with this idea of making a backing for my jewelry bench that would hold a magnetic tool bar. The other tool bar was installed next to the studio sink and I realize that I need just one more of these for my lapidary area. Slowly, but surely, it's coming together.

It's been another busy day starting with watering my planter garden, breakfast, trip to our son and daughter in laws house to harvest their veggies and visit a bit, then some grocery and other shopping before heading home. 

We were in Ashland yesterday and I  just couldn't resists buying a huge, expensive, Brandywine tomato and some fresh mozzarella. For lunch I made a mixed green salad with a simple vinaigrette and put tomato slices, topped with mozzarella slices,  drizzled with olive oil and and fresh basil. Jim loved it and remarked how pretty it was. I should have taken a picture! Then it was time to get all my veggies cleaned, peeled and cut and ready for tonight's miso soup, vegetable tempura and rice dinner. The sake will definitely be chilled tonight!

George the handyman showed when I was midway into this blog, so I was back in the studio for quite a while. I got my little wall area put together and George hung it for me. He also got my new extruder up and got the two of the magnetic tool holders up. After dinner I need to order another one of those as well as a bunch of 2 cup and 1 qt heavy plastic jars to replace those contaminated with a ferric chloride spill. :-(

The movers had turned one of the boxes with oxides, chlorides, etc. upside down and the ferric chloride saturated the box, got on the studio floor and made a huge mess on all the containers of oxides, bags of stain, etc.etc.. So I put on some heavy rubber gloves, mixed up some soapy water and started wiping down all the containers. I also had a little bit of time to get some small buckets labeled and filled with some raw materials.

My rice is cooking, the oil is heating and the sake is cooling. I'm really going to enjoy a do nothing relaxing, after dinner time watching some tennis and getting to bed early for a good nights sleep to recharge this old battery for another busy day tomorrow.

 

Asheville day

Our electrician friend and helper came a bit later this morning but did a lot in a little time. They switched the studio and garage fridges for us and Jim and I emptied the one going into my studio and filled the other one. They also figured out what was causing a problem with our range and corrected it with electrical contact spray. They also checked our non working instant hot water and the verdict- it's kaput.

We have a family medical crisis going on with our daughter-in-laws mother, who two days after a car accident, has suffered a stroke as a result of the accident; and I was busy with emails and phone calls this morning. So any and all prayers would be most welcome!

Around 11:30 Jim and I headed to Asheville. Our first stop was at Highwater, mainly for some clay and yellow iron oxide (really pricey item; and of course they didn't have any small bags so the ten pound was well over $40. I hope it's a lifetime supply!), then on to lunch, food shopping at Earth Fare, and then to Lowe's to buy another instant hot water unit and home.

At Earth Fare I bought a bunch of organic, nitrate free bacon, hot dogs and cold cuts, among other things. For my nitrate free eating experiment I bought 3 different brands of bacon and I'm hoping Jim won't complain too much, or miss the chemical taste of all those nitrates! I'm hoping he'll find at least one them palatable.:-)

Needless to say, there was no time for studio and probably none tomorrow either. I got the soda pots slipped yesterday but will have to decorate them when company leaves Monday.

We have sushi for dinner thanks to Earth Fare, so dinner and sake(my choice), and white wine (for Jim), awaits.