Remembering the 80's

Here's a saggar plate from the early 80's. The pink/lavender from the copper carb among the sawdust. I should do more of these in the future if I can fit my old space age glass saggar in this little Olympic, gas, test kiln. Some of the other markings were from a particular sea weed I'd collect from the Santa Barbara beaches.

Yesterday, after my helpers worked on the warped mudroom door and did some driveway work, they got my little Olympic gas kiln up on the cart for me. It took me a while to find my old sandblaster and get it fitted to the little compressor; but after getting the kiln vacuumed out, I started the job of spraying the kiln bricks with water using the sand blaster and it wasn't working like the last time I used it (about 9 years ago!). After several pressure adjustments on the compressor which didn't make a bit of difference, I finally remembered that I had to raise the bucket of water higher and let gravity help. So I got out the ladder, and  got the bucket of water at the top and voila - got the sprayer working with no problem

Next step was to get the can of ITC100. Big OOPS - no ITC100 to be found! There were three other cans of ITC products and no 100. So back in the house to get on the computer and order a 1/2 a gallon of it from Baileys. So the whole process will have to be repeated in a week or so when the ITC arrives.

Then it was time to try to vacuum the area around the kiln and my Nilflisk, super duper studio vacuum just wouldn't pull, even after cleaning it out very well. I've had this since around 1980, so maybe the poor thing is just worn out. By that time it was time to get some indoor chores done, shower and off to Walmart for more potting soil and another pack of replacement sweet potato plants (a vole has eaten a couple already) and then on to the seafood buffet for dinner.

This morning I need to harvest some spinach and do about an hour of gardening chores and then I'll head to the studio for the day. I need to uncover and lay out the pots I've been able to throw in the little time I've been able to steal for the studio since Jim's accident, and see what I have before I start throwing again.