Sunday update

As of 2:30, I'm flying solo for a few days. Joey's off to Raleigh for a conference. I have a lot planned for the next few days. My bricks did get ordered and should be here the first part of the week. ( My Dad is being a trooper and taking his truck to go pick them up.) I settled on some hard bricks with 46% alumina in them and then I got more K26's bricks for the door. I was able to locate the K28's , which Gay Smith said was the new thing to get for salt kilns( or so she heard) but they where very expensive and I figured since it was just for the door, I needed to be frugal. Now to price the ITC in a few weeks! On Tuesday I plan on paying for the girls to stay for an after school program and that way I can devote the whole day to laying bricks and making pots. I need to put down the first two rows of bricks, one hard than a soft and than when the alumina bricks come in, I will be all ready to start building the actual kiln. I'm anxious to see REALLY how my week will go with everyone being gone and hopefully no interruptions this week. At least I can be assured that I won't be sick this week! I was able to get large bowls thrown this weekend, tumbler and platters. Here are some of the mugs that need to get shipped out to Cedar Creek this week. I liked the way they came out. I was thinking of putting a low fire color accent on them ( maybe a cone 04 glaze) just on some little details in the sketch part, but I think I decided to just leave them be. Here is a good example of working my pots towards having more raw clay showing with the soda kiln. Anyways, I hope the mugs are a hit!

The heat and no water has really turned our back yard into a dessert, which makes me very sad every time I go back there. I have watered a little bit but figure why even try to keep that up since we are low on water, I should conserve it anyways. Most towns around us are on water restrictions. My poor plants are just a sad droopy mess. I think I decided that I better start planting earlier next year so I have more time to enjoy my flowers. I feel for all the people who just have fans in there homes around here. I can not even get my kids to go outside lately unless we are going to the pool. I wonder what the south did years ago before air conditioning? Thank goodness September is right around the corner.