Summer is over.

Summer festival season is over for me, and I am now gearing up for my wholesale and consignment store before a holiday season.

We are looking at houses now, and talked with the zoning office and the fire marshal.  I had home studio for sixteen years before moving to the current studio.  I prefer to have the studio at home.  It is easier to control a timing of trimming and will have a shelter (another room) during the firing.  I will lose an interaction with another potters and artists in the building.  But, I will take the convenience and less studio cost.  I have moved my kiln three times, and may need to replace the bricks after another move. So, I may stick around another year at the current location.

Abu Dhabi

I came home after glazing on Monday, ate dinner and checked the weather. Weather forecast has changed, and forecasting gusting 25 to 35mph next couple days. I went back the studio and fired the kiln overnight. I was breezy, but cooler night. The studio never got above 87F, which was not bad at all. I think I am ready for the Clothesline Festival this weekend.



On Sunday, our daughter left for NYU Abu Dhabi, as a part of the inaugural class.  It have been quite interesting and challenging year since her scoliosis surgery in August of 2009. I have not imagined she is ready to go abroad to study, last year today. It was kind of struggle for the first 2-3 months after the surgery, and she was regretting it. It took her 4 months to face what she can and can’t, or challenge new things. After the 4 months check-up, and her doctor’s ok for skiing and horse back riding, has changed her attitude a bit, and her flexibility and activities started to gain back. I would be kidding if I say she regained her flexibility to pre-surgery level. It has limitations. She can’t crouch while sitting. Her plane to Abu Dhabi is 11 hours from Chicago. Imagine sitting straight on the chair that long. But she can sleep at night without placing a book on one side to level her in the bed now. It was quite surprise NYU Abu Dhabi name first surface in out of blue in March. Remember all the campus trips we did, which did not include NYU. These trips give her idea that it is all right to be far from home. She wanted to this new challenge, and she deserves this wonderful opportunities.  We wanted her to be independent mind.  We got one,  I think.  Now we have empty nest.