I've had a rough summer. First a huge contract got "deferred." We had already bought supplies and equipment in order to make their fast completion date. They say don't count your chickens, but this chicken had been laid, hatched, and had a pretty significant foundation of feathers... The economy hit the client hard, so the client hit us hard. ouch.
Then we had the awful fires. I had never seen anything like that -- fire covering 120 degrees of the horizon. It was frightening, smoky, awful. I hope I never see that again, but the doomsayers around here say it happens every so many years... I hope they're wrong.
What the worst part was, was that the fear, anxiety, smoke level and "preparedness to evacuate" level completely put our studio at a dead stop. I tried to keep the projects going a little every day, but mostly, it was impossible. Having eight fire engine crews driving up and down and visiting while an enormous fire is raging makes it nigh-on impossible to charge up 2,000 degree kilns and have hot furnaces running. They just don't like that. Go figure.
My dad has been having heart issues. He's had some minor strokes, but recently went in for what appeared to be a heart attack. He had an angioplasty and they say he's in good shape, but his pulse is erratic. It's very hard to get into an artistic mode when worry sets in and family calls with updates.
Larry - One of Our Maine Coon Kittens
So I've been getting lots of snuggletime. Larry is the cutie above. He's a Maine Coon kitten and just adorable. Doesn't get any better than having a purring kitten on your lap.
Peace,
Joy
