Throwing

Happy Birthday baby daughter – 48 today!

Today started around 04.00. Quite early for that cup of coffee. I drifted to and from consciousness. I had to prepare myself quite early as I needed to take H out at around 07.30.
The day was gloomy and dull as we wandered around Streatley Rec and the meadow. It was not actually raining at that point.
H was taken to the Illis for some daycare whilst Ali and I attended a pottery workshop in Great Missenden which is an hour’s drive away. The children were at school. I was up at the Illis around 08.00.
I took my coffee and walnut cake with me as a birthday cake for Ali who turns 48 today.

She drove us to Great Missenden through rapidly deteriorating weather conditions. Heavy, no, very heavy rain, and seriously flooded roads now became part of the journey. Mucky brown water that drowned the car . Visibility was tricky but Ali was a magnificent chauffeur.

We arrived at Bramley Pottery on the dot of 10.00. Hayley was a good teacher and well organised and set up in her garden room. She reminded me, and showed Ali how to Centre clay and throw a pot. She had two wheels, one you sit at, and one table top one.
I think I last threw a pot in the 1980s , so quite a while ago. I was amazed how electric wheel technology has improved. I used to prefer to use a kick wheel because I couldn’t get enough power with an electric wheel. Not so these days. Today, I used a table top wheel, which was compact and powerful. You can throw up to 9kg on it. My pieces of clay were 300g! Until I got promoted to 450g.

I made a few random pots and found the clay was controlling what I created rather than the other way round. Not quite as it should be.
Ali had quite a natural touch and also produced several pots. A really successful first effort.

My pot collection. Hayley will fire them x2 and glaze them, and I will pick them up later.

We visited a recommended farm shop for lunch where I had a smoked beetroot salad and it was very delicious.

We returned to Streatley in less heavy rain than the outward journey. And eventually got to eat cake! Dave had made an amazing Victoria sponge and there was my coffee and walnut effort. Both were very good. I was not allowed to bring left overs home.

H and I returned and clatter the bin back down the alleyway, and while the evening away. Tomorrow is lunch out yet again with Basingstoke friends this time.

It rained all day. The Thames is trespassing all over the place again and Goring is awash.

I am coming under heavy family pressure to invest in the table top potters wheel. Trouble is, it’s not just the wheel you buy, you also need clay, tools, storage, firing capability, glazes etc etc . And clay is messy! But it is fun.

Thought for the Day