Pretty Pretty Bang Bang

Last night we had dinner at Sarah and Dennis’ house which is always fun. Dennis has a huge garden full of vegetables, herbs and flowers which means we get a fresh meal full of goodies. Sarah and Steve dug into the scotch as soon as we arrived, which is a treat for them both as neither of them has any friends who appreciate good scotch. I poured a glass of white wine and we hung out in the kitchen with our drinks and chatted as Sarah finished preparing dinner.

What a feast! We had fresh zucchini and corn, shrimp tacos, fresh asparagus, cherries, cantaloup and Steve’s amazing hummus (made with real chickpeas, not canned). For dessert we had strawberries from the garden and sugar-free vanilla ice cream. Yum!

My favorite part about hanging out at Sarah’s is chatting in the kitchen and looking around at all her art. I love the eclectic blend of paintings, sculpture and metalwork she’s collected. We spent quite some time ooh-ing and ahh-ing over all the cool new books she’d bought at the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) conference recently. Alas, I was unable to attend, but I loved looking at the goodies.

Tonight we have another culinary treat with dinner at Duane and Prudy’s and last Wednesday we were treated to a fabulous dinner at mom and Burl’s. We need to be careful or we’ll get spoiled!

As usual, I changed my mind about growing out my hair. I had these grand plans to grow out last year’s pixie cut into a sassy chin-length bob and then the weather got warm. And humid. And my hair started feeling heavy and hot. And my patience wore thin, very thin. I decided that I just didn’t have the patience to deal with it so I decided to cut it.

I told Brook, my stylist, that I really didn’t care what I ended up with as far as a style but I wanted the top to stay longer and I wanted a lot of weight taken out. She suggested a modified 80s cut of short sides and longer top and I agreed. When it came to color I said I was open, but I wanted to be able to grow it out without a lot of maintenance. I like to color about 4x a year.

She did the cut first and I was already feeling better as I watched the locks fall on my smock. I was surprised at the amount of grey I was seeing but Brook politely BS’d me by telling me the “grey” was actually highlights. I reminded her that you can’t bs and bs’r. It was funny. I let her have full control of the color but I was a bit shocked when she spun me around in the chair and unveiled a very blonde ‘do. I thought the shorter parts of my hair would be almost natural (dark blonde) and I’d have highlights on top. No, the shorter part of my hair is now light blonde and the top is the same color with strawberry blonde mixed in. I don’t think my hair has been this light since I was about 6 years old.

It’s taken me some time to get used to it, but I think I like it. I know I love the cut and that’s all that matters. I can always take the color down a notch or two. I’ll try to get a picture posted but don’t hold your breath. I’m not really in to taking pictures of myself. In the meantime, I’ll be strutting around town with my sassy new hair.

Last night we bid farewell to our good friends, and former neighbors, Mick and Carrie. They moved to Springfield from Detroit three years ago so Mick could start his job as an Architect professor at Drury University. They rented the house across the street from us and we became fast friends. That friendship was really sealed when we spent 10 days together weathering (pun intended) the great ice storm of 2007. 

When their lease was up on the rental house they chose to buy a house in the same neighborhood and we remained close. It wasn’t unusual for us to get together for impromptu Sunday night dinners or driveway picnics. When we moved in October and left the neighborhood, we still tried to keep the Sunday night dinner routine alive even if it wasn’t weekly.

Alas, I knew our time together would be short. Mick  had planned all along to apply to graduate school which meant another move for them. Several weeks ago we got the news that he’d been accepted into a graduate program that would take them back to their hometown of Detroit. Carrie got a job with the Make a Wish Foundation as a wish granter which is just about the most perfect job she could ask for. We’re so excited for both of them, but sad at the same time.

Goodbye, Mick and Carrie. You always have a place to stay at our house when you visit Springfield. We’re so glad you are our friends. Good luck and please stay in touch!

With all the advances in technology, you’d think life would be easier. In some ways it is with emails and such, but making things faster and better is also making us less patient people. We want instant results and we want to be entertained constantly.

I find that when I’m stopped at a red light I check my email or log on to Twitter. When I’m waiting in the checkout at Target it’s the same thing. Whatever happened to living in the moment and taking a look around? Last night Steve and I came home after dinner at mom’s (thanks again, mom) and decided to end the evening relaxing on the deck. Later, I noticed he’d posted an update on Twitter that he was relaxing on the deck. Really?! He felt the need to post that while we were relaxing? We had some friends over a few weeks ago and I thought I was going to have to surgically remove the iPhone from the spouse’s hand. He kept using it while we were all enjoying wine in the living room. Now, I wasn’t really offended or mad, I just kept thinking he should put it away and enjoy the evening.

We keep our laptop on the bar area in the kitchen. I use it daily to check emails and post blog updates, but we try to put it away when we have people at our house. I rarely get out the computer when we have guests because I think my attention should be paid to them rather than updating my Facebook or Twitter accounts.

Call me old fashioned, but I’ll take face-to-face conversation any day over a text message or Facebook update. But that’s just me. Now you’ll excuse me while I step away from the computer and spend some quality time elsewhere!

Here are some photos of the pieces I made last weekend. Sorry for the quality, but it’s dark here due to the weather and this is the best I could do. Here are all the pieces I made (minus the bowl I gave my mom):

Here are two pieces where I used gold leaf inside the glass. I like the results with the transparent amber:

Finally, here are the best pieces of the weekend. This is a technique called reticulation and I would love to do more of it.

When I was a kid, my grandparents took me to Silver Dollar City for the first time. I don’t remember much about that trip, but I do remember seeing the glassblowers working. They were fascinating! Little did I know I was watching the man who would one day teach me how to blow glass.

I met Terry Bloodworth many years ago when he was participating in ArtsFest on Walnut Street. I bought a paperweight from him and several more pieces throughout the years. I always admired his work and we became friends. I mentioned my desire to learn glassblowing and he said he’d love to have me in a class at his studio, Springfield Hot Glass. Last December, while killing time at WinterFest, I was chatting with him and finally made the decision to take a class once the holiday season ended. Unfortunately, Terry’s a popular guy and I couldn’t get in until last weekend, but it was worth the wait.

I arrived at 9 a.m. on Saturday and wasn’t sure what to expect. At Terry’s recommendation, I wore jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and boots. I brought safety glasses and a notebook in case I needed to take notes (Steve made fun of me for that one!). I guess it’s just the student in me who wanted to be prepared. Terry introduced me to the other student, Tom, who was on his fourth class. Terry explained that he normally doesn’t pair a beginner with an advanced student, but he was pretty sure I would have no problem picking up the routine. I think his confidence level in me was higher than my own at this point! Terry gave me a brief tour of the studio, introduced me to the tools and we were off!

Tom went first so I could see how things progressed. Terry is an amazing teacher; patient, informative, calm and ready to take over when things got beyond our control. As I watched Tom make his first piece I began getting impatient for my turn. This was going to be fun. Now it was my turn. First was the gathering of glass from the glass kiln. I knew it would be hot, the temperature was 2079 degrees, but I wasn’t prepared for the intense heat I encountered. Thank goodness Terry was there to help guide my blow pipe into the kiln because it was very intimidating!

Next, we took the glass to a table called a Marver to form it and get it ready for the first blow. Things move quickly because we’re racing against the glass cooling and the pipe must be rotated constantly to keep the glass on axis. I moved from the Marver to the horizontal blow station for a “roll and blow” to make my first bubble.

From there the glass goes into the heating kiln, or “glory hole” as it’s called, for a reheat. Again, the pipe is being rotated the entire time. After the reheat, we repeated the entire Marver and blow, then I picked up another round of glass in the glass kiln. Now the pipe was starting to feel heavy. Although it didn’t look like I had much glass on the end, keeping it horizontal and rotated was getting a bit tiring. I did another round of blowing and was beginning to see my ornament form. It’s amazing how exhausting and exhilarating it is at the same time. Glass blowing produces almost instant results which is very satisfying. I finished my first piece in about 40 minutes and Terry took put it in an annealing kiln where it would slowly cool for the next 12 hours. I flopped down in a chair, drank a bunch of water and watched Tom make his second piece.

When it was my turn again, Terry explained that I would be making a total of five pieces in a particular order which would introduce me to different tools and techniques. The second piece, a paperweight, would require no blowing, but would allow me to work with color and learn how to shape it with wood tools. It was so much fun to make! When I got done with my paperweight, I remember thinking it was the kind of thing I’d love to make over and over again. Then I made a tumbler and that quickly changed my mind about paperweights! Opening a piece and forming the rim is just too cool! It’s also very intimidating (there’s that word again) because my hand was just about 2 inches from the hot glass. Here’s a picture from day two where I’m forming the top of a vase. You can see how close I am. Terry’s holding wet paper to help form the outside of it.

During the afternoon, Terry’s son Gabe arrived to help teach the rest of the day. They tag-team the classes so neither of them has to sacrifice their entire weekend at work. Gabe was also an amazing teacher and it was obvious the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. It was fun to work with two different instructors and learn different methods from them. I finished Saturday with a total of five pieces: a clear ornament, paperweight, tumbler, bowl and vase. I was feeling pretty good about the work I’d done and was excited to see what day two would hold for me. Tom was great to have in class and I learned a lot just from watching him and the techniques he was working on as an advanced student.

I admit, on Sunday morning, I was not sure I wanted to spend my entire day working again. I wanted some time at home to drink coffee and read the paper. That feeling disappeared as soon as I started my first piece of the day. Gabe started the class and patiently (very patiently) reintroduced me to the steps. He learned that I like knowing what’s coming next so I can mentally plan for my move. I started off making a simple vase and concentrating on the form and the steps involved in the process. Tom graciously shared his lime green transparent glass with me and encouraged me to coat it with an iridescent spray when it was done. He said it would be an outstanding piece. Gabe and I worked on the vase and things were progressing nicely when I started having some trouble with the neck and lip. Unfortunately, the piece cooled too much and, when it went back into the glory hole, the neck broke off. Guess it’s time to make it a bowl! Gabe explained that these things happen almost daily and it’s all a matter on salvaging and seeing what you can do instead. Turns out, the piece made a gorgeous bowl so I didn’t really care!

By the time 4 p.m. rolled around I was getting tired and it was beginning to show. I was on my sixth piece of the day and I wasn’t producing the amount of air I needed to make the vase as fat as I wanted it. I told Terry (who had replaced Gabe by then) that I thought I was in good shape until I took this class! He said it was a different kind of workout and that my fatigue wasn’t unusual at that time of day. My last piece ended up being a little thinner than I’d planned, but it was nice anyway.

If you’ve read this far in this extremely long post, you’re probably wondering where the photos of my finished pieces are. Well, I pick then up this afternoon and will post them later so check back tonight or tomorrow. I’d like to thank Terry and Gabe for a great weekend! If you’ve ever thought about blowing glass, I highly recommend Springfield Hot Glass Studios for classes. They are terrific!

When I was a kid, I was terrified of tornados. Any time we had drills at school I would get nervous and, if there was an actual need to seek shelter, I was usually crying. I kept thinking of my parents and how I didn’t know where they were or if they were alive. Needless to say, I received my share of teasing for being a baby. Sometime around the beginning of my teen years, I began to relax but the teasing stayed alive (thanks to John Tolbirt) for my entire high school experience.

I don’t get nervous about storms any more. I think it’s because I’ve never been in the middle of a tornado and I’ve always felt safe in my home. Having a basement helps. Perhaps it was all the teasing that caused me to toughen up because now I rarely get worried about tornados or severe storms. This morning, while at the gym, a huge storm rolled in (and it’s still going on). I barely noticed anything was happening until I looked outside and realized it was dark as night. The rain picked up, then the wind and things got quite severe for a while. So where was I during this tornado warning? On a treadmill right in front of a huge window. Hey, I was watching the weather and ready to jump off if things got worse. Somehow I’ve turned into my dad who used to stand on the front porch during storms, smoke a cigarette and look at the sky while mom herded the rest of us into the basement. 

I decided to wait the storm out at the gym but got impatient and headed home. I’m glad I left when I did because another severe storm is here and I feel better being at home. Now my only concern is losing power since I have to go to work. Hope you’re safe and sound wherever you are. I’m just hoping the rain lets up before I have to go to work because I have no idea what shoes to wear in this weather!

One of my favorite things about working at The Harem is all the trunk shows we have. It’s a cool way to see entire collections from designers, pick what you like and order it. It’s also a good way for Kathi, the owner, to introduce different styles to our clients without having to invest in the entire line. The only weird thing about trunk shows is that they are always looking ahead. For instance, right now we’re showing styles for late summer/early fall which means thinking ahead in your wardrobe. This is not really a problem for me because I’m still familiar with my fall/winter wardrobe and know what gaps I’d like to fill.

This week’s trunk show is by Karen Kane, a line that is very affordable with my generous discount. Because many of the pieces will be coming in over a three-month period of time, it’s easy for me to budget. Sometimes the collections are hit and miss, but I found several pieces in this show that I like.

I decided that my closet was looking a little dull and that I should branch out and try on different styles and silhouettes. I started with a maxi dress because Karen Kane is offering five different styles in this collection. Maxi dresses are tricky and I thought they were just for 20-somethings that are tall and thin. I may be tall, but I’m not thin and I’m certainly not 20-something. Still, I figured it wouldn’t cost me anything to try it on (thanks, mom) so what the heck. The dress I chose was black (shocker) with delicate beading around the neckline. The straps are wide enough for a good bra (essential) and it’s not low cut. It was insanely flattering! I walked out and Steve gasped. He loved it. I felt very elegant in it. Too elegant. I couldn’t figure out where in the world I’d wear the darned thing. Everyone said I could wear it to work (true) but would I? Someone mentioned I could wear it out to dinner, but people in Springfield don’t dress up for dinner. Most people anywhere don’t dress up. I put it in my “maybe” pile and will re-assess it tomorrow.

I did find another very cute dress that I am going to buy. It’s a funky print with black trim and jeweled detailing at the waist. I can wear it with tights and boots in the winter or dressy sandals in the summer.

The other pieces I found were a ruffled cardigan (black), a beaded tank (black), a silk cami (print with black) and a vest (black). Too much black? Is there such a thing? Tomorrow I’ll take another look at the collection and figure out my final selections. I can’t spend too much money because we have another trunk show next week. I can’t remember, did I take this job to earn extra money or to spend it?!

I want a divorce. From my scale, that is. Every Thursday I weigh in at Weight Watchers, hold my breath and hope the numbers tell me something good. Because at Weight Watchers it’s all about the numbers. Hell, life is all about the numbers – how much you make, how much you weigh, how tall you are, your clothing size, how many kids you have, etc. 

At the ripe young age of 42 I’ve come to accept a couple of things about myself. 1) My weight is something I’ll always battle, 2) I’ll never had a flat stomach. Ok, acceptance is the first step but it’s not an excuse to let myself go. When I first hired Pavel to be my trainer I wanted to lose weight. That was my main reason for going. Now, a year and a half later, I go because it makes me feel better and I like being stronger. Weight loss is an added bonus (and there hasn’t been much of that according to the scale) but, since muscle weighs more than fat, I’m trying not to get too caught up in the numbers game.

I re-joined Weight Watchers about six weeks ago because I knew I was eating too much, even if most of what I ate was good. I needed to re-educate myself about food and journal what I was eating. My first goal was 5 pounds with a 15 pound total being the end. Each week I weigh myself and hope for the best. The first week I lost .8 pounds. The second week I gained .2 pounds – grr. The third week, I lost 2.2 pounds, ok now we’re talking here. The fourth week I weighed at home and the scale said I’d lost another 3 pounds, but I didn’t believe it (even though it’s a WW scale) so I logged a loss of only 1 pound. Last Thursday I went into the WW meeting and weighed (for the first time in 2 weeks on their scale) and…I’d gained .6 pounds. WTF?! According to their records, I’d been working my tail off for five weeks only to post a total loss of 3 pounds. Frustrated, I talked to one of the counselors there and told her I dutifully logged all my foods, worked my butt off at the gym and questioned my home scale. She suggested I go home immediately and weigh there to see if my scale was calibrated. I left thinking their scales must be somehow wrong and mine would show a loss. Uh, no. Mine weighed me more than the one at WW! I called my sister to complain (why, I’ll never know she’s a size 0) and she told me to ignore the scale. She said it’s probably water weight and next week would be different. Despite my frustration I am determined to stay the course and keep going.

Yesterday, Steve and I did some closet cleaning and I tried on a bunch of clothes I was thinking about selling. I came across a pair of skinny ankle pants I’d bought last year and never worn. I have no idea what prompted me to buy them because they’ve never fit. I probably thought I’d lose 5-10 pounds and be able to fit in them. I tried them on at Christmas and couldn’t even get them zipped. I figured I’d try them on again and I’m sure you can guess what happened. They fit. Perfectly. I told Ralph and she told me to throw my f-ing scale out the window. I told Pavel about it this morning and he said our bodies normally fluctuate 5 pounds.

So, I’m filing for divorce from my scale. I’ll have visiting rights but I won’t let it rule my world. From now on, it’s all about how things fit, how I feel and taking care of myself the best I know how. At least that’s what I’m telling myself today!

It has rained here all week and we have no end in sight as we head into the weekend. Quite frankly, it’s starting to get on my nerves. For starters, it’s hard to have any kind of a hair style in this humid environment. Second, it’s limiting my choices in footwear. I don’t have any rain galoshes and don’t plan to buy them. All I can think about when I see people wearing them is that their feet must be really hot and the boots are probably stinky. Sure, they look cute, but I know they are not comfortable. But I digress. I hate how I never feel dry in this weather. The house feels muggy, the car feels muggy, the outside is muggy and I feel like I’m coated in a thin film of water. Bleah.

Last night we had a huge storm that kept me awake for the better part of my REM sleep cycle. All the windows in our bedroom, that I normally adore, let in the flashes of lightning and the thunder was shaking the house. I had no idea how much rain we got until I was driving to the gym this morning and several roads were covered with water. According to my mom’s rain gauge we got over 3 inches, but I’m thinking it’s even more. If that wasn’t enough, we’re scheduled for even more rain today. Oh look! It’s raining right now. How delightful.

All I know is that Happy Hour just can’t come soon enough for me.