Mon Dieu

The aroma of freshly ground coffee is the envy of the Alchemists. The secret is grinding not a minute before you brew. A new addition to the menu here at The Cactus Lounge is a creamy espresso. I bought a  Breville Burr Coffee Grinder and Espresso machine. I’ve been looking at these machines for months now rationalizing the big bucks. The Breville was rated the top of the lower end machines. It is easy to spend 2-3000 bucks on a good Italian machine. Mon Dieu the coffee is wonderful!! I no longer feel the need to go to McDonalds for that 3rd coffee at 10:30. I make a coffee Americano to actually wake the world up inside my head and then after life’s clean up maintenance a nice café lait with foamed milk.  

Another one of my kids arrived home today for lunch. Amber Zuber a former Sheridan student has just returned with her MA from The Royal College of Art in England. In November she heads to Denmark to be the assistant at Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center for a 6 week residency. She is then going to take over my studio in the Cactus Lounge while I’m away for the winter.

So today was a blurr with lunch, creamy espresso and chatting. Mark Kelner wonders when I work. My motto Mark is – work quickly, speed speeds inventiveness. When I was first starting out my Uncle Jim taught me on a two speed wheel – on and off. It was powered by an old washing machine motor.  I learned to make pots faster than Saints enter heaven.

It’s nice having the kids coming back to check in on me. I wish my Uncle Jim could meet these  people that are part of my legacy that started with his legacy. He would love them and they would love him. I can almost see the twinkle in his eye. He had wonderful sparkling eyes. They say the eyes are the mirror of your soul.

I have two solid days ahead of me with no visitors that I know of. I sit down before bed and think about what I am going to make the next day. That way I'm ready to rock and roll right after caffeinating myself and going for a morning walk.  I have slip cast 8 of the tall vases in the last 2 days since I’ve been home. They are coming along quite nicely. I own them now as they have a bit of nasty happening. Mary Philpott was sitting on my shoulder whispering “show me the process!”