It's a go!

My course in Portugal at Claykitchenportugal is full to overflowing so goodbye to Canadian winter. I will miss my kids and buds, my snowblower and my fat bike but other than that Im up for a new adventure. David at Claykitchenportugal is pulling together an exemplery studio environment. His brother has a beautiful hotel a stones throw up the road for the students to stay in so "life is good for those of us that know that life is good!" He has built a beautiful wood fired train kiln and in a Sykpe call today I saw donkeys in the field, wood piled high to fire with and get this "a Toyota forklift to move the wood to the firebox". The good news is my big pot buddy David Steumpfle is coming to meet the gang in Lisbon and then teach a two day big pot workshop at CKP. I am blessed to have such amazingly talented friends that make me look good. David's partner Nancy "Boss" Gottovi will be along. Nancy is the Director of Starworks in Star, NC and a major mover and shaker in the craft community so her place at the dinner table will be a welcome one. I really plan to enjoy this year. It's been a long 2 years of COVID and being stuck at home. I'm going early Jan to make pots with David and get ready for my eager crew of mudslingers. The course is the full month of Feb culminating in a firing of the train. Choo choo! After the course I'm going to do some biking in Portugal and then walk The Fisherman's Trail for 8 days. Before my return to Canada on April 6 I am flying to the Azores to do another week of hiking. I've worked hard all my life for this so let me enjoy it. I looked at Portuguese on Duolingo and there are not many words that make sense. I'll learn the basics wine, beer, toilet, please, thank you, hello. A favourite song from my teens " If ya gotta go, go now!" -Manfred Mann