Portrait of the artist as a grumpy

Stayed at the studio until midnight. This was not my plan. And truthfully, I didn't work until midnight. I finished up easily by eleven and sat and read email and stories and what have you.

Did a little forging. Had an idea for using table inserts but then forging the t-fold along the edges, out of the vise, as I did my original t-folds. I like. I will have to be careful of insert placement. What I did tonight was put two of the pieces of squiggled, 6 gauge copper wire into the table, overlapping them. Next time I will make sure the inserts are narrow enough to leave good margins on either side to forge. 

I also, on a whim, tried a Plunkett fold. Sort of. The site says that the Plunkett fold is the basis for the Good Fold. Well, spiffy. And what the hell do I have to do to create a Good Fold. Anyway, since it was whimmish and spur of the moment, I picked up the piece of 6 x 6 copper that I had already annealed and in fact had started to form the pillow. I had wondered if I could use the rolling mill (that would have made it my first time for anything other than thinning out solder) but the piece was too wide. I thought of cutting it some but decided to just forge it instead. I whacked and annealed it at least three times. Not sure if I will give it at least one more go. After all, more is more. And I can't leave well enough alone.

Other than that, I did a little sanding, a little filing, and some chasing. That sweet little chasing hammer is such a joy after using the heavier things. And I just hit and hit and hit and hit with the chasing hammer and never feel it. I pick up something like the ball peen or the raising hammer and wow after I few blows I know I'm working metal.

Don't know that I will be meeting Sandi for breakfast tomorrow. Or even if she will be available for potluck/final on Wednesday. I spoke to her this evening to confirm and her little baby grandson is in the ICU with some form of meningitis. He's not even a month old. Poor little guy. Poor Sandi. 

Robin is happily ensconced amidst the drunken revelry and overwhelming debauchery of Bludhaven's annual awards shindig. Bludhaven, a wretched hive of scum and villainy...no, wait, that's Mos Eisley Spaceport. Oh, well, it's not like Robin's never been seen there before, after all. Ah, the stories I could tell, eh, Biggs? "We're a couple of shooting stars...." 

I've been promising myself that I won't go into the studio tomorrow. But now that brunch looks iffy, who knows, I might do it anyway. Keeps me off the streets and out of the pool halls.

I've got to see if I can get hold of some Shepherd's Soap or Lava soap and donating some to the studio. I hate coming home with metal all over my hands. Especially when there is snackage in class. I hope I can find something in a pump or squeeze bottle. Would hate to put a bar of something on the sink and watch it just melt away through carelessness.

Studio-free zone

I'm so tired. Sort of playing with that whole sleep-deprived thing. It's all right for a change of pace but would get boring if done too often. 

Little Matthew seems to be doing all right. Still in ICU but improving. They're going to put a PIC (sp) line in so that he can get his IV antibiotics at home. He has some sort of strep, can't remember which one, though Sandi did mention it. She said that it wasn't something he got from his mother. Wonder if she's breast feeding. 

No brunch with Sandi this morning. Some friends had gotten her to help out doing some (very) last minute sewing for a wedding. She was under the impression that the fabric was at least all cut out. She discovered that absolutely nothing had been cut out. She finally left wherever she was at six this morning, took the one vest she was working on home with her. I spoke to her around 9:30 in the morning. She sounded remarkably rested for someone with a couple scant hours of sleep. But she is expecting to be able to get together for potluck/final on Wednesday.

My internal clock is all off. I keep thinking it's at least two or three hours later than it is. Who knows why.

Oh, well, my back hurts. I'm going to go stretch it out and maybe annoy the cats and the dog. I do that so well.