October 10, 2014: Day 10

Big efforts sometimes result in small gifts.

I left the full-time job early today so that I could really make some serious progress in the packing up department - not to mention the clay processing department.

It may not seem like I accomplished much if I tell you that I packed up five boxes of pottery, but when those five boxes contain over 240 pieces that needed to be individually wrapped and carefully arranged to avoid damage, well, that may put things into perspective. One of the boxes took two hours to pack. It was like putting a puzzle together - of the jigsaw variety. But I figure more time spent at this end will make for less time when I need to retrieve something later on. Right now, all of the jam jars are packed, along with all of the creamers, sugar bowls and demitasse sets. The shelves in the showroom are starting to look a tad empty.

I am planning to sell at a few craft fairs in the near future if I can get into them. For that reason some of the pottery, rather than being packed up with the rest, is being kept aside to be packed into totes.
What dinnerware I have will get packed up next and I'll top it all off with the more bulky ovenware, teapots and other such items.

On top of all this, I reprocessed several boxes of clay. At long last, I have hit upon a relatively efficient way of getting that job done and it's working pretty well. I think I can get the rest of the clay processed within the week doing it this way.

And that is where the gift comes in. Many weeks ago, I lost a finger ring that I particularly treasure. it's nothing terribly special, but I like it. It has the Lord's Prayer inscribed on it, but it's written in Tengwar script, making it look like Sauron's ring of power. Those of you who know me well will sense the many levels of irony in that, which is why I bought the ring in the first place. But it disappeared some time ago, possibly abandoning me in hopes of finding a passing Hobbit. When no such luck befell it, it chose this evening to return to me. When I'm doing clay work that is characteristically messy and sloppy (like reprocessing clay), I wear a cover-all to keep as much mud off of my clothing as possible. Apparently the last time I wore it, I took the ring off and put it in the pocket. Then I promptly forgot about it.

Tonight I discovered what I had in my pocketses! The One Ring now resides on my finger where it rightly belongs.

I would say that I am now off to read the Silmarillion, but I've attempted that one three times now without success. I think sleep is the far better idea. Tomorrow is another busy day. My goal is to get the rest of the stock packed up and then start on the bisque ware. Oof!

Day 10 down, 21 to go.