Cups From Near and Far

Saturday and Sunday were full of gifts. Perfect timing that made for a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend. On Saturday, Wendy and her husband came to pick-up my two kilns I sold her. It was a bit bitter sweet as I’m so happy Wendy is getting her studio set up here in Anchorage but a bit sad to see my kilns get loaded into their Honda Element. Yes, they fit one by one! As a thank you gift, Wendy gifted me one of her hand made, sgraffito ceramic cups. I especially like how she stamps her initials on the bottom. When Daddy-O brought the mail in he handed me the Mother’s Day card I had sent to MY mom last week...

it was returned for insufficient postage -20 cents short(!) that’s AFTER I had put two stamps on the envelope. It was a normal Mother’s Day card feeling only slightly heavier…don’t get me going about why the US Postal Service is having trouble. On the upside he also handed me a box! Inside was

a gift from my friend “Ang from down under” as I affectionately refer to her!! While she was stateside and touring with the Seagrove group she took time to send me ONE OF HER VERY COOL CUPS! Two cool cups in one day –I hit the jackpot! You don’t want to see the cup I normally drink my tea from. We don’t have the cabinets filled with ultra-artsy cool pottery that most of my potter blog buddies do. In defense of the arts, it’s because Derek has a strong arm approach to putting the dishes away and survival rate for nicer pieces is low. I now have a special “safe area” in the upper cabinet just for my two new cups! I admired the cup Ang gifted me when I first saw it on her blog. The artful handle, the lovely matte glaze and the comfortable shape that fits

my hand perfectly. I wrapped my hands around it’s full shape and felt the warmth of my tea this morning. Thank you so much Ang for thinking of me! I was really touched and proud to have such generous friends near and far.

Mother’s Day was filled with a morning walkies with Nimbus and my man to Fire Island Bakery having Monkey Bread outside on the Café tables. Followed by a long family bike ride through downtown and wrapping up with a movie and pizza at Bear Tooth with Will, his girlfriend Kim, Derek and Gus. Kristen is out at sea on a research cruise, but managed to call last week when they were forced to dock in Seward to repair the CTG and winch that had broke earlier in the week. She will be back just in time for graduation this weekend. It will be a push this week with family coming, graduation and all the final prep for the Market opening. Hang on, Alaska’s 90 days of summer is just about to begin!