The field and sky three days ago when I took one of the dogs out for a walk.
It started snowing afterwards and now we have snow again. Sigh. So done with winter, but the robins have arrived. Mum loved seeing the robins arrive every spring, and I do too. They don't look too impressed with the weather though. I can see them outside my window in the backyard on the pear tree, all puffed up against the cold. It's supposed to be 20C next week.
It was going to be crappy all day yesterday so I decided to make a moon jar with coils and stay inside. I hated working with coils when I first learned about them, but like most things, the stuff I hate the most, I work at the hardest. As this jar got taller, the weight of clay was making it wobbly. What to do? I stuck a balloon inside, blew it up, and voila, I had a sturdy jar that I could keep adding coils to. I also put it on a pillow to support the bottom. I removed the balloon this morning because it's dry enough now to stay sturdy on it's own. I'm not done with it yet, but I am happy with it. I want to change up the neck of the jar, maybe later today. Not bad for my second attempt. The first attempt was awhile back and didn't make it beyond three coils.
Katie had her psychiatrist appointment on Wednesday and he agreed that the ovarian cysts may have been causing Katie's meltdowns over the the past couple of years. Poor girl. He wanted to know when she was going for surgery and I told him we were waiting for a gyne consult. God only knows when that will be. If the meltdowns are tied to her ovarian cysts, the next meltdown should happen in about two weeks, but now I have meds to deal with it and keep her out of emergency.
Katie's AISH funding has been cut by $200/month, despite proof from the federal government that she does not qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit at this time. The UCP is a party filled with despicable dirt bags, who prey on the weak and vulnerable. They are maggots 2.0. I am in the process of emailing reporters to get them involved with this. Don't mess with my daughter.
I get to do our taxes today. The husband of a good friend of mine is coming over to teach me about capital gains and losses and how to add those to our taxes this year. I appreciate this so much. He won't take money but he will taking baking apparently:)
I'm off to bake.
That's really good clay work. Talented. And I hope you rain down fire on the people denying the full disability payment. Meanwhile I'd say baking for tax help is a nice exchange.
ReplyDeleteMy friend's husband was here for quite awhile. I'm going to get them a gift card for a restaurant, he won't take any payment.
DeleteI'm looking forward to what this jar will look like once it's been glazed and fired.
Ugh -- I don't envy you the tax thing. When my taxes got complicated with capital gains etc. I hired a pro. (Plus I have to file in two countries!)
ReplyDeleteNice job on the moon jar!
Those poor robins. They must be in shock. I'm sure they can cope but as you said they're probably not happy.
I tried going to a professional once but it just seemed overly complicated and stressful. After this year, taxes should be straight forward again, fingers crossed.
DeleteI've seen robins arrive before when there's still snow on the ground and they looked disgruntled then too:)
Ingenuity. It's your thing.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, but sometimes I get stuck in a rut too. What does bug me is when I try something new, it works great, and then I wonder why I didn't try it years before:)
DeleteJohn accepted cookies for doing my younger daughter's taxes. Baking is much more personal than money and takes more effort in many ways. I'm glad that Katie's melt downs are figured out, but appalled at the cutting of her support. I'm sorry that you have MAGA types in Canada too; ours don't seem to be very kind or empathetic although most of them claim to be Christian. Yeah, right. (sarcasm) Love the jar!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to get him a gift card for a restaurant. It was a lot of work, in my opinion.
DeleteThe provincial government is filled with assholes right now, people who have their own agenda, separate from running Alberta. It makes me sick.
I just want to say that I believe that is really the best looking coil built jar I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteCoil building is hard.
Keep on those POS lawmakers. You are a force to be reckoned with.
I hate coil building when I first tried it but I've watched a lot of videos now and thought I would give it a try on a cold day.
DeleteI'm really glad you did.
DeleteI love your snow pictures, and that jar looks great. Hurray for reporters and publicity when bureaucracy needs to be prodded.
ReplyDeleteYou can have our snow, I'm all done with it:)
DeleteThe pottery is interesting. I imagine you wind coils of clay around and around, building height as you go. But the coils aren't obvious in the finished piece.
ReplyDeleteYou smooth out the coils with tools and fingers, for a smooth surface.
DeleteDid the Artemis II mission inspire you to make a moon jar? How clever to use the balloon to stabilize your coils. And I hope the media does take up Katie's cause. If she is not eligible for the federal benefit, her provincial benefits should not be cut.
ReplyDeleteNo the moon mission didn't inspire me:) I watch a lot of pottery videos and the moon jar building video made me want to try it. I was quite pleased with myself for thinking of a balloon, worked perfectly.
DeleteI hope the media or the NDP take up her cause and the cause of all disabled people in Alberta. This government is beyond the pale.
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ReplyDeleteHow in the hell can they justify lowering Katie's support???? But good for you for getting the press involved. I'd do the same - fight fire with fire! My neighbour's young grandson turns 18 shortly and has Down's Syndrome (pretty severely), and his mom has had to fight for over a year to get him our of the mandatory Swiss military service!!! Sometimes I think the world's gone mad!
ReplyDeleteThe federal government started giving all disabled people $200/month to help them, the Alberta government decided they want that $200/month. Katie was denied the federal benefit because of trusteeship but the money is still being taken away from her.
DeleteSuch spectacular c,ouds. How does such a government think people with disabilities do all day? Hide in a hovel, eating breadcrumbs? Disgusting.
ReplyDeleteThat is an Alberta sky. The clouds are amazing here.
DeleteAs for what the Alberta government thinks of disabled people, I imagine they think they are a nuisance that they'd rather not have to deal with or support, even though it's is the taxes that citizens pay that cares for disabled people.