I'm back!

I just returned last night from a spur of the moment week long trip to Maryland. Mike's dad landed himself in the hospital and we had some family business to tend to for him. We didn't really have a chance to tell anyone we were going and we didn't really have any free time to speak of while there.
I did get to squeeze in a short visit with my life long best friend Tammy, which was wonderful, not enough time, but I loved it just the same.
We left for Maryland last Wednesday which was also Mikes birthday. I pulled a rabbit out of the hat so to speak and arranged for him to take a sail out on the Chesapeake Bay in a Skipjack as his birthday gift. A skipjack is a type of sailboat developed on the Chesapeake Bay for oyster dredging. And YES they also dredged for oysters, he loved it. I figured with all we were dealing with, he deserved to take a little time for himself and come to find out, this was something he's wanted to do for years, he even said it was on his "bucket list".

 After our family business was taken care of, my darling precious niece Taylor (age 9) who is spending the week with my dad, said to me that she wanted her ears pierced. The next morning I made it happen. Mike and I loaded her up and took her to have it done. She was so funny about it, she said, "Oh Aunt Denise, I'm so excited! We should go to the bathroom before we have my ears pierced so I don't pee my pants". Afterward while driving in the car, Taylor sat in the back seat singing, "I got my ears pierced, I got my ears pierced". Then she says,"When I go to the prom, I'm going to wear long dangly earrings so they can sway when I'm slow dancing". That part nearly did me in LOL.

I really would love to go and spend more time in Maryland so that I can properly visit with my friends and family. I just hate being rushed for time. We got home last night (Wednesday), I have car lag. I still haven't unpacked our clothes, but there's always tomorrow, right?

Pirate mug update

Here's the pirate mug that I showed a few posts ago that I was sketching out. He's finished and  fresh from the kiln.

Spongebob approved

The past 2 days I've been working on making sponge holders. Just for the heck of it about a year ago I made one for my kitchen and Mike loves it, he says it's his most favorite thing I've ever made... go figure. 

It keeps your sponge high and dry and allows for air circulation  and eliminates that funky smell that sponges sometimes get, which is bacteria and mildew. I've read so many "fix it's" for that problem, including soaking it in things like vinegar, vodka or  bleach. Some people say wash it in the dishwasher and some say throw it in the washing machine, those tricks may or may not work and if so, it's temporary.
If you allow the sponge to have dry time and allow air to circulate it solves the problem altogether.
I should have been a rocket scientist ;o)

Our ridiculous cat

Our cat "Little Cat" (yes that's his name), is the most ridiculous cat ever. He is very mischievous and curious. He loves to drink from the faucet in the bath tub. He meows at you as if to say "bless you" every time you sneeze. He loves to get into and on to things that he shouldn't. When he is doing something he shouldn't do like walk on the counter top I yell out, "Little Cat!" and he jumps down immediately. Well the past few days he has been getting into the basket under my butcher block counter where I keep my potatoes. I dump him out into the floor or I yell his name and he pops out. A few days ago he was relentless with getting into the basket, later that night I heard  a thud, Michael (my oldest son) and I went to see what it was and I'll be damn if Little Cat didn't dump my basket into the floor so that he could sit up on the shelf. What a brat! LOL

Pirates!

I sat down and sketched out my newest Pirate mug. This will be the 1st one that I turn loose into the world. 

My nephew owns the only other one in existence (shown below). 

 I purchased this old ceramic mold, as you can see, it's for a childs 2 handled cup. I made a cup and let it sit on a shelf in my studio, because basically I had no idea what to do with it, I almost threw it (the mold) away. One day while I was working I glanced up at the cup and it came to me, those handles are ears! I grabbed a saucer and stuck it on top of the cup and it was the pirate hat.

This is the new one glazed and ready for firing.

This Pirate has more attitude, a 5'oclock shadow and he's bald.

He is also glazed and in my kiln waiting to be fired in the morning, along with a pirate hat saucer.

Chattanooga, stop being dumb

I've been confused all week on many levels. 

If I could just pay attention to the small things.

I like things to be simple. 

I can handle simple.

I am simple.

 I called Mike and invited him out for a lunch date, we went to Mellow Mushroom in Chattanooga. Typically I park in the pay to park lot, so I pulled in there. Mike chimed in and said "park on the street, it's cheaper". So I pulled out of the lot and drove all the way around  the block to get back. When I arrive back, I back into the parking space on the street, we checked the meter, it had 1 hr and 30 minutes left on it, sweet right? We have lunch come back to the car and I'm like, "is that a ticket on my windshield?" Oh  yes, it is. So I call the city and I'm ready to duke it out with the parking meter troll that wrote the ticket, the city says, "you can take it to court". Well that is dumb, pay $11.00 or spend the day in court. Well come to find out I was wrong, but only because Chattanooga is dumb and they take advantage of idiots like me.

 I thought this was our meter, as you can see the meters are between the spaces, but there is a little sticker with an arrow that points to the other space. Well who reads the fine print? I look at the time left and how much money I needed, not a dumb sticker. So, I get hit with a $11.00 ticket and if I don't pay it within 7 days it turns into $41.50! Scammers! What kinda crap is that? So after I couldn't find the meter troll and the City proved to be worthless in helping, we sucked it up and gave in. Mike paid the ticket and while he was paying online they slipped in a convenience fee for like another $1.25. 

So I have 3 questions:

Who the hell was this convenient for? 

Why didn't they put the meter in the middle of the space? 

And why do I ALWAYS get sick when I eat at Mellow Mushroom?

So after this ordeal I went to the grocery store and I see this at the building next door.

 Buttheads!

With their little car that can park anywhere, even sideways *rolling my eyes*. 

I hate all smart cars, because like Chattanooga, they are dumb, where do you put your grocery's? I hope someone parks on each side of them so they get blocked in! Oh goodness that wasn't nice of me. 

Chattanooga is dumb and has made me mean.

I should sue, because now I have parking rage ;o) 

I love Sunday's

Every Sunday Mike and I go to the Chattanooga Market. This week after the market we went downtown to have lunch and do some window shopping. Mostly to peek in the window of the store that sells my pottery haha!

And I saw my chicken baker!

Mike was like, "seriously? what are you doing?" and I was like, "taking a picture.. duh". Then he said "so why don't you come back when they are open and go in and take a picture?" While that may make sense to some, it makes me more happy to peek inside the window. 

Because my things are in there and I can see them (this makes more sense in my head).

I get all giddy and squeally inside and I can't let strangers see that. They'll think I'm crazy haha!

Now girls....

Saturday we had a squabble ....

It all started when this new girl showed up (a downy woodpecker), she decided she was going to drink from the hummingbird feeder.

Well...it didn't go over well with the regulars.

The next thing you know, a small turf war broke out, buzzing and flitting about, it was quite a show. The Downy stood her ground but eventually went on her way.