The next month, which is now

Seth delivered our kozo scraping knives yesterday! They are gorgeous and wonderful and Tom was around so we were able to pay him right away and talk about other things like naginata knives and wood ash (Seth heats with wood at his place, so he will start gathering ash instead of dumping it in his driveway so that we can start cooking Morgan kozo in wood ash lye instead of soda ash).

Final, prototype, Korean knives (L to R).

 Right- and left-handed knives!

This was my fortune during my Friday trip to Oberlin for five meetings plus hanging the student show. On the way back east, I stopped at the art store before I met Steph to hang the last two pieces for my show, and then took her home to relax before we went to SPACES to see Lauren's gorgeous new work. I wanted Steph to get a break from her current situation, so I let her stay at my place while I crashed for a night in Shaker with my Cleveland parents and dog and cat. Someday, I will be able to host people the way other people have for me. Someday!

Yesterday was Charity's first day as an EPS (Eastern Paper Studio) apprentice, and she was fantastic, as we knew she'd be. I caught up on a few things during her work day before a lovely dinner with Tony. I know that this is not the ideal living space for me, but I do absolutely love being in walking distance to the basics. I was raised in a place where you didn't need to get into a car to get eggs or drop off dry cleaning, so it's hard to ever be willing to live somewhere I can't get what I need on foot. Which makes me grateful that my first Cleveland solo show is just over a mile from home! I'll deliver the final map, inventory, and statement today and get some exercise as I hoof it. I will try not to panic about my heavy training and writing load this month (for three publications), plus two trips out of town, on my one day "off." I highly recommend looking at pictures of a new baby boy here on days like this.