I was only human today

Last night, I foolishly stayed up late to finish The Mysterious Benedict Society. I mean, I knew it would have a happy ending, but I wanted to have it done so I wasn't in workshop tomorrow wondering if the kids completed their mission. So I had a late start today, but that meant I was able to hop off the Rapid at Shaker Square and get a lift from Tom, which was much nicer than the way I usually commute. I had burned a bunch of music to get me through today, and got to work right away scrubbing pots, rinsing kozo, and so on, when Jala showed up. She was a great help and we rinsed, started two new pots of Korean dak, and assembled six sets of couching guides. I taught her how to use the chop saw and did my lecture about how women have to work harder to get well versed in power tools and woodworking but how important it is to do it.

This is the most beautiful cooking stirrer ever. I told Tom I didn't like the long-handled metal spoon he had, and that I wanted something more like a 2x2, so he found this round wooden piece and sliced two angles off of one end and now it is gorgeous. I feel badly that I've made his new stove and pot (the taller pot is old) totally caked in cooking juice but oh well.

Julie and her husband arrived after lunchtime even though I never ate lunch today, and she varnished all of our new guides. I liked her right away, and not just b/c she did a lot of work for me cheerfully. She even beat three loads of Thai kozo. BIG HELP.

Here she is holding the ladder for Jim while he rigs rope for a vat that will be underneath: I didn't want to build new 2x2 frames for the smaller vats, so I asked Tom if we could just hang rope from the ceiling beams. He works w/wood and drills so he thinks one way, and I used to swing on trapezes, so I think another way. Jim helped me with a big clean of the studio and I was going to stay late when I realized: better to go home and get to bed early and rise early, than to go to bed late and rise early.

So I'm off to bed.