After writing yesterday, I did some research on having the cord repaired and getting a replacement hose for my 30+ year old Oreck handheld vacuum and there was a store that carried the hose nearby. I could only find the hose plus fixtures online - I really don’t need the fixtures. When I got to the store, I learned that it would cost me $35 for the hose plus a minimum of $25 for the cord repair. They had a sale on the newest Simplicity (same manufacturer as Oreck) handheld that had some features that my old one didn’t have - so I bought the thing. I will no longer need to use the handheld for getting dog hair off the couch and the upright for the carpets and it takes up a lot less space. It is smaller, has better suction than the old one and has a set of mini attachments that can be used for computers and small spaces that I thought was kind of cool.
Frisco and I got a nice walk in this morning and I lucked out when I spotted a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers flitting around in a nearby tree. They are impressive birds. It felt good to get outside and breathe in the fresh air.
This afternoon was the monthly art class with Genevieve, who brings us such interesting projects to work on and learn about. Today, we used a process called Cuerda Seca to make a design on a clay tile that can be used as a coaster or just as a decoration. The Cuerda Seca is a glaze that is mixed with wax and is used to outline the design, then the empty areas are painted with a colored glaze and they don’t overrun or mix with the Cuerda Seca. Once they are painted, she takes them to her shop and fires it in her kiln, then returns them to us.
An example of Cuerda Seca
We talked quite a bit about the benefits that art and learning new things has on the brain and helps the memory. Again, I am surprised that so few people take advantage of this great benefit we have to living here. There were only five people in the class again today.
