Another School Year

It seems that the beginning of the new school year is more of a New Years transition than the one celebrated in January.  New clothing is bought, and all the wonderful supplies for studying.  Books, notebooks, pens, rulers, backpacks.  Even us older potters clean out our totes and freshen up the tools of our trade.  I'm all washed and packed and ready for another year of instruction at my favorite art center.  This will be quite the transition, our little band of potters has been together 15 years, and half of us have decided to transition to an evening instructor who specializes in soda firing.  It's long been a love of mine, and being in the class allows the students to help with loading the kiln and studying the effects of placement on the pots glaze results.

It's been a hot and humid week and we've arrived at Labor Day Weekend a bit worse for wear,  the constant overcast has really put a lid over my mood.  I really am solar powered, and not seeing the sun or blue sky has a detrimental effect on my well being.  Here it is mid afternoon and so dark we must have the lights on in the house.  The soot from the western forest fires are the major cause, and day after day of afternoon rains.  My father used to grump that the sun would come out just in time to set in the evening - and I have a new appreciation for his own struggles with SAD from diminished light.

The Spousal Unit bought tickets to our favorite singer from our youth, Justin Hayward, who was in solo concert without his band mates, The Moody Blues.  We were so entranced with their music in our young adult years that we had a friend play Nights in White Satin on her flute at our wedding.  It wasn't "sacred music" and approved by the traditional organist, but somehow we snuck it into the service.  We adore this love ballad he wrote to the woman he would marry back in 1972, just two years before our own wedding.

While Justin didn't hit the high notes like he used to, after 50 years in the concert business he still has incredible vigor and his guitar playing brought the audience to their feet over and over again.  It was a wonderful night and I am resolved that the SU and I need to remind ourselves more frequently how important a part of well being music plays in our psyche.  The Moodies still tour, even at their ages of 69 for Justin, and mid 70s for the other mates!

We are off to vicariously enjoy the Appalachian Trail via the new Robert Redford movie, A Walk in the Woods.  The knees aren't cooperating with our bucket list dream of hiking it, between the SU and myself we have a combined 5 knee surgeries.  The moral is don't put off your dreams, get out and live them.

Namaste dear friends.