Grinding..

I've been listening to a lot of The Game lately. Especially the hit featuring an Auto-Tuned Lil' Wayne called "My Life". I suppose the part I resonate most with is really just the chorus.

"And I'm grindin till I'm tired, They say you ain't grindin till you tired.

So im grinding with my eyes wide, looking to find a way through the day,

a light through the night."

Speaking of grindin'. My friend Joseph Sand does it better than anyone I know. He ground it out through the winter and the freezing mortar and the dirty bricks. He built a monstrous kiln, fixed up a workshop and made a beautiful first load of pots. He then, with the tremendous help and support of his wife Amanda, proceeded to have an amazing SOLD OUT first kiln opening. Joseph, you are a dear friend and a fantastic potter and builder. I salute you.

After his kiln opening Joseph and fellow Peidmonster Levi Mahan came out to help bang up some arch bricks. Another aspiring your potter named Andrew Goldstein also made the trek down from Minnesota to lend a hand.

With all their help we got the sidewalls well up over the sidestokes and in the days following I laid up the base of the chimney and the arch for the flue, then butted the main arch into the flue arch and this weekend I will hopefully figure out the spine of the main arch.

I would also like to thank my mainstay, the lady who can lay a brick, miss Connie Rose. (pictured below on the beach)

and Mr Dan, who always shows up early and leaves late.