Pre-Wedding Pictures

As promised:

Aya trying on her dress one last time:


Today we had our pre-hair appointments, where we went to the salon and figured out what we wanted them to do for the wedding.

Aya's test-hair-do:




My test-hair-do:


Also, last night... was a BLAST. I haven't laughed that hard in a really long time. Loved it. It took us four hours to finish one game of Trivial Pursuit 90's Edition because we were too busy laughing and talking. Definitely need to do that more often.

And I promised a picture of the fall colors:

So Long Accreditation

I've been working on accreditation paperwork for the Ed Dept since last April and after today I *think* I am FINALLY done. The guy who is in charge of it now has a long weekend ahead of him though. I went in today (no subbing positions) and finished up my part. It feels good to be done... I'm still half-expecting to get a phone call or email asking me a question about it... But for the most part I should be done.

It's a relief.

Have a few friends coming over soon and we're going to play some games = woot!

I picked up my dress for the wedding today and Aya and I are going tomorrow for our pre-hair-appointments.

Just a week left!

This actually made me want to cry...

The pilot who survived the boat tipping just passed away of natural causes.

Home Stretch

A couple of people saw my clip on the news. And I've had two requests for autographs ;)

The last couple of weeks have been full of accreditation and other work. Winding down with now... feels good to be in the home stretch.

I've also been going to the ceramics lab a couple of hours a day. It's sad but true - nothing I've made so far turned out very well. I know I just need to practice more, but it's hard not to get discouraged at times.

Aya's wedding is a week from this Saturday, but it seems like most everything is done. We've just got to decorate the church, dinner hall and dance hall. That can't be done until the morning of (and possibly day before). Mother Nature is contributing her own bit to it - all the leaves are changing and that fits in perfectly with the fall decorations. I'll try to take some pictures and post them if they turn out.

On the news...

Thanks to Sharon for pointing WCCO (TV station) towards my last blog post. I got an email from them asking for permission to use my video and pictures. I gave it to them and they gave me credit, both on the screen "Video by" and a verbal "Thank you to" via the newscaster.

Sweet!

Once in a lifetime...

I hope...

I was sitting in the Jeff Oestreich pottery class this afternoon when two guys came in and told us there was a plane - upside down - in the lake. The session ended at about 4:20 pm and since the plane was by the park two blocks from my apt (on the way home from school) I drove past. Sure enough all you could see were the pontoons:


I was standing in front of one of four sea-planes that were on (or in) the lake. When I walked down to this red plane I asked the lady (about my age) who was standing by it if everyone was ok and she said yes. Obviously I was relieved. I took some pictures and talked with this woman, an older man and a younger guy. After I'd been there for about five minutes or so I heard her say to someone "Yeah my Dad..." Then I realized it was HER father who had been in the plane and I got the entire story from her while we were watching the rescue/workers.


Apparently they (the four planes) were filled with friends and family all headed up from southern MN to northern MN to go fishing. They saw a storm headed this way so they turned back around and landed on our lake to wait it out. The storm passed and they took off one by one. When three planes were in the air, and the dad was getting ready to take off a huge gust of wind came and tipped over his plane. These things are really hard to tip over so this was a crazy-fluke accident. Once in a lifetime. Luckily the water was only around chin level in this part of the lake and the dad was able to get out and walk back to the shore. One of the ladies in another plane called 911 right away and all three planes landed.

Rescue showed up in the form of suited water rescue guys and the sheriffs department.
A couple of sheriffs boats/pontoons:


Two guys in Yellow Suits - that were in the water:


They had been trying for some time to turn the plane over, but the ropes kept breaking and it would only get to a certain point and the weight of the wings (water and fuel) would drag it back under. Shortly after I got there the boats came back and someone went to get some stronger ropes.


Then they headed back out (dad included) to try and right the plane. You can hear his daughter in the background as it started to climb out of the water. You can hear the wind - and see the camera shake from it. Sorry about that. (50 sec video)



But then it was stuck in the upright position. Here you might be able to see the yellow dots in front of the wings, the two guys in the water had to cut slits in the wings to let the water (and fuel - ugh) drain out into the lake so they could get it light enough for the boats to finish righting it.


In these videos they they're hauling the plane around in circles to get it upright. I had to split it up so Photobucket would take it.







Once they got it close enough to land they hauled it in by hand (dad was right there with them).



Other than where they had to slit the wings, the only damage to the plane was a little scraping on the cone.


Then they got this weird drill-pump thing that sucked the water out of the pontoons.


In the end his daughter (who'd acquired a vehicle from somewhere) asked me how to find a local hardware store so she could get some things they needed. She'd never been here before and while the place was very easy to find I didn't want her to get lost on top of everything else, so I had her follow me there and then I headed for home.

They're going to take the wings off the plane and haul it back in pieces.

The funny thing... according to the daughter the dad was still bound and determined to get some fishing in this weekend.

That's SOOO Minnesotan.

The man had built the plane by hand, so it was his baby. He's so unbelievably fortunate and I'm glad to say this was an adventure with a happy ending instead of some tragic tale.

Starry eyed

There's a guest potter at school this week. Last night I went to his speech/slide show. Today I sat in for a few hours of his talk in the ceramics studio. His name is Jeff Oestreich and he's traveled all over the world. He'd mentioned spending 4 months in New Zealand and after his talk today I went up to him and asked him if he wanted to go back to NZ and we got to talking about how wonderful the people are, how beautiful the country is and how we both wish we could move there. We both had this dreamy look in our eyes and the same tone in our voices. I could tell we both feel the same way about NZ.

He told me it felt like home to him. I understand completely as I've been homesick for the past three years.

The difference... he gets to go back almost every year.

Holy wind & rain Batman!

Just as I was getting ready to leave my apt this morning the rain and wind kicked up considerably. I ran to my car - drove to school - found a parking space close by - and walked to the Ed Arts building (my second home). In the two minutes it took me to get inside the building I was splashed, buffeted and poured on. The wind was blowing the rain straight into my face, requiring me to squint. At the crosswalk four cars blew past without stopping to let a drenched pedestrian cross. Shame on them.

And the one day I decide to wear mascara - I wound up with some serious raccoon eyes. Waterproof my foot!

hehehehe ah well

Kind of reminded me of the rain storms back in Texas - except the wind is never THAT cold and TX has thunder and lightening that set off car alarms.

It was cold and wet - and I'm definitely awake! No coffee needed.

Stardust

Awesome!
Loved it!
Laughed for over half the movie.

Comedy, romance, adventure, suspense, drama, fantasy... A bit of everything.
What more could you want?
I'm SOOO buying it.

Subbing 9.0

Last Friday I subbed at HM as Librarian. I read books to kids, helped them find books to read, stacked books. It brought be back to my junior high years when I volunteered on Saturdays at the public library.

F
U
N
!

Sunday night was our second week of bowling. We won two and lost two. Not bad considering the team we were playing.

I've been so swamped with accreditation stuff that I've been working more hours than I should. They can't pay me more for my extra hours, so I'll just have to take some time off later.

Ceramics is going ok. I've got 4 things being fired as I type and if all goes well that will mean two projects done. The professor says I'm ahead of everyone else in my class. I go to the lab almost everyday. I love it. As for my bowls... well those first two I threw disappeared. I threw four more and the trashed one and another disappeared. /sigh If I find out who's taking my stuff I'm gonna.... uhm.... give them a really dirty look? I've only trimmed one of my bowls and I need to make a minimum of 6, so still lots to do.

If you're curious here's a basic run-down of the steps.
1. Make/mix the clay - we're fortunate because the advanced students make it for us, but the professor made sure we all know how to make it just in case.
2. Throw a piece on the wheel (or like my slam pots - by hand)
3. Let it dry for a couple of days
4. Trim it up a bit - hollow it out (slam pots) - finishing touches
5. Let it dry to "Greenware" stage where it can be fired
6. Fire piece
7. Piece comes out as Bisque fired - time to put on the glaze(s)
8. Fire piece again

The entire process takes about a week - or more, depending on when your stuff makes it into the kiln.

This stuff really doesn't come naturally for me, but like I told the professor, I'm having so much fun that I don't have to make myself come to the studio. I wake up and say - ooo I get to go make some more bowls today or I get to trim my bowl or it's glaze time!

Maybe I'll do another slam pot - or two. That's more sculpture than thrown and I have a couple of ideas.

It fits...

Tried on my bridesmaids dress (for Aya's wedding) today and it fits like a glove. It's all swirly and stuff. I'll have to post a pic after the wedding.

Aya tried on her dress and got all pinned-up. Once they make the needed alterations she'll have to go in one more time before the wedding to make sure her dress fits her like a glove. It's reallllly pretty. I'll see if she'll let me put a pic of her up after the wedding.

Still have a cold.

Still haven't found my bowls.

/sigh

I should be in the studio now making more, but I feel crummy and I've been working on other homework (Tech Writing).

Oh and let's see if you can follow this one. Aya's fiance D - his sister is the one I said was having twins. She had them yesterday and they're both girls. Aya and I were wrong, we thought two boys. All three are doing well. I really want to see them, but I can't go as long as I'm sick, so will have to wait.

Yay for babies!

Grumbling...

You've been warned.

I have a cold and as I'm sure you'll all agree it sucks to be sick.

My fishy died.

I finally managed to make two bowls in ceramics and someone moved them/threw them out or something - and I can't find them.

On the plus side Fall is HERE early this year. It's cold and windy and the leaves are changing.

My work load has been doubled this semester from previous years, but everyone is concerned about it and they keep asking me: Are you doing ok? Is there anything we can do to help? etc.
So that's a good feeling.

Prediction

I've never been able to do this before, but now I know somebody who is having twins (in the next month) and they don't want to know the sex of the babies. So I'm gonna guess what they'll be. I've got a 1 in 3 chance right?

My guess is two boys.

Though the mom was kind of hoping for a boy and a girl. Hmm... I'll probably be totally wrong, but it's fun to speculate.

5 years

Wow.

I was so crazy-busy this summer I forgot my blog anniversary on July 26th.

5 years! Geeze, that's just crazy!

Welp... happy be-lated birthday Aspen E Tall As A Tree!

Dear Minnesota 2.0,

Thank you so much for your prompt response.

Last night/this morning's thunderstorm was wonderful and I know the grass, trees and other assorted plants are very thankful for the rain.

You rock.

Love,

Aspen E

Dear Minnesota,

You may or may not have noticed my arrival back in August of 2001. I have, for the most part, resided within your lovely borders ever since this time. I am extremely grateful for all the fall colors, snowstorms and chilly summer nights you have provided in this time.

However, your recent bout of humidity + warm weather is very disconcerting. I actually left Texas to get away from such weather.

Please do not think me ungrateful; I heartily appreciate your by-and-large cooler temperatures. If you could possibly drop the humidity a good 30-40% I would be forever in your debt.

Love,

Aspen E

Back into the swing of things...

I'm excited that I actually have more free time now than I did this summer. I really need to work on that "No" word so I don't wind up with four jobs at the same time (again). Not that I'm sorry I was so busy this summer or that I would have given up any of the jobs I took on... Well now I'm just contradicting myself.

I guess what I mean to say is I had some awesome job-related experiences this summer and if I had said no to even one of the job opportunities - I would have missed out on some great stuff.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Now that school is back in session and my friends are back I'll probably be going out more. This means I'll most likely have more to blog about.

Friday morning I ran around campus taking care of paperwork-type stuff, had lunch with Aya and Jer then spent the first part of the afternoon helping Aya with some of her errands. The rest of the afternoon until 8pm I spent hanging out with a new friend, took a walk in the woods, petted a horse and watched the first three episodes of Firefly. At 9pm the university showed Spiderman 3 on the lawn and I bundled up and hunkered down in my reclining-foldy-chair. Almost froze my tushy off, but it was worth it.

Saturday was Aya's bridal shower. Had a good turn out, yummy food, fun games... a good time.

Sunday I lounged about my apt, being a lazy bum, but went bowling for an hour with some friends.

Today I purchased tickets to go home for Thanksgiving. Dad told me the other day that my cousin & his family who live in Nevada are moving back to Texas = YAY! This means I can see them whenever I go home instead of every other Christmas!

Rest of today will be spent doing homework and finishing up The High King, the last of the Prydain Chronicles.

And tomorrow - back to school and work!