Monday, October 25, 2010

What a couple of days!

Well what a couple of days. I went to VA Beach but before I left my kiln malfunctioned and didn't shut off. It fired so hot it burned through the fire brick. Something woke me up at 5 am. I went into the garage and everything was hot to the touch... It's a wonder my house didn't ignite. I threw open the garage door & manually shut off the kiln.  Later I went out to buy a new kiln. When I came home I thought I'd try to salvage some of the porcelain but most of it was fired so hot it stuck to the kiln & kiln furniture.

That is with 2 exceptions... .2 cross "rosary" boxes similiar to the one pictured which I had painted the Blessed Mother on!  All the other china paints were fired completely out of the other porcelain but these 2 pieces had the faint image of Mary on them.  I personally believe that she protected me & my house. My bedroom sits right over the garage.  She woke me I'm sure.  I store gasoline, paints, denatured alcohol  & other flammable chemicals in the garage and nothing ignited!

Well then in trying to save the china, I cut my hand...with only 3 hours before I left for Virginia Beach. It wouldn't stop bleeding so I went to the Urgent Care and they put 2 stitches in my left index finger.  I'm left handed! And then they gave me a tetanus shot. So for the weekend with my cousins I had a sore finger, sore arm and then from the reaction to the shot had flu like symptoms, a headache and couldn't stay awake!  We went to Mass Sunday before we left and I was getting sick in Mass & even started having a panic attack. My daughter drove home because I was so drowsy.  What a weekend!

Today I feel much better but it's so hard to type. It takes me forever. Now I have a new kiln and I'm $1500 in the hole. I have to do a hot fire to cure it and I'm a little bit nervous .  It is programmable so it will be safer than the old 25 year old kiln. But I'm still nervous.

3 comments:

Debra Keirce said...

YIKES! I'm glad I'm a painter...I think my house probably would have burned down. I'm a clutz as it is! I'm so glad you only lost the kiln Joanne....How scary. By chance, will you be at the Nov. 21 opening of the MPSGS show at the Bethesda Strathmore Mansion?

jywheeler said...

No I can't go.

Firecracker Kid said...

Oh my goodness you did have an eventful day. The Lord works in mysterious ways you know and he and the Blessed Mother saved you. There'll be other vacations, I just thank the Lord things didn't turn out worse. Hugs~Carol

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