Pottery and Rick's Party

Lorraine and I up early this morning, and drove off to Stanmer Park for a pottery workshop. I was slightly hungover but it was quite therapeutic pressing bits of plants into white earthenware clay so that they left an impression. Our efforts will be fired and will be collectible in a few weeks. There were about 16 of us on the course, and I was the only bloke. At one point I melted away to the gents where I fell into conversation with the man cheerily cleaning it, who told me he loved his job. He also told me about his passion for being a DJ playing Turkish Psychedelia aka Anatolian Rock. Back to the class lead by a smily woman called Sarah. After we finished, it was only a two and a half hour thing, which passed in a flash, we mooched about in a maker's market and Lorraine got talking to a woman about fabric and buttons. This woman said to me that buttons have history, and it was all I could do not to write a poem called A History of Buttons on the spot.

Home for a mid afternoon power down. Lorraine got very attached to the sofa so didn't come with me as I made off  to Seaford Station where I met Adele and Patrick and Ian and trained off to London Road station, and we went down to the Rotunda Cafe in Preston Park, a place very familiar to me. , where Rick around the corner was holding his eightieth birthday party. Good to see him and say hello, as I'd not seen Rick for a while. Lots of glass friends already there: Sally and Marek, Frances, Ben and Jane arrived shortly afterwards. Really enjoyed chatting to Ben and Frances. I was also standing near Rick when he was shown a photo show of himself and his family, loads with his late wife too which I found quite moving. 

Arranged to meet up with Ben in November. Interestingly he started talking to me immediately about AI which I have been exploring a bit lately. He said he had introduced his father, who is a retired academic philosopher, to it and his dad found it fascinating. 

Home then walking back up to the train with Jane and Ian, and Adele and Patrick. Home well after midnight.

So a few bits of clay, and some party snaps. Top clays, Lorraine, the bottom two mine. Then shots of Ben; Ben and Marek; half of me Patrick and Adele; Patrick and Adele with Frances and Sally, and two of Rick with his birthday headband.