Silver Lining

They say there's a silver lining in every cloud, and at the risk of being trite, most times I've found there really is a silver lining in every cloud. Sometimes it's hard for me to remember the silver lining part, especially at this time in my life, but today I was reminded to focus on the silver lining. Be sure to read all the way to the end to find out about the acrylic crystal light and the silver lining awards.

We told ourselves we'd never buy a house that needed work, but as things often go, we were forced to make some compromises. We have so much work to do stripping wall paper, painting, pulling up carpet, and on and on. We've been feeling a bit frazzled, overwhelmed, isolated, and wondering why in the heck we moved here. Besides the fact we moved across the country and we don't know a soul here.

Before we moved in we knew our home had mauve carpet and we planned to pull the carpet up and put laminate flooring down. After we moved in we realized what a big job pulling up all the carpet was going to be, especially since Gary would have to do most of the work himself. I told Gary someone would probably take the carpet, but Gary said no one would want that color carpet. I thought to myself surely there is someone who could use the carpet which is slightly worn but not stained and seems to be a good quality. Habitat for Humanity said they'd take it but we'd have to pull it out and our poor old bones just couldn't do that. I put an ad for the carpet and amazingly a few people called.

First one person called and said they'd take all of the carpet. Then they didn't show up. Then someone else didn't show up. Then one person said they'd take one room of carpet but they'd have to come and look at it in a week or two. I'd just about given up and Gary purchased a carpet knife to cut the carpet up. Then the first people who called, called back again and said they were coming to get it all. I didn't believe them, but amazingly they showed up and they pulled every bit of carpet up and all the pad and took it away. After they left I realized they had saved us a ton of work. Actually saved Gary a ton of work. Having someone take all the carpet at once and pull it up themselves was a silver lining indeed.

On the way home from the paint store this weekend we were feeling sorry for ourselves and wondering how we would get all the work done around here. Then we saw a sign for a Greek festival. The festival was right around the corner from our house, so we decided what the heck we'll go even if we we're in our grubby clothing. We had a wonderful time and we didn't even have any ouzo, just a Greek beer. I had the best dolmas I've ever had. We also heard traditional Greek music and saw traditional Greek dancing and chatted with folks who live nearby and were feeling much better by the end of the day.

The biggest silver lining of the day for me was that I met several potters at the festival which was the last place I would have expected to meet a potter. I met Patrick Bates who does raku and horse hair pottery and his parents Barrie and Len who make functional and handbuilt pottery. They were so friendly (what potter isn't) and shared their time and knowledge of the area with us. And we've been invited to their next raku party and I told them I'd like to invite them to a barrel firing party here as soon as I get organized.

We placed an ad on craigslist to sell our motorhome and our travel trailer. Several people called and a few came to look at the motorhome, but no one called about the trailer. The folks that looked at the motorhome all wanted us to reduce our price way too low. We were thinking we might never sell the motorhome, let alone the trailer. We wanted to sell the motorhome first since the registration is due in May. Also we need a roof and pool repairs and the sale will help defray those costs.

Yesterday I changed the ads to another city thinking I'd have better luck. Two times someone flagged our ads and they were removed. Both times I retyped the ads and reloaded all the photos. I was getting really angry since there was no reason my ads should have been flagged. Finally I gave up and put the ads back in the other city listings. Meanwhile someone called and said they were coming to look at the motorhome and never showed up. Then today one of the people who had offered a really low price, came and bought our motorhome for what we wanted to sell it for. Another silver lining.

I really hate to throw things away, so I put an ad on craigslist for some funky light fixtures we replaced. Yes we had four matching acrylic crystal hanging lights. One of them is shown in the top photo. These are the ones I thought no one would ever want. Then when not one person called, I was thinking to myself I was right, no one wanted them.

We noticed if we put recycle items beside the trash can the guys who pick up the trash will take those items and put them inside their truck. I thought about putting the acrylic lights out with the trash this morning, but forgot to do so. Then not ten minutes ago a woman sixty miles away called and asked about the acrylic lights, hoping I didn't sell them. She sounded almost desperate for them. I told her where I lived and thought for sure she wouldn't drive all that way. The woman and her sister are driving 60 miles to get the acrylic crystal lights tomorrow. Apparently they are just what they want. Surely these four matching acrylic crystal lights are a silver lining for them.

Oh, I met two more potters via telephone today and each one is willing to fire my work till I decide which kiln to get and have it wired. So I should have some work to show in a week or so. Finally I'll be able to see what will happen with all the work I did in the RV for the past four months.

This is getting to be a real long post, but I really do have an important message. Before we sold our motorhome this morning, Gary was feeling kind of worried about not selling the motorhome and I was feeling bad that he was having to do so much work around here and then I got a message to look at Kittie's blog, The Block. Low and behold I got a Silver Lining award for my blog. Thank you so much Kittie for giving me the award and for reminding me to focus on the silver lining in my life each and every day. If you haven't stopped in to Kittie's blog, The Block, you are in for a real treat. Kittie weaves her tales like no one else; she has such beautiful thoughts about everyday life; and, well, I can't say it as well as Kittie can, so be sure to visit her blog regularly, you will be glad you did.

Now in keeping with my silver lining award I am going to pass on the silver lining award to more bloggers. Before I do, I just want to say that starting my blog has had a silver lining for me in so many ways. I started my blog to learn and share about clay, but along the way I have found the real silver lining is in the people I have met through my blog. Each and every person has enriched my life through their blogs and their comments and their generosity. Thanks so much to all of you for your support, your comments, and for your blogs. I wish I could give the award to all the blogs I read, but here are just a few of the ones which have a silver lining to me. All those awarded below should give the same award to as many bloggers, spreading silver linings all the way.

Amy's Clay Ventures
Artmaking in the North, Cindy
Kittie's Spanish Studio
Off Center Productions, Joan
and Joan's other blogs:
A Wild Patience
Path With Heart Workshop

Peter's Pottery
Sister Creek Pottery, Gay
The Inquisitive Magpie, Barbara
Through the Sapphire Sky
Tracey Broome
Whynot Pottery Blog, Meredith