Going back home

I am originally from southwestern Kansas. I was born there and have lived most of my life there. We moved to Arkansas eleven years ago.

I went to my hometown in August for an art show, to visit my sister and old friends. It is somewhat bittersweet to go back home. Fun to visit, nice to come back home to Arkansas. I call Arkansas my home now.

I left one Thursday afternoon after work for my 10 hour drive. I don't really mind the drive too much. I enjoy driving and am a nightowl. My drive went fine until I got to Greensburg, Kansas.

If you'll remember, Greensburg was all but totally leveled by a tornado this spring. It was the most eerie feeling ever driving through Greensburg!

I have been to and through Greensburg many times in my life. I use to work part time for Emergency Medical Services in my hometown. We use to stop at a convienience store on our way to Wichita. It was a good stopping place and also was about the halfway point. No more! The convienience store was gone, as was most of Greensburg.

The weirdest thing is it was so dark! You don't think about things like, no street lights or traffic lights. Only those really bright portable construction lights like they use to work on freeways at night. Shadows of parts of buildings. Army tents set up, one with a sign that said, "Emergency" and lots of portable buildings.

A few years ago I drove through Greensburg with my fiance. We stopped at the world famous "hand-dug well" then browsed through a small antique shop in an old church. Those are now gone. We visited the famous well when we were kids. Our parents took us to see it. No more! They are gone. I'm sure the well is still there, but the little information/gift shop is gone.

I feel bad for the people of Greensburg. They have lost much.

Glass fuser I am not!

I've been trying my hand at glass fusing. After a couple of kiln disasters I've decided I'm a better beadmaker than I am a fuser!

I pulled some really interesting things from the kiln. One developed bubbles, two really big ones. One bubble popped and made a big hole in the piece. I was trying to make bracelet bars. I love the ones my friend Teresa makes, so I called her and she sent me some to play with! What a friend!

Anyway, one of the other bracelet bars cracked and another one made a trough like thing on the back and raised up along the center lengthwise. I'm not sure what I did wrong. I think I will try re-fusing that one and see if I can't get it to flatten out on the back. Donna Millirons always says, "Never refuse to re-fuse!"

I took a PMC certification class last weekend in Little Rock. It was a fun class. I sat across from a guy that facets gemstones. He does some really awesome work! Another couple in the class do contemporary type stone cabochons. My friend Lori had a blast buying cabs from them. We also learned some new things with the PMC and am having a good time experimenting with that. I have a lot of ideas for some things to make with PMC, just wish my day job didn't interfere so much with my fun! But guess I will have to keep my day job.