random thoughts – Day 2,374 (Monday) – new old things

Worcester Center for Crafts.

It was a day to try new old things when I started in a three-week stained glass class at the Worcester Center for Crafts, where I studied darkroom photography once upon a time many moons ago. There was construction and the street was mostly closed, but the Center had sent an email with instructions about it last week. After navigating the police detail and the equipment, I accidentally parked in the wrong lot and was on the far side of the building and had to walk around to the main entrance. I was assured it would the accidental wrong parking would be okay for today.

While in Tennessee, I took a class and went on to make and sell glass a lot of pieces. When X2 and I split up and I moved from his house, the grinder, tools, spool of lead came, and inventory of glass sheets came with me. And then it all came to Massachusetts and lived in storage for three years while I looked for a job and a house, where it wasn’t touched again until nine years later when I moved from Lowell to Gardner.

And now, it’s time to get busy again, but first, I wanted a refresher in the tools and cutting technique, and while I was at it, figured I’d learn something new with the copper foil method. I tried it on my own once, and learned it requires a steady hand for all the lines of solder. It felt more productive to stick with the method I knew. But after the next few weeks, I’ll know both methods.

It was fun being in the glass studio. I chose a template and selected some bits in various textured from the clear glass scrap bin. I got an instant reminder about cutting textured glass. It’s trickier to cut a clean edge than smooth glass and I spent most of the class time at the grinder, working all the edges so they will fit snugly during assembly and soldering.

Grinding glass is kind of fun and meditative. I was in the zone, intent on smoothing edge after edge and rewetting the grinding head, checking the fit of the pieces, and only half hearing the conversations going on behind me. Before we all left the studio, there was a chat about Worcester restaurants including Korean, Indian, Thai, and Chinese. I was a little hungry and by the time I go to the car, food was all I could think about.

Supper.

The ride home was spent thinking about dinner and all the things in the pantry I didn’t feel like cooking. Chinese food was the winner of the debate, partly because the other food types don't exist in Gardner, but only after I got home and checked the pantry and fridge to make sure I hadn’t forgotten about something easy and delicious. There was definitely no scallion pancake, crab rangoons, or pad thai.

It must have been the sweet spot for ordering and delivery, because the food was at my door in next to no time. I was already done eating at 5:09 when the clock ticked with the early side of the delivery window. That left me plenty of time to mow the yard. And the best part is, there are leftovers.