Spell(un)bound and christmassy

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I got the christmas tree decorated today (poor thing has been all barely forlorn in the corner since Wednesday waiting for me to overcome my festive lethargy), or if it's that the christmas presents are now all wrapped (except for DH's) or if it's the fact that I'm finally feeling warm after two days out in sub-zero temperatures in Cambridge City Centre (the banana I had with lunch was half frozen when I ate it!), or if it's the sherry I was tippling whilst I was doing said decorating and wrapping (I only bought it because I need the bottle to turn into lovely dark blue beads) but ... but ... at last I'm feeling christmassy!

My Cambridge No-Snow spell was finally broken at around 3.45pm yesterday afternoon. It would probably be an exaggeration for me to say I packed my stock and stall away in a blizzard because it wasn't very windy but it was ve-e-e-rrry snowy! I had snow on the top of my hat and DH looked like he'd got a very severe attack of dandruff - the snow really showed up on his black overcoat! When we shook the tarpaulin that had been covering everything up, even in only half an hour, it had quite an accumulation on top.

I am counting myself lucky that it held off for as long as it did, given the awful forecasts that were being given earlier in the week for Cambridge. Sales were well down on the seasonal average but it was really good to note that the City Council had salted the pavements (they didn't do that last year, indeed I can't remember them ever doing it before in December). The Market Manager had also been given a supply of salt for the market - last year, the Council quoted health and safety regulations that said they weren't allowed to salt the  market because if someone fell over due to it not being done properly, they would be sued - no salt, no lawsuits are possible. I know it was in the tory manifesto to do away with such stupid health and safety legislation but whoever decided to give us salt this year - thank you, thank you, thank you! There is a concrete entrance on a bit of an upwards slope and it was so depressing last year to see people try to get into the market only to turn away because it was too slippy.

So, hopefully when I report for duty tomorrow, people should be able to get out and about in Cambridge, even if it is in fewer numbers than previous years. I can't blame people for sticking to the indoor shopping areas due to the unseasonably cold conditions but if anyone fancies venturing out, roads allowing, I will be in All Saints Garden opposite Trinity College tomorrow (and possibly Tuesday as well).

If you're suffering with snow-related problems, my genuine sympathy - I hope anyone who has to travel stays warm and safe.

Now where's the bottle for another glass ... I think I could definitely do with feeling even more christmassy.

Kiln update

Robin e-mailed me back very quickly to say you press the plastic bits to release the wires. So easy when you know! Not really intuitive though, it looks as if it would grip tighter if you pressed them in further. Anyhow, the wires came out easily enough, new ones inserted, made sure none of the wires were touching the outer casing (they would burn) and then I screwed it all back up.

Unfortunately, I still have the tCL error. I've e-mailed Robin to ask him if 4 years is a good age for a Paragon SC2 and whether he thinks it's worth fixing any more. It was definitely worth trying a £52 fix when new ones are about £600.

I am therefore reluctantly resigned to not making any more beads before the new year. I only have two more making days left before I will be at the craft market for four out of the following five days and then I will be getting ready to receive guests on the 25th; after that I'm having a rest!

We're getting our Christmas tree tomorrow so it's time to deck the halls, make merry and forget about kilns. Shame I don't feel Christmassy at all yet!

Defeated by small bits of plastic

I have managed to get the back of the kiln off and remove the old thermocouple from the firebrick hole. This was relatively straightforward; 12 screws to remove the kiln back and 2 different ones requiring a quarter inch spanner to get the ceramic block thing out of the firebrick hole (if a woman designed this, one tool would do both jobs). I've got the new one in place at the back now but attaching it at the other end to the controller is causing some grief. The instructions just say to "Remove the old thermocouple wires attached to the back of the controller".

The photograph above shows the back of the controller and the old wires - I have no idea how to get them out. It looks like I have to remove the bits of plastic first. They don't look like they unscrew (though I have tried).  Another tack was to grab them with pliers and pull but all that has done is chew the plastic up. Before I ruin it completely, I have sent a photograph to Cherry Heaven and hope they have some advice of how to do this. I am thinking there is some kind of trick to it that only men know. I am thinking I should've just ordered a new kiln by overnight carrier, it would've been here by now and I wouldn't be left unable to make beads at the busiest time of the year. (Yes, I am grumpy AGAIN!)

I am going to make myself a nice lunch and watch Bargain Hunt to cheer myself up.

Extra days

I will be doing some extra days at All Saints Art & Craft Market in Cambridge on this coming Friday (17th), Saturday (18th) as usual and also the following Monday (20th) and Tuesday (21st). This is subject to weather allowing me to get there (I note the forecast says it's due to turn cold and snowy again from Thursday onwards) and that I have sufficient stock left.

I am running out of some things due to the fact that I cannot replenish my bead stock. Additionally, some silver items have sold out and there is now not enough time left for me to have the items assayed and put them back out on the stall or post for Christmas. It's very unlikely any items ordered now will reach you in time for Christmas but if your item is in stock, I will be happy to post it first class to you. Please e-mail me first to check availability.

The part for my kiln has arrived this morning so I'm now going, screwdriver in hand, to see if I can fit it. It may be a job for DH but I'll keep you all posted (ha, may my performance in that regard be better than Royal Mail's!)

Post and phone

No post on Thursday but he finally arrived on Friday morning with quite a bit of post; thankfully my materials arrived, but not the spare parts for my kiln. Nothing was waiting for me on Saturday when I got back from the market. I am really hopeful it will arrive this morning. The reason given for sporadic post was that they are doubling up, two postman per round because of the icy conditions. I really don't understand that at all, if it's dangerous for one, surely sending two is twice the risk?! I suppose one can ring for assistance if the other has an accident but isn't that what mobile phones are really good at? Oh well, anyway, the snow and ice has virutally all melted here over the weekend so I am hopeful they will be delivering once a day from now on.

Speaking of mobile phones, I got a new one on Saturday. My old one finally gave up the ghost after seven years - it would work OK in the house for texts but not phone calls and if I took it outside in the cold, it just switched itself off (know the feeling!) The O2 staff were comically appalled when I rang them about upgrading, my SIM card was one of the oldest ones on the network apparently (I feel quite proud :-))

I am getting to grips with how the new one works and what it does, I can take photos but can't send or receive them yet, I think I have to upgrade my package with O2 as I'm on a really cheapo one (I really only ever text, it's very rarely used for calls).  Sister, Sharon, tells me that she just had to enable it on her phone as it's not a feature everyone uses so there will be another call to O2 a bit later on.

Right, I'd better get showered and dressed ready to wait for the postman. (Fingers crossed!)