Bartmannkrug Frenzy

Around every corner was a Bellarmine jar or six, the slightly wonky, sagged in the kiln ones were my favourites. I was trying to draw some, I did do a bit but I find it awkward trying to draw when I know that there are other folks around maybe waiting for me and I know that to anyone else my drawings are rubbish (in fact to me they are rubbish but hopefully they at least make sense to me) and I don't like other folk to see the mess I am making.

How can you not love that shape? They are all so very different too, all have very individual characters, I could give them personalities and habits quite easily, maybe that's what I'll spend the next few weeks doing...

I'm not sure I'm supposed to show these pictures really, hope it's ok.

Look at all these, this display sent me into fits of excitement and left the Geordies who were with me at the time wondering how on earth Paul copes living with me all the time. This whole room was full of gem after gem. I think I first saw Bellarmine jars in the Manchester City Art Gallery back when I was at uni there. Blimey that's a scary thought it's ten years this month since I graduated from there, Alex can you really believe that? Crikey where does the time go and to think I had no idea I would now be living in Scotland and making slip ware pots, how very strange. Hmmm I shall contemplate that for the rest of the day probably.

Dan I hope you like these pics, I briefly met the gentleman you talked about who had spoken at the conference you were at the other month. It would have been good to speak to him properly but maybe another time.

Some of these pots are at Hohr-Grenzhausen and some are at Frechen.

This fountain is in Frechen, it was fab, for a potter anyway, maybe others would not be quite so fond of it but someone somewhere has a picture of me and the bearded men, you could get lots closer when they'd turned the water off at night.

They all had different images on their bellies.

I was rather fond of this wonky trio too, they felt closer to the British pots that I tend to look at regularly.

This fat full belly though is just scrummy, they'd be great to cuddle.

Car update, the little old Polo of mine has been written off, not a surprise given it's age and the now un-straight lines that it has but sad all the same, it's been a good wee friend and I shall miss it. Ridiculous I know to get attached to a lump of metal but there you go, I'm just waiting to see how many peanuts they offer me for it from the insurance. The pain is easing up a lot you will be glad to hear, my neck is moving more each day but still things like brushing my hair are sore and anything that involves moving my arms upwards or trying to lift anything. I think the better I start to feel the more frustrated I'm going to feel too and then I'll have to be very careful not to push it. My lovely friend Phil is popping over this afternoon with his little boys and they are going to take me to theirs for tea and then drop me back here, that'll be a nice change. I think the cows outside are getting tired of my stories now so I can go and inflict them on the McMenemy family instead.