Blast from the Past

I spent the large part of the day with John, Jane and Jack, culminating in sharing pizza and chat outside their caravan.  For many years they were our neighbours on the site, ours was the third van along from the bridge and we all used to stand at the railings and watch the trains pass.   Here No 1, Talyllyn, newly returned to service after a major overhaul and in a new dark blue livery, is bringing the last train of the day down to Tywyn.

Jane and Jack came to pottery with me this morning, keen to have a go at hand building having tried throwing at a professional pottery in nearby Corris.  Both chose to make plates with the tree template that I have used a few times.  Jane using the same mould as I have done on a couple of occasions while Jack is making a much larger dinner plate.  We adjourned to mine for lunch, John joining us, before returning to pottery to pop the pieces out of the moulds a few hours later.  The warm windy weather helped dry them enough quickly.   A little fettling and the pieces are now ready for bisque when they dry out properly.   

After picking up the dogs we headed to Rhydyronen where John and I walked Meg up the lane before tea.  I also gathered enough elder flowers from the ball field garden to make a batch of elderflower cordial which, as I sit at home writing this, is steeping nicely.  A gentle but full day under sunny skies.

A must read blip from a friend.