A special treat today since I find I have absolutely nothing I want to say, but Audre, what a wonderful person she is, has several drafts. I doubt she will mind, and this one also says something that I have commented on more than once. So enjoy, and maybe by next week, I’ll find something too. Neo.
I have a large Elgin Schoolhouse clock on the wall in the kitchen. My first husband and I bought it in 1990 when we bought our house. There was a big long wall in the dining room that needed something large to anchor it and when we spotted the clock in the store, we knew that was exactly what we needed. We hung it with pride and thought ourselves clever to have chosen that spot because the clock could be seen from the living room and kitchen. It has Westminster chimes and a pendulum and I love this clock. Fast forward and I noticed that the chimes were off their quarter, half, and hour marks – they came early or they came late. After a while, I noticed that the chimes had forgotten how to count as the strokes no longer matched the hours. Finally, one day, the chimes stopped altogether. I missed them but you know how it is – the clock still functioned and I was busy and so we had a silent clock on the wall. But we depended on it and it was a good friend even if it had stopped talking. Three weeks ago, I noticed it was 11 o’clock – except, it wasn’t. A little while later it was still 11 o’clock and it was less 11 than it had been when I looked earlier. Oh, no. My clock had died.
We’ve lost a lot of things in all the years of technological advancements and improvements. Like craftsmen. Where in the world was I going to find a clockmaker/repairman for this 30 year old clock? I let my fingers do the walking through the internet (doesn’t sound quite as homey as ‘the yellow pages’, does it?) and found Boggs jewelers who also repair clocks and watches. It took almost three weeks to get the clock back. My husband hung it back up in that space that had looked spectral for those three weeks and we stood there and waited. And it chimed. My heart took a little leap of joy and we smiled at each other and smiled at the clock and went about our business. During the day, I don’t listen to the radio or music or anything but my joy is complete because now I hear the chimes again. Their voices have gotten a little deeper, a little huskier than when they were young but it’s a comfortable voice and a familiar voice and it delights me again to hear them. As I was thinking about the clock and its chimes, I remembered an old, old song my first husband loved. Some of you may remember it.
Speaking of craftsmanship; I’ve mentioned in an older Random Observations – or Ran Obs, as I call them – my great love and appreciation for blown glass art, especially that of Dale Chihuly. My love of glass started with crystal pieces (one way you can tell crystal from glass by its ‘whiteness’ that you don’t see in every day glass) and leaded glass. I’ve gotten an appreciation for celery glass I inherited from my grandmother. Color became more interesting to me but I just love art glass. I found this video on YT and I’m astounded. The artist re-creates an amazing cup created in the 1800s – the video gives some history on it. It looks like he’s creating stacks upon stacks of diamonds. The work is exacting and the artist has a couple of unexpected things happen that he must contend with but as you watch this creation take on definition and character it’s almost breathtaking. I will advise it’s a two hour video but you’ll be amazed that he was able to create this cup in two hours when you see how intensive the work is. What I would suggest is, open another tab in which to work while you have the blown glass tab up and you can switch back and forth. I think, when you see him create the stem of the cup, you’ll be glued to the screen because it’s incredible work. Please enjoy
More about craftmanship. Netflix has a delightful program, The Repair Shop. It’s filmed in England and of course, the people are wonderful. When we think of England, we think of things that are not only old, but VERY old. I so enjoy the number of different jobs they take on and the care with which they handle the customers’ treasured items. It’s fun to watch. I recommend it.