Thursday, September 2, 2010

"It happens every time, they all become blueberries." - W.W.

Today was a great day! I was exhausted and slightly stuffed up (in the nose) but things really went well in the hot shop.  I made my first keep-able glass of the day before 10 AM (we start school around 9) and I made quite a few before lunch! I didn't hurt myself a single time and have gotten really good at knocking the excess glass off the blow pipe after I have made my tumbler.  I also had a good afternoon, nothing too exciting, more the same but I got better at putting a proper bottom in the bottom of my tumblers instead of just a really thin one that could easily break.  Also, in the afternoon I brought my Ipod to listen to music instead of the usual yellow ear plugs.  It was really nice and made the time fly by - which is good and bad I think.  It got kind of interesting when the most hectic part of the afternoon started, 11 people blowing glass from 2 furnace holes, the song Devil Went Down to Georgia (that is the weirdest video I have ever seen by the way!) came on and it made things seem like they were moving super fast and crazy... I had to step back and drink some water for a minute after that.  I took a picture of one of the glasses I made yesterday for you guys:
I got one of the Finish girls to take some pictures of me.  Here I am warming my pipe:
Gathering glass on the pipe:
Standing around for a picture with a big goofy grin:
And rolling the glass on the granite marver table.
I like to think I look intimidating in my big aviators... but I think I look silly... my teacher laughs at me when I wear them.  Most of the Swedes don't wear glasses, but I really like them to look into the furnaces! On my left arm is a long sleeve to help keep the heat off of my arm when I gather.  It is made from come special material that wont burn even if you touch the glass I think.  I don't know for sure, I am not going to try it.

After school I went to pick some blueberries but I forgot a bag and I wasn't about to put all those staining little berries in my bag from my mom! But, I did run into the Finish girls picking mushrooms in the woods! They had so many and many different types.  All week people have been talking about picking mushrooms but no one knew what kind were edible (or eatable as people say here) in Sweden, so we just walked past and looked at them longingly.  Apparently, there are a ton of different types you can eat but a ton that are bad for you too.  The Finish girls said they would teach me which ones were good and take me picking with them soon and show me how to cook them! Here is a peek into one of their baskets:
I have fungus envy... in the best way possible.  There is really no way to make that not sound gross.

I found out this adorable cat lives across the street:

And here is the outside of the factory I work in every day:
My bench is right behind the second flag from the left.  And here it is from the window:
It is as chaotic as it looks.  Mine is towards the back near those papers hanging from the furnace.  

Now I am off to shower, brush my teeth again b/c they are bright blue from eating wild blue berries AGAIN! I think I could just look at them and turn blue like Violet in Willy Wonka... "Violet you're turning VIOLET!" hahaha.  And cook something for dinner... Did you know they have ramen here? It is a little different but mostly similar... and they cup soup... but that is totally different from cup-a-noodles, more like soup in a cup... and usually kind of gross colored, I think at least.

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