Day 62 - Garfield Ceramic (Throw ... sadly)

Apparently I was a bigger fan of Garfield as a kid than I remember.  My younger brother, Russ, who is currently living in the house in which we all grew up, gathered together a box of items which he believes belong to me.  I think he found them in the attic.  Just what I needed - more stuff! 

Considering I had not known of this stuff's existence until the other day, I probably would have been safe to chuck the whole box into the garbage, but I'm curious, so I can't just do that sight unseen.

This Garfield was on top, though, and he's a good candidate for a chuck - his ear is chipped.

He did remind me, though, of times when I was a teenage boy, spending one evening a week with my Aunt Lossie Marie and a bunch of other middle aged women in Gladys Brandenburger's basement.  Gladys was a sweet old lady who operated a ceramics shop out of her home.  We'd all sit around a big old table and "clean the greenware" (which involved taking the rough edges off of the unfired clay with a sharp tool) or painting a piece that had already been cleaned and fired, or staining a piece that had already been painted.  All the while we'd sit and talk about all sorts of things that interest middle aged women.  And they would "oooh" and "ahhhh" over my work and generally boost my self confidence. 

On nights when I would finish a piece, I would proudly bring it home from Gladys' house ... to be mocked by my brothers. 

But my Mom loved every single piece.  She had to - she was president of my middle aged ladies fan club.