Nearly Summer in Oceanside

I just added some images to describe the times.  I spent almost two weeks in Texas in early May for family matters.  While I was there, I was able to get downtown and have lunch with my friend Rita, and briefly chat with Bob in the detached home office.  Their little daughter was in school, so we took the tour of their newly purchased house near the Montrose part of town.  The house was sort of a brick four square, but smaller, with a very tidy, modern renovation including very tasteful furnishings Rita picked out with her decorator to bring major charm to their new home.  The place looked great, and exuded light and spacious living in a more compact layout from probably the 1930's, or 1940's.  While visiting Rita, I stopped off at the Czech Center Museum in a nearby area.  I was lucky to get a private tour by a darling young woman from Slovenia, full of charm and beauty representative of an endearing culture new to me.  She seemed to come from older, more traditional ways, where spoken truth is well respected.  I appreciated knowing that values still exist in this time of rampant liberalism on all levels seen in the western world.  I've seen many awakening documentaries over the last couple months on hulu about many shortcomings this society has been able to hide in the dark.  Back to the tour...The artwork was magnificent, especially many of the masterful works by Alphonse Mucha.  The level of glass blowing, such as the figures shown dancing was unreal for that time in history, and did not exist in the states to that level till much later.  Part of my reason for going was to check into the roots of the glass of the Czech people since there is a deep rich history there.  I'm taking a class with Martin Janecky in Seattle this summer that is going to be very exciting for me.  He started out young in the Czech Republic blowing some of the more advanced studio pieces.  This guys work is amazing from a stylistic point of view as well.  I really need to get my studio hot and make some glass...it almost hurts..., but I'm still in focus mode with "Happy", the new name of the bahama yellow 912 I'm restoring.

 I took this shot on Saturday when I put the hood on Happy.  For some reason, the project looked so happy when I finally added the hood.  I sat in the luggage compartment where the gas tank would go, and blindly lowered the hood the best I could, keeping it centered and away from scratching the car.  I then crawled out, checked alignment, back under to tighten and torque to 18 ft-lbs.  I lifted the hood and it looked very nice.   Bad lighting, but you get the picture.    

 I took a photo of the dash structure I stripped and brought to Thomas Trim in Sorrento Valley.  He did a pretty good job, but not as nice as I was hoping.  The tack strip does not maintain enough rigidity when pop rivets are used and you get some waves.  The original method of bending the tabs is probably a better idea or having a stiffer hold down mech.

 Loved the peacock design, as well as the lid design and the star like handle in the upper top right.

 Cool shape...have to try one one day.

Soooo....plans.  I've been swarming with thoughts ...I've decided to use lightweight roofing, possibly metal with hopes of a rooftop garden.  I also would like to keep the costs down and avoid any extraneous materials, such as dry wall, and anything toxic.  I'm hoping to get some glass going before the class and after, but then consider how to build what I need before I leave.  Then I'm open to the easiest way to start supporting myself with glass and artistic projects.