<p>Well I meant I cleaned out the rooms not vacated D’s room. The kiln is for metal clay ( silver ). I enjoy the hobby. </p>
<p>Deborah,
What do need to know about a kiln. I am not an expert, but I have one at home and use it regularly. Mine cannot be in a room. It is on the cement floor in the basement and requires special electrical line. Electrician fees were more than 3 times higher than the cost of the used kiln.</p>
<p>Miami, sounds like it’s a labor of love. :)</p>
<p>Yeah the kiln for metal clay is small 1670 degrees F and uses a regular outlet although I don’t run any thing else on the circuit. Bought when the D went off . I leave a door open for the first few minutes of the cycle. I make jewelry for my self and gifts. And both Ds like it when they visit.
Deborah do you do clay?</p>
<p>Warm glass beadmaking and a little fusing, all done at a studio. A touch of metalworking, too. I love hearing about what people do and create. I’m not currently working with glass but may choose to do so again at some point in the future.</p>
<p>I discovered metal clay pretty much by accident a few years ago online. There is no place to do it here , so I bought a kiln. The silver can be workhardened.</p>
<p>Cool. 
It would be fun to see more of these kinds of discussions in the cafe. They are rare, and that is surprising to me because of the activities and people I’ve been involved with over the years.</p>
<p>I agree! Why don’t one of you start a thread! I’ve always admired people that made jewelery. I prefer to buy pieces from craft shows or etsy but have no artistic talent to make anything myself. That said, I think taking a class would be fun. There have been long threads about gardening and cooking.</p>
<p>Walkinghome, take the class! I’ve had a great time with knitting, spinning, glass, metalworking, and drawing classes. What I’m most apt to do these days in the way of creative outlets is paint or knit, but not for the next month or so. I’ve got an all consuming non-art related project going for now. I have thought of starting a thread for enthusiasts in the past, but I don’t know that there’s the critical mass of people interested here for it to keep itself going, and I’m not feeling in hostess, keep it bubbling along when it needs an injection of energy mode currently, lol. Classes can lead to wonderful experiences you might never have anticipated or had otherwise. One of the women I met in a spinning class had bought a place out in the country and was raising sheep and goats. A few of us would get together to spin, and it was fascinating to see her whole set-up. She had all these bins of wool in various stages of preparedness, different colors, etc. Just fun to see. Yeah, I want to spin again. :)</p>
<p>Deb-When you said a spinning class I thought you meant the exercise not the yarn- how funny was my assumption? 
</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>(you can tell I just woke up, took me two tries to get a wink right, lol)</p>
<p>I feel like I’ve passed another milestone along the empty nest road. </p>
<p>D is living with “B”, her boyfriend of 3+ years. They’re doing great, self-supporting, settling into adult life, and we love him. So this evening was our annual Christmas-gift name draw, which we always do after Thanksgiving dinner. Those present draw for family members who are far away, and I drew for D. But this morning I had texted her “Do you think B would like to be included?” and she said Yes. So I drew for B as well. I’m not sure why it felt like a milestone. Perhaps it was an acknowledgement that she’s now so far out of the nest that she has her own chosen nest-partner. Perhaps it was that we were welcoming B into one of our long-standing family rituals. But somehow it felt like a formal recognition that her primary family is now her and B. </p>
<p>I haven’t followed this thread in awhile. </p>
<p>I have struggled with the empty nest, her empty room, the quiet house. Then when I think I’ve got a handle on things, she comes home and then leaves again, and I seem to go through the sadness all over again at the airport and the ride home. </p>
<p>My D is still away at college, graduating this Spring. Doesn’t come home much. Spends most of her time with her BF (and his family), and has plans for grad school. </p>
<p>This past summer, she brought her BF to our home for a visit. Everyone was polite, and we’ve known about him for over a year, but I was still not ready for this. She told us, they had been discussing marriage. My husband and I were caught off guard and told her, she should focus on college. An email exchange between D and her dad, left her sensing his disapproval and upset. This is her first serious relationship too, going on 2-1/2 years. I wonder if she’ll follow through with graduate school. Her bf will be looking for a job.</p>
<p>She’ll be flying home for the holidays in a few days.</p>
<p>Hugs, Mom489.</p>
<p>It looks like I got into the class I’ve been interested in that starts later in January. Yes! I’m looking forward to it.</p>
<p>Great on the class DebT!!! New year, new learning!</p>
<p>That can be tough Mom489. I think the best advice is to treat your empty nest as a new step and way to form a relationship with your daughter - in a new way - because both your lives are changing. Like it or not! 
Move forward with new things for yourself and do your best to stay in good contact and to maintain a good realtionship with daughter recognizing her move from childhood to adulthood. Build your relationship with her for that adult future. </p>
<p>Thank you for the advice!</p>
<p>I can’t wait to get my empty nest back. We’ve had our kids plus a very sick almost relative with us, and are looking forward to not worrying where the kids are when the stay out late, not cleaning the floors multiple times per week, not trying to stay quiet because someone is sleeping, and not having so much food in the house. But honestly, I’m happy to have the kids home for break. I realize the nest really will be empty soon enough.</p>
My nest is empty again, as of this morning. Feeling weepy. This is crazy – he’s a junior in college! I should be over it by now. Yes I like having everything tidy and clean, having things stay where I put them, not having to run to the market daily for more food because he is inhaling it, not having sports on the TV all the time. But I miss HIM. School is 8 hours away, and it just seems so far.
I feel you, LongRangePlan. D and her BF were here for almost a week, bringing with them strewn laundry and towels, lots of dirty dishes, and much activity for my credit card – but also laughter, excitement, and hugs. They left on the 31st, and we still miss them.
D2 just left this afternoon on a flight. I think I am getting used to it. D1 started college 2004 and D2
graduated this year. Yeah took about 10 years to get used to it.