Rookwood pottery

Thursday
A mixture of good and bad today. The day started with a phone call from our daughter Laura who is living and working in Kuwait, to tell us she had just had her handbag stolen from her friend’s car - it had everything in it - except her iPhone - her car keys, her apartment keys, Kuwait ID, drivers license, some credit cards! She’d already had a bad week with other issues, so this was really the last straw! She was just telling us at Christmas there didn’t seem to be much of that sort of crime in Kuwait! However, her friend’s car is a company car, so it is a nice car.
After that, my day, at any rate improved, though naturally my concern for Laura was always in the back of my mind. I was going out mid morning, meeting up with N, a friend from church and book club, and some other ladies to go downtown for an early lunch and then a tour of the Rookwood Pottery. N is in two book clubs, and the ladies were mainly from the other book club and a few friends of theirs. There were just two of us going down with N, the others we were meeting at the restaurant/brewery and then some more at the pottery. It was a dreadful day - very low cloud and raining, heavily at times, most of the day. I was thankful N was driving. Unfortunately, at this point, I did a stupid thing - I inadvertently left my phone in my car - on view! So not only was I concerned about it all day, especially in light of Laura’s experience, but I hadn’t taken my camera - I was going to use my phone! Thankfully, the area we left the cars was relatively quiet, and my phone was still there when I returned!
Lunch was at the Taft Ale house, one of Cincinnati’s many craft beer establishments, which I thought was a strange choice for N to have picked, until she explained the pottery had recommended it, as they have a lot of Rookwood tiles. Unfortunately it turned out these weren’t their older decorative tiles, as I think N was expecting, but modern functional plain ones - but the connection was still interesting, and the food was good and the few of us that had a beer, since we weren’t driving, enjoyed that too!
Rookwood Pottery was originally founded in 1880. It has gone through several owners over the years, and existed in several different areas of the city, presently located in Over the Rhine. Whilst starting out as decorative pottery, in 1902 they started producing architectural pottery - tiles for fireplaces, walls etc, for which they soon developed a national reputation. Presently I assume that is where they make most of their money, though they still make decorative and functional items such as the mug shown in my blip, with the Rookwood motif - a back to front R and P, which Roger pointed out also works as our first name initials Roger and Pam! The tour was fascinating - the guide started out talking a bit about the history and colours and techniques, and then took us on a tour of the different manufacturing areas. We saw a young lady creating bowls on a wheel, so quickly and effortlessly - she created three while we were standing watching and listening to our guide. He then showed us how some molded pieces were created, demonstrating what a complex procedure that can be. In another area, we saw tiles being pressed, and in another the ovens - they have two huge ones, as well as a number of smaller ones. A really fascinating and enjoyable day! As it turned out, I couldn’t have taken pictures on the tour, not surprising, but the building has some beautiful murals outside, and I think I could have taken some in their showroom area, where the tour began, so I shall have to go again with Roger, and perhaps some friends, as I’m sure they would be interested too!