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Wow.  So much has happened in the past few weeks, please excuse my absence!  The aftermath of the oil-spill at our home in Queenstown has caused many changes, but the overwhelming emotion from all of this, is gratitude.

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We are so aware of how fortunate we are.  While it will take many months of hard work and fundraising to rehabilitate our home and studio in Queenstown, we have a wonderful place to live for the time being.  Lee and I own a church in the town of Florenceville-Bristol.  The church is where we lived when we first moved to New Brunswick, and although we moved because we felt that it isn’t the best place for kids to grow up (the building itself, not the town!), we are seeing the church with new eyes, and recognizing that it is an incredible space, and that we can definitely make it work!

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Horus, Treva and Felix have adjusted amazingly well to all of the upheaval, and my number one priority has been trying to institute a new rhythm to our days.  In Queenstown, we were outside constantly, and the kids had a ton of freedom to explore and play in the garden.  Now, we live on the main street of a little town, next to a bank on one side, a fitness studio on the other and a parking lot in the back.  But the park and the library are just around the corner, and we have been enjoying a walk to the grocery store, instead of having to drive for amenities outside of our home zone.  It’s kind of nice!  The local outdoor swimming pool is recently opened, and Horus and Treva are excited about swimming lessons.  It’s a change of scene, for sure, but we are grateful for everything we have, and making the best of it.

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I have a thing for claw-foot bathtubs, and the one above, is part of my collection.  We installed it in what used to be the sanctuary of this former-United church, and it’s quite lovely to have a bathtub in the middle of things.  The church is still very much architecturally unchanged–so we live in a great big open space.  The kids’ bunkbeds are being set up at one end of things, and our bed is (next to the bathtub), in the back area.  It’s quite fun, really.  The kids bomb around and they climb the ladder into the bell-tower, and Horus is tickled that this is the very church where he was born!  I have had to crack down on anyone going outside by themselves–Horus went for a little 5 minute bike-ride around the bank when I was washing dishes the other day, and when I went outside to guide him back home, the bank ladies were standing around giving me dirty looks, so I explained to him how important it is that he never leave the building without me, under any circumstances.  Ah well.

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Lee has been spending most of his time in Queenstown, heading clean-up efforts.  We have received so much help, in all ways, shape and form, and we are truly grateful to everyone who has contributed their time, money, and artwork for our cause.

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If you have a chance, please check out our online fundraising campaign.  (www.igg.me/at/saveclarkpottery).  There are still lots of perks to be had, and I am giving my soon-to-be-published e-book “Nourished Kids” as one of the bonuses for contributing.  This would be a great way to reserve a copy in advance!