Frustrations!

 I had hoped to write this post yesterday, but my computer decided that it didn't want to play ball with me!!  I do get cross when this happens, because I didn't think that it was my fault as I hadn't done anything different.

My solution is always to turn the computer off and come back later as I have this theory that all the world is online at the same time as me and there is a huge blockage somewhere in the ether!!  Well it didn't work at all last night so when I logged on this morning same problem.  However many years ago when computers were the size of a small house, I had to teach myself how to use one at work and as a consequence when anything went wrong I tried to sort it out before I contacted our Helpdesk at the other end of the country.  As a result I can sort out these minor frustrations and it seems to have worked as I am now typing away merrily.

Since I last blogged, I have finished my Mini Mania for December/January with  the 'Grand Reveal' on Sunday.

Sorry, only the back. showing the quilting

Every year Higham Piecemakers have a charity month, when we support a worthy cause.  Last year we made lap quilts or aprons for dementia sufferers, but this year we are going back to a regular good cause, Project Linus incubator quilts, no bigger than 20" (51cm) x 18" (46cm).

My top waiting to be finished

The group were very generously given a roll of wadding by Creative Grids and members can use it for their charity quilts.  I have just received mine and will finish this little incubator quilt next week.

I was back pot washing yesterday and you can read about last week's efforts in my last blog, but this week we were washing human skeletons.  A huge number have been found at the Chester Farm project and in fact these were excavated in 2014, so it could have been one that I dug up.  Out of deference to these Romans I am not allowed to show any human bones, but one person was working on a human skull, full of dirt, which she stopped cleaning after a while because the whole thing would have collapsed without the dirt to keep it held together.  We believe it was a female who had a good set of teeth!!

However, there were still pots being washed and here are some of the more interesting 'finds'.

These maybe more than one pot, but beautiful markings

Top of a bottle

Two pieces of Samian ware joined



A maker's mark - will it fit this pot??

Yes it does!!  The mark is on the inside of the pot.

The maker's mark is important as it is now possible for the experts to date this pot.

A beautiful design of leaves

Samian ware with a design of a hunting dog

and finally  .......

Medieval pie crust dish with decoration made using the thumb ..

.. with thumbprint on the underside

I bet that these makers never thought we would be looking at their work about 2,000 years later!!!