a report before the open studio

Today, first thing in the morning I opened my kiln. We had a bit funny firing this time. We set the kiln to finish at 7am but when I came in yesterday rather late at 9:30 it was still going up at around 1245. I thought it's odd but thought maybe another studio mate who stayed late the day before might have extended the delay. And then I started working on slip-casting checking the temperature every time I passed the kiln. And I realised it was going up really really slowly, it only went up 20℃ in an hour whereas it should be about 250/h. It wasn't a great sign... so I turned it off at 1265. (I usually fire to 1275 which is, with my kiln, 1260.)
I was anxious about the firing until I opened it this morning. It wasn't a disaster, it was a rather normal one with a few bits of disappointing pieces, which was a relief. 
What is better rather than worse, I got one piece that I'm really really happy with. A tiny tiny bottle I curved its bottom with Japanese chisels and put two glazes on. With a very slow firing at the end almost like a loooong soak, the glaze flowed really nicely. I love it so much that I don't want to sell. It pays off all my worries.
But I wonder why these things happen always before the show??

今日は本焼きの窯を開けました。窯は電気式で焼き方もコントローラーで管理します。大体安心して任せておけるものなのですが、今回は、朝の7時に終わるはずのものが、9時半でもまだ温度は上昇中で、しばらく観察していると1時間に20度しか上がっていない事がわかりました。（プログラムは250℃です。）どの辺りからこの調子だったのかわかりませんが、あまり長く続くと釉薬にも影響してくると思い、いつもより10℃低いところで焼きを止めました。
そんなことがあったので、結果がすごく心配だったのですが、窯の温度が下がった今朝、開けてみると、いつもと同じような感じで安心しました。残念なものがいくつかあるのも、いつものことです。
今回は一つだけ、底を彫刻刀で削ったものが、いい感じに仕上がってくれました。焼きが長かった分、２種類重ねた釉薬がきれいに流れて、とてもかわいいです。心配していた後だけに、無事に仕上がってくれるだけで、すごく嬉しいものです。