Nothing earth-shattering here, but I wanted to log some of the facts of my life right now:
Gourmet cooking has tapered off a bit, though it is still among the top hobbies I'm actively pursuing. That is related to my present obsession with knives, quality metal and sharpening, which lead to the purchase of some Shun knives a while back, and a subsequent obsession with finding "the best" way to sharpen kitchen cutlery.
That has lead me to Japanese water stones, which I was able to procure at a very nice woodworking store in Portland last weekend. I bought a 1000 and a 6000 grit stone of rather large dimensions (3.5 x 8 inches or so) and have succeeded in getting my old knives to the point that I can shave hairs of the back of my hand. So, I'm considering that a success. Oh, yeah, I also bought a synthetic strop and a small cannister of aluminum oxide powder, which I think is responsible for that last little boost that allows the shaving of hair.
Having good, sharp knives in the house leads to just one thing: the desire to cut stuff. So, we've planted a vegetable garden. Unlike years past, however, we've protected it from all manner of pests this year. The deer, as you may know, are ravenous and can smell cabbage from two miles upwind, five miles down. So, we've build a fence, with rabbit-proofing on the bottom, and deer-proofing up to about seven feet, with more height possible, if it's deemed necessary.
During the construction of the fence, I smashed my thumb only once. (What sicko puts a round top on a fencing staple?) This provided me the chance to prove that I could endure considerable pain without cursing. I failed that test. However, later, I was provided the opportunity to practice a technique, learned from Vern L. Callero, of piercing the fingernail, to relieve the blood-pressure buildup in the traumatized tissue. Good thing I had a nice, sharp Shun paring knife handy. :)
That about sums it up for now. I'll let you know how the garden grows.
4 comments :
Grumpy would like to recommend a technique to prevent cursing after hitting his thumb with a fencing hammer. He thinks he invented it some 68 years ago as a preteen. Listen carefully and take notes -- there may be a test later.
Before venturing out to build and/or repair fences, be sure the following is in you tool kit: One (1) fencing hammer (an ordinary carpenter's claw hammer will do if no staples need to be pulled); one hundred (100) standard fencing staples (if more are needed, have assistant bring them out at lunch time -- with a cold bottle of beer); one (1) pair safety glasses; one (1) pair of needle-nose pliers.
After donning the safety glasses and selecting the staple to be driven, hold it with the tip of the needle nose pliers, about midway between the curved top part and the sharp pointy tips at the bottom. Try to hit the curved top squarely with the hammer.If you glance off of this curved target, the staple will likely disappear forever into the vegetation possibly glancing off the safety glasses, so forget it and grab another, repeating the above steps until a staple is successfully driven. Try not to curse with frustration if more than ten staples in succession disappear.
Ah, good old Dr. Callero, hands as steady as a rock, gentle as a lamb. I'd give just about anything for him to still be in practice.
Your knives sound awesome, I just hope they have a secure storage container?
Mom
You can also heat a sewing needle with a lighter until it is white hot and then gently press it against the fingernail until it burns through the nail. This is what I should have done when I got runners toe but couldn't muster the guts to do it :-)
Tom
Another way to relieve pressure from an infected finger or toe might be to use one of those finger-piercing things diabetics use for taking blood tests. You put it against your finger and press the button. It snaps a poker down into your finger very quickly, causing a minimal amount of pain.
Dr Callero used a sharp scalpel on my infected toe. It was so sharp that I didn't even feel it.
I have frequently cut myself accidentally, with something so sharp that it didn't cause noticable pain. So I think it's a good idea to keep your knives sharp. So when you accidentally cut yourself, it doesn't hurt as much.
Post a Comment