First Blood

The evil mandolin claims yet another victim.

(click the pic for an even larger view!!!)

Even though I know to be careful with mandolins...even though I know it's easy to get cut while using a mandolin...and even though I know you shouldn't try to use all the potato when slicing on a mandolin.... I still managed to shaved off a chunk of my finger today slicing potatoes on a mandolin. Surprisingly, it doesn't really hurt at all. It's mostly just annoying to be down a finger. It's funny how you don't realize how often you use an appendage until you can't. It's also funny how your body naturally compensates for it. A simple task such as typing is so involuntary, but my unharmed fingers seem to have rallied together to help out their fallen comrade. It's a strange cut though...not quite in the undernail meat...but still bled a fair amount.

On that note! Today's lunch menu: Ramp and Corn Chowder, whole wheat dinner rolls, pickled beets and apple-pear cobbler

First task: bread duty. On the farm, we use whole wheat flours whenever possible...so all the time. Baking with whole wheat can be a bit of challenge. For the bread today, we used half whole wheat 'all purpose' and half whole wheat pastry flour. The rolls turned out really good, but just a little courser than bleached flour rolls.

The weather here today was over cast and soggy, but no rain. I was going to run, but didn't want to trudge my clean Nike's through the mug to get to the road. Instead I opted for some conditioning in my tiny cabin. Pushing things to the walls and folding up my rug, I spent a little QT with my girl, Zuz, from BodyRockTV. She is a ridiculously ripped lady from Prague and she has a website that she posts daily at-home-work outs! Push up count: 3 sets of 5... whew

Lastly, I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a hot shower here on the farm. I'd be happy with a luke warm shower. And I'd even settle for a goosebump free shower. But no. I have been avoiding the shower since Monday when I had my first chilling experience, but I was starting to smell too much like a hipster. So, I had to face it again. Anyone passing by the packaging shed might have been alarmed by the shouts coming out of the men's bathroom. Yes, the men's bathroom. There isn't a shower in the women's bathroom. Which is another cause for concern. I feel funny about showering while the crew is here, especially in the men's bathroom. So, I wait until they leave, which is around 630. I am still holding out hope that something is just not right with the shower and that it can be fixed or that there is some kind of trick to get the hot water to work. fingers crossed!