We interrupt this assignment.

For the next hour I will be listening to Dr Karl on JJJ

Do it! Do it now! This bloke knows the answer to everything. It's science made accessible. He is my hero.

Update If you know why the sky is blue, go to http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/stn/default.htm#questions and tell Dr Karl.

Here I am with my left foot in a bucket of hot, salty water.

Why? And well you might ask. 2 reasons:

1) when I am home I rarely wear shoes.

2) Young dogs leave sharp bones on the mat just outside the back door, right where the shoeless inhabitants of the house tread.

Salt water is the best thing since I'm allergic to liquid antiseptics like Dettol. I'm okay just putting it on the skin but if the stuff gets through the outer layers of skin (ie through a cut) I swell up. It's bad.

So here I am with my left foot in a bucket of hot, salty water. When the bleeding stops I'll whack some cream and a a band-aid over the cut. All the tough skin has been pushed back to expose the softer, living skin underneath. The cut is like a 3-corner tear. I can push the removed skin back over the hole. I don't expect it to stay there but it is protecting the now-exposed living skin.

Did I mention it stings like hell? It stings like hell.

Assignment

I finished the assignment. I can now defer the nervous breakdown and save the mid-life crisis for when I really need it.