Who needs fingers, anyway?

Not me, no sir!  I could probably do without three or four of them--they're just extra weight, anyway, right?

This seems to be the unanimous opinion of every tool in the shop--Abby doesn't need fingers.  After burning, slicing, smashing, and tearing the skin off of them for the past few days, I think they might just be right.

At some point, there has to be a limit, right?  Anyway, the past couple of days have all been basically the same.  I've been working on leaves for the tree on the Holden Arboretum's gate, which I thought would be a great privilege, but really it's just been painful.

The process is fairly straight forward; draw out the stock, make a point, flatten it, add leaf groves, make next leaf.  Which, of course, means I get bored after a while.  So I start day dreaming.  Not a smart idea when working with 800-degree-or-hotter iron.

Anyway, my hands hurt, so I'm going to stop typing.  Adios!