Surgery (minor, but with a hammer)…

As you may recall, there were a number of cracks forming in my beloved pizza oven. Well, last weekend I decided to do something about it. I started to open up the cracks a bit more with a hammer and chisel. I soon realized that the hammer was unnecessary, and completed opening the wounds with just a chisel. After I thought they were sufficiently open I washed them out with a hose. I did this to get any loose material out and also to help the patch bind (hopefully anyway).



Now these cracks, once widened, were only about an inch or so wide. They did not go all the way through. I think that most of this cracking was within the insulation layer because we had a higher clay to sand ratio in that layer.

I had some extra insulation layer mud, so with my wet hands I packed everything in. Now my oven looks like it’s got a big scar…



Once it dried the scar tissue was not as apparent, but you can still see it from up close. Tonight I’m going to try it out again, and we will see if the cracks return. I’m sure they will, I just hope they are smaller.

Tomorrow a bunch of us are going to Kloster Andechs to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Hill, and tour their brewery. Then Thursday we will take a train into Munich for the Oktoberfest. We have reservations in two different tents this year, so I hope things don’t get out of control.

I’m sure everything will be fine Mom…

No, really…

I’ve got it all under control…

Just in case though, I’ve emailed you the Western Union number of the Munich Criminal Courthouse…

And I hear that bail here is pretty high, so I’ll understand if you can’t get me out by Chrsitmas.