Second degree burns suck.

[mapsedge]

This actually happened last weekend, but I figured the story could wait until I got the other stuff off my chest.

I like cappuchino. So much so that, given enough cash, I would stop at the local coffeeshop every morning on my way to work. Since I can't afford that, I have never been without an espresso machine since just before my daughter was born. I got my first one as a "reward" for taking my long weekend over Thanksgiving to get her room ready. It was a KitchenAid small appliance, espresso/steam on one side and regular coffee on the other. I all but destroyed the thing through nearly constant use. Since I was still not in a position to really spend some money, I replaced it with a perfectly serviceable boiler-style Mr. Coffee. You know the one: Wal*Mart carries it for about $15.00.

Then, on Ebay I found a pump-style machine. I was eager to try it out. I loaded it with water and coffee, set the brew basket, placed my two shot glasses under the outlet and fired up the pump.

For those of you who don't know, espresso is made by passing steam/water through tightly packed and finely ground coffee at high pressure (good machines will come in at 15 millibars), making an exceptionally strong brew.

I found out that there's a reason to make sure you have the brew basket firmly locked into place, which I thought I did. With my left hand on top of the machine I leaned down to get something off the floor. I don't remember why or what I was reaching for, but I'm very thankful I did: doing so meant that the only piece of me exposed to the explosion was my left arm.

With a FWOOMP sound and concussion hard enough to feel through the soles of my feet, the brew basket exploded off the brew head, slamming downward against the shot glasses and spraying steam, boiling water, broken glass, and boiling hot coffee grounds outward in an arc that encompassed most of the kitchen.

It took mljm an hour to get the kitchen cleaned up while I tended to my arm and, that done, kept the kids out. If you look close, you can trace the diagonal line of damage, but only one part is really bad, the spot where a line of coffee grounds sat and burned unnoticed while I assessed the damage around me and tried to figure out how to move away without making the broken glass problem worse. Only when I washed them off did I realize how hot they actually were. Admittedly, it's a small spot hiding under a medium sized Band-Aid. Stings, though.

Lucky, I suppose, or blessed, if I believed in that sort of thing, that it wasn't worse. And after all that, it doesn't even make a decent cup of espresso.

Comments

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

YIKES! That's scary! I'm glad you didn't hurt yourself worse...yes, you were very lucky or blessed or both - whatever you wanna call it.

*hugs*

when did this happen???

[themadblonde]

pobrecito!

Re: when did this happen???

[billthetailor.livejournal.com]

Last Sunday. All's well now, though.

"pobrecito"?

Spanish for...

[themadblonde]

"poor little thing!"

[cammie018.livejournal.com]

I feel you ya, I was making a cup of tea a few weeks ago and missed the cup pouring boiling hot water down the front of myself. It hurt like hell. I hope you heal up fast. Aloe did the trick for me after the first few days.