Wood shop, I have completed my grid board. This project was to practice using the Click Rule. I had a 6x6 piece of wood, a scrape tool and a small square. I was to measure an inch from the side and then line up the square until it rest evenly to the wood and ruler. Then I removed the ruler and held the square down with my right hand while I used the scrape tool with my left and pressed down and scrapped a line using the square as my guide. I have to do the scrape tool a couple times since I need to be able to feel the line I made once I was done. I continued to repeat the process until there were five lines across the board an inch apart. I then turned the board and did it again. After I was done, I had made grid lines on the wood. I put the ruler and square away and was left with scrape tool and a hammer. I used the scrape tool to find where the two lines intercepted by feeling how it drops into a hole. Once I found that spot I would double check it by feeling to see if there was a vertical and horizontal line matching up. Once I decided that I had the right spot, I held the scrape tool with my right hand and took the hammer in my left. I used the side of the hammer and did two taps and two hard wackes to hammer down the scrape tool. After a couple good wackes I rotated the tool in a circle to create a larger hole and loosen it out of the wood. I repeated this process until I had created a hole for each intersection. The next step is using a drill press and drilling a hole all the way through were I made the holes. I learned about the drill press and got a touch of how it feels and what things I need to remember when I use it. I will post a picture of my finished product!
Mobility, my instructor told me the directions of where the Jackson gas station. The first part, I was on my own since we had walked it once already and she wanted to test me on what I had remembered. Then, when I was in new area she explained what was around me, what to listen for and what I would have to feel for in order to not get lost into a parking lot or alley. Once I found the gas station, she taught me how to get to the door without having to cut through and get in the way of cars and the gas pumps. Mainly, what you do is you find the outside of the parking lot/building and follow it. You make an L shape route to the door depending on how the building is placed. She said that I did a great job and that I have good orientation skills and that I know how to navigate well. Also, she told me that she usually breaks up that route into segments, but she felt that I would do well to do it all at once. I only got lost in a couple of parking lots from drifting off to one side without realizing it until I ran into a car. She taught me to stop where I am and listen for traffic to get a sense of where the sidewalk is and make my way back. When I crossed the street I did well. I didn't drift off into traffic or the road and most of the time hit the other side straight on. That still baffles me and I can't believe that I'm doing that because last time I had mobility, 10 years ago, I would drift and be way off target. My instructor is good, she is encouraging and reminds me that I'm doing well. I think she will help me with my anxiety and lack of confidence.
ADL- I took the tips that I learned about measuring and made Baking Powder Biscuits. I did all the dry ingredients without spilling any, mainly because I scooped it out and leveled it with my finger. The shortening was done a different way. They use the cubed shortening since there is no easy way for a blind person to get it out of the container without making a big mess. Since the cubes come in 1 cup unlike butter, I had to cut it for my recipe. I was taught to take both my hands and rest them both on top of the cube, with no spaces between my fingers. Where my index fingers touched meant it was the middle of the cube. I left my right hand there and used it as a guide to place the knife in the right spot to cut it. Then I checked to see if both pieces were the same size, which they were, so I did good! I used a pastry cutter to mix in the shortening with dry ingredients until the batter was in cracker crumb size. Next was measuring the milk. I used a cereal bowl to use as the "catcher". I placed the measuring cup in the bowl and rest my finger on the edge of the cup and making sure my finger was somewhat leveled. I took the cup to the mouth of the milk carton and lowered it down together until it was in the middle of the bowl. I poured the milk and stopped when I felt it hit my finger which indicated that it was full. I surely thought that I was going to spill a lot of milk but I didn't!I think there was probably a tablespoon of milk that spilled over. After the milk was mixed and the dough was formed, I had a cookie sheet to use as my area to kneed the dough and roll out. Using the cookie sheet makes the flour stay in one spot and easier for us to use our touch to keep center. We don't roll the dough out, I pressed the dough with my fingers and used my sense of touch to feel if it was an inch thick. I used a cup to cut out circles. I learned how to mark the oven so we know where the buttons are, we don't mark them all. You mark the main ones and then you learn what is to the left, right, top or bottom of the bump. When I put the cookie sheet in the oven, I didn't think I did anything differently than usual. I used the edge of the sheet to locate the top rack and once I felt that the sheet was rested evenly on it I pushed it in until my hand felt the rack. How did I know that they were done? Good question, I asked that too! I set the timer for what the instructions asked for, 12 minutes. When that time was up I removed the sheet from the oven. I rested my covered hand on the edge of the sheet and used it as a guide for my uncovered hand to find a biscuit. You don't press down on the top of the biscuit, you squeeze the edge to see if it feels doughy or not. If it doesn't then they are done, which mine were. Oh, you are probably wondering how I read the instructions, silly me! They were on a disc and playing on a CD player and I would pause it after one step of instructions.
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| Tasty! |
In Braille I am slowing making progress but it is getting tough. All the dots seems to run together and hard to distinguish what the letter is, then I am having a hard time formulating what the word is in my mind.
Until next time!!!