I went to make my oatmeal this morning, and realized that the pan I usually heat water in was dirty and in the dishwasher. Rather than pull it out and wash it, I chose one of the small pans with detachable handles…and rather than attach the handle, I simply filled it with water and set it on the stove.
When the water had come to a full boil, I was then faced with the problem of how to get that water into my bowl. So, naturally, I tried to pick up the pan with an oven mitt.
The oven mitt promptly caught fire.
After putting the oven mitt out, I enjoyed a long struggle with the pan to get the handle put on. It has a latching mechanism that has to be attached just so–easy enough when the pan is cool, but rather difficult when you’re afraid to touch the pan even with an oven mitt, and when heat from the eye is enough to feel as though it’s burning your hand. Finally, with a swift thrusting motion, I got the handle on enough to latch. I poured the water I needed into my bowl, dumped the rest, and left the pan in the sink.
All that for a bowl of oatmeal.