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alt_terryboot's work assignment has been changed again. Master moved from the Mid-Suffolk district camp to the one in Waveney, which is on the coast. This is the first time boot has ever seen the sea! It is so wonderful. boot would never get tired of looking at it, but boot is too busy to be allowed to just stand around and watch it, much. boot still serves master all his meals, but otherwise boot now works with the shore crews gutting and cleaning fish. Mostly herring, but also cod, plaice, skate and haddock. The woman who showed boot what to do said that the waters were really overfished when the muggles were in charge. but now the fisheries are rebounding. That means their catch is increasing every year. So it is good that the Lord Protector is in charge of everything.
after waiting on master in the morning, boot gets to the shore just as the trawlers are coming in with the night's catch. They have big wooden trestle tables set up on shore. boot helps the crew unload there, and then the workers sort the fish and start cleaning it, standing at the table, with big flensing knives. boot always tries to get a place at the table so he can look out to sea if he glances up. he can't do that very often, though. The fish have to be cleaned quickly. it's very important to always keep your eyes on what you are doing. It would be very easy to cut yourself badly if you aren't paying attention. They always have to count the knives before the crews are allowed to leave at the end of the day. Yesterday, one of the knives got knocked off the table and buried in the sand. they would have made everyone stay out there all night if it hadn't been found. Of course, animals mustn't be allowed to smuggle any knives back into the camps. That keeps everybody safe.
boot works with the younger part of the crew that simply scales the fish, before the fillets are cut off. That means scraping the fish scales from their sides. The scales stick to everything and fly everywhere. even into boots eyes sometimes. The supervisors try to leave the job of gutting and filleting the fish, which means handling the knives, to the older people, with more experience.
Some of the fish gets used fresh. most of it is dried, so it can be stored and then used during the winter. Fish is very good for you. boot remembers Madam Pomfrey telling him so once.
Master says that he will be taking boot back to Hogwarts at the end of the week.
after waiting on master in the morning, boot gets to the shore just as the trawlers are coming in with the night's catch. They have big wooden trestle tables set up on shore. boot helps the crew unload there, and then the workers sort the fish and start cleaning it, standing at the table, with big flensing knives. boot always tries to get a place at the table so he can look out to sea if he glances up. he can't do that very often, though. The fish have to be cleaned quickly. it's very important to always keep your eyes on what you are doing. It would be very easy to cut yourself badly if you aren't paying attention. They always have to count the knives before the crews are allowed to leave at the end of the day. Yesterday, one of the knives got knocked off the table and buried in the sand. they would have made everyone stay out there all night if it hadn't been found. Of course, animals mustn't be allowed to smuggle any knives back into the camps. That keeps everybody safe.
boot works with the younger part of the crew that simply scales the fish, before the fillets are cut off. That means scraping the fish scales from their sides. The scales stick to everything and fly everywhere. even into boots eyes sometimes. The supervisors try to leave the job of gutting and filleting the fish, which means handling the knives, to the older people, with more experience.
Some of the fish gets used fresh. most of it is dried, so it can be stored and then used during the winter. Fish is very good for you. boot remembers Madam Pomfrey telling him so once.
Master says that he will be taking boot back to Hogwarts at the end of the week.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-11 06:23 pm (UTC)Gah, I wonder if I'll ever be able to smell anything but fish again. Master cleans the smell off me with a spell every time I go to serve him a meal (and he still grumbles about stinking mudbloods) but at least he's not forced to smell it all day like I do. And once I leave him to go out back to work, of course, the smell comes back, getting all over my clothes and sinking into my skin.
It's a tiring job. And I see those dead fish eyes looking at me whenever I close my eyes to go to sleep. Urgh.
I'll be really, really glad to get back to Hogwarts. And fish may be good for me, but I don't think I'll eat any for the next year if I can help it.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-13 02:11 am (UTC)Oh I can't wait to see you, Terry!!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-13 11:41 am (UTC)I know! Me, too. I suppose you won't get back until the Welcoming Feast. But I'll see you then!
I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2009-08-11 07:17 pm (UTC)Actually, we're more often trying to purposely brew something that makes a bad smell. Guess it's good to know we can simply use a dead fish instead. Simpler.
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2009-08-11 07:20 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2009-08-11 07:20 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2009-08-11 07:23 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2009-08-11 07:26 pm (UTC)And don't worry. If we ever come to use that little tidbit, we'll make sure to leave you out of it entirely and that it can't be traced back to us.