Monday, March 21, 2016

Plastic Surgery, Parcel, Diatomaceous Earth, Dr. Flash Drive

Sorry no Satuday Recipe. Things got away from me on Friday not least of which we had to visit the plastic surgeon for Matt's basel cells. Dr. Ma has fitted him in for Monday afternoon at 4 so we will have to go bowl and leave early. Nice of her to do it so soon though. When we go to the offices to see these Plastic Surgeons, they have a very small parking lot behind their building, a delightful old house which must have been something in it's hey day; right opposite the parking lot is a huge building, high rise maybe, which is in the process of construction. Being a bit slow, it only hit me, on Friday, that it is the building which is where our old bowling alley used to be. Got a bit disoriented because we have to get there in a roundabout way because of the road works on King St. so I hadn't quite realised where we were. That's my excuse anyway.

We then had to go to the post office to pick up my parcel from Amazon - we were not home because I was seeing my orthopaedic surgeon and then bowling. This one included the bug proof mattress cover and interceptor plates for the bed feet.

Saturday we began. First whipped off all the bed clothes and put them through the washers and dryers
as well as the pillow. We then took mattress and box spring off the bed and I put diatomaceous earth (DE) all round the frame and brushed it into cracks with an old paint brush. We pulled the bed really far away from the wall so I could put a thick line of DE behind the bed. Then pushed it back again. When the linens were ready, we made the bed covering the mattress with the new cover, and then put the DE in defensive lines all round the bed as well as putting the plastic interceptors under the feet. Sprinkled DE between the box spring and mattress too. Must admit I didn't think we would manage to put the new cover on as it's a heavy mattress to handle for two old fogeys like us. But we did.

I have now discovered this food grade DE can be taken as a drink and is touted to have all kinds of health benefits. Just not for bed bugs I guess. Supposed to be good for all kinds of things, like de-toxing, improvements in hair and nails, etc. etc. so maybe you will soon hear of me taking the stuff.

By the way, I was carrying on about how young my new orthopaedic surgeon is. I just came across this picture of Dr. Martin. He actually looks a tad older here.

How very odd, I have just had a Flash drive fall apart on me. Didn't realise that could happen.

Tried a new recipe on Saturday night. I think I needed to cook the cauliflower somewhat longer. I didn't mind it, but Matt found it too crunchy. Of course I cut back the recipe considerably as there were just two of us. Not only that, I used roasted red peppers from a jar. It still worked very well and was quite delicious.

ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND CAULIFLOWER WITH CAPER VINAIGRETTE


12 servings

INGREDIENTS

    • 4 red bell peppers
    • 2 heads cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 2-inch florets
    • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup large capers (not salted), drained and rinsed






PREPARATION

    1. Toss cauliflower with 1/4 cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then divide between two 4-sided sheet pans. Roast cauliflower, turning it and switching position of pans halfway through, until just tender and browned in spots, about 20 minutes total.
    2. While cauliflower roasts, whisk together lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large serving bowl, then add remaining 1/2 cup oil in a slow stream, whisking. Finely chop about 1 tablespoon capers, then whisk chopped and whole capers into vinaigrette. Add warm cauliflower and peppers and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature.
Cooks' note:
Peppers and cauliflower can be roasted and tossed with vinaigrette 1 day ahead and chilled.

Have a great day
 

24 comments:

  1. Such an ordeal with the bedbugs! It is for this very reason that hubby, who is starting his new job tomorrow, is staying at a hotel we know and trust for their cleanliness at an incredible expense to us rather than pick some place else that could be cheaper but carry the risk of bedbugs. He was leaning towards saving money and I'm like "no, we know this hotel, it is clean, it is so much more better than dealing with the problem of bedbugs." I'm just sorry you guys are continuing to deal with them and the aftermath of them.

    betty

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    1. I hate to tell you this Betty but it has NOTHING to do with cleanliness. All hotels have bedbugs I am told, some are better at dealing with them. Bed bugs are a big problem in North America at the moment. There is a bed bug registry you can check to see if a hotel has been reported but even then it doesn't mean a hotel doesn't have them.

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  2. Hi Jo - it keeps on going doesn't it - I sincerely hope the bug things can be beaten. Good luck to Matt for today ..

    Peppers and Cauli sound a good mix .. cheers Hilary

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    1. You're right Hilary, it keeps on going.

      It was pretty good especially with the capers. Love capers.

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  3. I hope the DE works! All this time I was picturing potting soil. lol

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    1. Funny that JoJo. There are several grades. Not sure what the agricultural grade would look like.

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  4. He's young all right.
    Not sure I'd want to drink something that fights off bed bugs. Hope it works though.

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    1. He is isn't he Alex?

      Me either Alex, but they say you can.

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  5. Yum, my mouth is watering just thinking about that recipe. Never heard of DE. Sounds interesting. I hope it works for you! Doctors, they do seem to get younger all the time. When I was a child the doctor was ancient, as an adult, about mid forties, now as an old woman, they are practically children. :)

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    1. It was good Yolanda. This one was practically a child in my book. LOL.

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  6. Seems getting rid of bedbugs and warding off demons is much the same.

    I get disoriented location-wise all the time. I suppose I am blessed with some skills, but knowing where the hell I am is not one of them.

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    1. I think I'd rather have demons Liz, they don't bit and leave itches.

      I am not usually so disoriented, but they are building a huge place on top of where the bowling alley was and it doesn't look at all the same.

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  7. I'm not a big caper fan but wifey is. We're battling super lice out here. They are immune from regular treatment.

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    1. As I said, I love them Stephen. Super lice - not sure which is worse them or bed bugs. The lice are with you once you get them, at least the bugs leave you alone during the day.

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  8. I still think I'd give putting the sheets in the microwave for a quick zap. We put hats in the microwave to kill head lice. It's good to know the d earth isn't toxic. These bugs have consume your life in a most terrible way, Jo. It's awful. The doctor does look young. I find that all the time these days. Same with policemen.

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    1. Sorry for all the errors in that comment. My keyboard is sticky.

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    2. Didn't think of sheets in the microwave. I wonder how long you would give them? You are right about them consuming our lives Pinky. I am a wreck at the moment and can't think of anything else. When I was a kid they always used to say when policeman look young to you, you are getting old. Sticky keyboard, stop eating jam when typing.

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  9. Speaking of bed bugs I was bit by the space bug. The only difference is mine was a friendly which got me hooked on Star Trek. Its a pity yours is giving you grief.

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    1. There is more difference than that Spacerguy. But yes, I wish mine were space oriented or that I could send them all out into space.

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  10. You're right, he is Doogie Houser. It almost looks like you are doing some witch thing to get rid of these nasty critters. As long as you don't chant around the bed, all should be good:)

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    1. Maybe chanting round the bed and doing some voodoo might get rid of the damned things Birgit.

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  11. I love old houses. I could poke around them all day. I just wouldn't want to live in one. When it comes to that, I'm a modern girl all day. =)

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    1. I lived in a Queen Anne house in England Leandra. Beautiful place.

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