One Night Only - The Bloody Captain goes Vegan!

I took the garbage out at 6:00. It had rained during the night (it was 44 degrees F at that time of the morning). The snow had all melted, but my driveway was a sheet of ice! I quickly got onto the grass so I didn't fall on my butt.

Then it was off to work and then back. We've got a Winter Weather Advisory out. It's supposed to be rain tonight, turning to snow (1-3 inches) and all the thawed water from today's high of 44 degrees F turning to ice as the temps plummet to 15 degrees F. overnight. All that, combined with high winds (25 mph sustained, with gusts up to 45 mph)!!

So, I get home and fill the bird feeder (figuring tomorrow will be too bad to get out there). Then I start a load of laundry (a day early).

I decide to clean the drip pans and the grates from my stove (its way past time) so, I get the portable drill and put on the wire brush attachment. I remove the right side and, at the laundry tub, use "soft scrub" as the cleaning agent and the drill as the power and get all the gunk off. I take it into the kitchen and use a Brillo pad on it, and then the normal pad with dish detergent to finish it off. A good rinse in hot water and I reassemble, and then move onto the left side.

Problem! The battery operated drill dies before I finish. So, I used a Brillo pad on the drip tray and give up entirely on the grates. I reassemble and start my dinner.

I have a whole tray of button mushrooms that I need to use up and a head of cauliflower that needs attention, too. So, first, I core the head of cauliflower, using my chef knife. Somewhere during that operation, I slip and the knife slashes a two-inch gash in the base of my left thumb.

I tried a regular bandage (well, okay, I used three) before I realized they were too small to help. So, I got out the big guns and slapped one on my wound. Then I went back to work. It did dawn on me the last time I cut myself was coring a cauliflower head with my paring knife. Coincidence? I think not! I must be doing something wrong!

So, the cauliflower went into a pot with salted water. Then I fine-diced two shallots and put them in a frying pan with olive oil and butter. I took the whole tray of button mushrooms and cut them up, all about 1/4 inch thick. Those went into the frying pan on medium heat to saut�.

I stopped and went into the office to update this at 8:00 PM. Then I fixed a plate and went to watch some TV. I did check the results of the Florida primary and neither my Democrat nor Republican favorite won.

I went to bed at 11:00 PM. I woke up once to go to the bathroom and heard a weird sound (like the furnace blower was on steroids). I finally figured out it was the wind! I took the opportunity to visit each window on the West side of the house and feel for drafts, but couldn't find any. Pleased, I went back to bed.