Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Vermin!

I've spent a lot of time in the last couple of days admiring my achievements of last week. My lovely new medal (which looks a lot like my Melbourne medal from last year apart from a new ribbon) and my shining, clean pantry. It's been so fun that I've almost thought of putting a hook on the pantry door to hang my medal and I can kill two birds with one stone.

But a s great as it is to dwell on past glories, it's important to keep moving forward. So I tackled another job that I'd been putting off for a long time. Actually, I'd been putting my head in the sand about it hoping it would just go away.

A few years back Sam was given a beautiful set of knives for his 21st birthday. And, wanting to take good care of them, he bought a knife block. This way they wouldn't have to mingle with the inferior knives in my cutlery draw. But this knife block has been the bane of my existence. Every time I clean the kitchen bench I find gritty black bits under it. I'd wipe them away and the very next day they'd be back. And I really didn't give any thought as to what could be causing those bits of grit ... until Monday.


On Monday I decided to take action. I saw a cockroach disappear under the knife block and finally worked out what those bits of grit were. I had some insecticide and I wasn't afraid to use it. That cockroach's days were numbered.

I pulled out the knives and sprayed up the knife holes and what I discovered still makes me shiver with disgust. There was a whole village of cockroaches living in that knife block and I'd effectively performed genocide. Cockroaches of all shapes and sizes crawled gasping from their previously safe haven only to be sprayed directly and die an ugly, painful death in my kitchen sink.


Another successful mission completed. Maybe I should mount one of the cockroach corpses next to my medal on the pantry door - as a reminder to me of a very good week and a warning to all cockroaches.

Yes, this is the same kitchen that all my baking gets done in but before you gag in revulsion, I have some very stringent rules in place so no vermin ever gets baked into a cupcake. Firstly I upturn all of my cake pans so any little bits of grit all out and then I do a visual check to make sure. And really, when people see my cupcakes, cockroaches are the last thing they're thinking of.

I found a really great icing recipe on Pinterest the other week and had to give it a go. It claimed to be the smoothest, creamiest buttercream ever. And it really was so I'm going to share it with all of you.

340g butter (room temperature)
4 1/2 cups of powdered/icing sugar
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat the butter until it's white. This will take 7-10 minutes. Then mix in the other ingredients in two batches. And beat until fully combined and creamy. Simple and easy.

I used the one batch to decorate 30 cupcakes and two other cakes so it makes quite a lot. And I stored some of it in the fridge for a couple of days before bringing it out to decorate the other cakes. Once I'd beaten it up again  it was just as good as it had been fresh.  


            

My mission to do another marathon started yesterday at speed. Coach Chris has been starting the session 10 minutes earlier and it's amazing just how much extra torture he can fit in those additional ten minutes. It was 800m reps yesterday. Oh joy of joys!! The only nice thing I can say is that I like them better than 1500m reps. I managed 8 reps in the time frame all in a fairly even pace of between 4:44 and 4:49/k.

I still haven't had my chat with him but I'm leaning towards the Canberra marathon. Not least because I can enter the marathon but drop down to the half if things aren't going well. One of my squad-mates has sworn that the hills aren't too bad. But he did Comrades so I don't know if he has the same perspective on hills as me. Needless to say - hills will be included on some of my training routes.

I'm just a little excited.

20 comments:

  1. :0
    That was my face... At my desk... At work...
    Creepy crawlies make my skin... Well, crawl LOL
    Glad you won that battle!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I will never, ever buy a knife block, of that you can be sure! Perhaps you should change the name of your blog to "Cupcakes and Critters" or something along those lines?

    Good luck with the marathon plans! that's exciting!

    ReplyDelete
  3. PS: Congratulations as well on all the cleaning you've been busy with - if you need any further inspiration, I've really been having a laugh with this site: http://unfuckyourhabitat.tumblr.com/ Normally I'd warn about the offensive language, but I somehow don't think it will bother you ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. And I thought the 2inch cricket in my stairwell was bad! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aaaaaargh! That picture is DISGUSTING! The cockroaches I mean, the cupcakes are gorgeous as always.

    Thanks God we don't really get cockroaches here...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ick! I hate cockroaches - they give me the heebie jeebies!

    But, the cakes look delicious. And while you are making plans for another marathon, I've decided that I am going to learn how to bake cupcakes. You have inspired me. I will learn how to follow a recipe. I will learn how to follow a recipe. I will...

    ReplyDelete
  7. That's one good thing about Chicago: no roaches cuz it gets too cold.
    Show us your pretty medal!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Okay those cockroaches are just too gross. And what Marcia said. One of the things I love about Vermont is the fact that the cold keeps many many creatures away.

    ReplyDelete
  9. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW I hate cockroaches and I'd have put all those carcasses in your son's bed :P tell him to clean his knife block better :) but I'm not a very nice person....

    Second - I love that cake and the middle cut out, how'd you do that??? I can't wait to make this year Halloween cup cakes. Last year a did dark choc ones with pumpkin buttercream that was divine. I love pumpkin buttercream. I'm going to try this recipe, as I am getting sick of swiss meringue buttercream.

    PS: please teach me how to use fondant!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hate cockies... Bring out the bug spray I say!

    And those cakes - the icing. AMAZING! God! (#thatisall)

    ReplyDelete
  11. FuqRcm [url=http://canadagoosejacketsite.com/]canada goose outlet[/url] BdcJia NfmCvv http://canadagoosejacketsite.com/ QlhGda TdcCbd [url=http://canadagoosejacketclub.com/]canada goose parka[/url] BcoRwn WsoFgz http://canadagoosejacketclub.com/ SvvLjl HavQmz [url=http://canadagooseoutlettoca.com/] canada goose jacket[/url] UogXtg XthYwh http://canadagooseoutlettoca.com/ VfoOei HlsDkr [url=http://canadagoosesalehome.com/] canada goose parka[/url] UhgMjd MlaBks http://canadagoosesalehome.com/ YpsZkw

    ReplyDelete
  12. JorAhl [url=http://www.bootsmegasyoppu.com/]UGG オーストラリア[/url] BjzZoo CnpJhi http://www.bootsmegasyoppu.com/ JhnRxv OvgChl [url=http://www.jp-boot.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] UorKux PlqYbn http://www.jp-boot.com/ BaeLwg NosEys [url=http://www.bootskan.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] RwgLuj JevQoa http://www.bootskan.com/ LbzWbc ZgoZcq [url=http://www.toryburchse-ru.com/]トリーバーチ 財布[/url] ZljExe XdnGek http://www.toryburchse-ru.com/ TygJgu JuhWoc [url=http://www.jpshoesbuy.com/]ugg ブーツ[/url] UwhNce HhxGlm http://www.jpshoesbuy.com/ QegPql SttQio [url=http://www.timberlandtop.com/]Timberland[/url] AnnBvl UhxGzi http://www.timberlandtop.com/ VdmWeq

    ReplyDelete
  13. KsjWqe [url=http://canadagoosejacketsite.com/]canada goose[/url] YokFgg TtwJth http://canadagoosejacketsite.com/ WlrKna RfgMfq [url=http://canadagoosejacketclub.com/]canada goose parka[/url] TnjDyt KcaJdo http://canadagoosejacketclub.com/ AlhXdr OzvShy [url=http://canadagooseoutlettoca.com/]canada goose[/url] SziEwa SvjPjs http://canadagooseoutlettoca.com/ TsaMpr UjnGlm [url=http://canadagoosesalehome.com/] canada goose jackets[/url] NtyJtz LulDel http://canadagoosesalehome.com/ IvtEmc

    ReplyDelete
  14. CsfExu [url=http://cheapggboots.com/] cheap uggs[/url] UlvXxr OxlFmj http://cheapggboots.com/ YikXnr BczOsk [url=http://parka2013.com/] canada goose jackets[/url] OdpDmd XqcRlw http://parka2013.com/ OoaSsn JggVld [url=http://cagoosehome.com/]canada goose jackets[/url] QcgLah KnsByx http://cagoosehome.com/ XoeFsv BgrCgc [url=http://jackets-2012.com/] Canada Goose Parka[/url] KfaOuz YdgOeh http://jackets-2012.com/ WmiLle YheXhx [url=http://gooseoutlet2013.com/]Canada Goose Outlet[/url] ZycSxn CycPmp http://gooseoutlet2013.com/ EnhBtv HotIrm [url=http://jacketsca.com/]canada goose jackets[/url] EpaXlf OhcNmp http://jacketsca.com/ DxpTst

    ReplyDelete
  15. FchCqv [url=http://www.bootsmegasyoppu.com/]UGG オーストラリア[/url] SrtDmi JcaCbg http://www.bootsmegasyoppu.com/ ZvwGem UdlUkp [url=http://www.jp-boot.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] RmoWcz MowQku http://www.jp-boot.com/ UsiZky JycVic [url=http://www.bootskan.com/]アグ ブーツ[/url] LxjSni FlvTjt http://www.bootskan.com/ UqcPog NgrZxp [url=http://www.bootsalejp.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] XfhUpc ScwFkh http://www.bootsalejp.com/ GxkVqx ExjApq [url=http://www.bootgg.com/]UGG ブーツ[/url] IkpGox PyfAdi http://www.bootgg.com/ KwyDqn LpxPgg [url=http://www.bootskawaii.com/]アグ オーストラリア[/url] QytQap JheEyx http://www.bootskawaii.com/ NgzJub

    ReplyDelete
  16. SrkQwc [url=http://jakkerdk2013.com/]canada goose jakke[/url] LofOzl DesNft http://jakkerdk2013.com/ TjkSrg IepQyf [url=http://goosejakkertono.com/] Canada Goose Parka[/url] MzaBvg JdaFxs http://goosejakkertono.com/ ChiCue BynTyx [url=http://gooseoutletweb.com/] goose outlet[/url] MdoMmn UwrMmx http://gooseoutletweb.com/ LdkTwy RtxPlf [url=http://jakkerparkadk.com/] canada goose[/url] JpoWtq DymXzw http://jakkerparkadk.com/ SdjPpg JfeEks [url=http://canadagoosenorwayhome.com/] canada goose norge[/url] VlgTvu BhqEdr http://canadagoosenorwayhome.com/ OnlOtj CxmWhf [url=http://gooseparkasite.com/]Canada Goose Parka[/url] VkcLug UbbLxd http://gooseparkasite.com/ WniJhl

    ReplyDelete
  17. QcsXlf [url=http://ukbootshopon.com/]cheap ugg boots[/url] NtsPcj http://ukbootshopon.com/

    ReplyDelete
  18. GsvOpv [url=http://ukbootshopon.com/]ugg boots ebay[/url] LysPjj http://ukbootshopon.com/

    ReplyDelete
  19. TwrIir [url=http://ukbootshopon.com/]office ugg boots[/url] UcqWbu http://ukbootshopon.com/

    ReplyDelete
  20. neuten [url=http://canada-goose-sales.ca]Canada Goose Sale[/url] ucayih http://canada-goose-sales.ca ievhtt [url=http://canadagooseoutletss.com]Canada Goose[/url] nbtzlq http://canadagooseoutletss.com ltwxwi [url=http://salecanadagooseoutlet.ca]Canada Goose Jacket[/url] hbdend http://salecanadagooseoutlet.ca nzsdos [url=http://mycanadagoose-canada.com]Canada Goose[/url] ppytww http://mycanadagoose-canada.com lmhdlx [url=http://salecanadagoose-outlets.com]Canada Goose sale[/url] xrwjoy http://salecanadagoose-outlets.com gqznxf [url=http://salecanaadagoosejackets.ca]Canada Goose[/url] nzeyuu http://salecanaadagoosejackets.ca nduxlc

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to comment. I love hearing from you.