Spoiled.

Jim and I have made it a goal this year to make things from scratch rather than purchase store made items or premixed packets. Already we have discovered Hollandaise sauce is even better homemade- even if it is curdled, mashed potatoes are easy to make (neither of us could believe we ever used potato flakes), and that butter makes everything better.

High on recent successes I channeled my inner Martha and decided to make Huntie some homemade "Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers." They were incredibly easy to make and Hunter enjoyed being allowed to lick the spoon for once.

Hunter seemed impressed with my skills:


(Full disclosure, we are working very hard to keep him off the counters... I may have let him stay up just a moment so I could snap this shot- he was then scolded. And, for the record, he is getting much better at staying down.)

The finished goods:




Hunter is spoiled.

Not to be outdone by my baking, Jim prepared fresh caught walleye, opting to use no recipe and create his own masterpiece.... I might just be spoiled too.

An Ode to the Stormy Kromer

Jim and I just received probably the greatest gifts ever:

Stormy Kromers.

Our heads are now warm and ready to walk Hunter till his heart's content.

Thanks Mom and Dad!

If.....

Dear Fellow Residents of South Haven,

If you don't shovel your sidewalks do I still have to pick up my dog's poo in your yard?

Or, does it cancel out?

Because, I don't mind picking up after him- I signed up for it when I got a dog.

But, I do mind walking through three feet of snow, or in the street because you neglected your responsibility.

Didn't you sign up to be responsible for your property when you purchased a home? (Or a second home in some of your cases....)

Thanks for giving it some thought.

Signed,

A Responsible Resident

Reflections on Zumba

Tuesday was night one of Zumba. I had no real clue what Zumba was all about going into it, I just thought an hour hanging out with some friends sounded fun.

When the Tuesday actually arrived, I questioned if I really wanted to go and made excuses for myself.

In the end I didn't want to be a quitter on the first day so I went.

Class is held at my company's world headquarters in an auditorium. To get there you have to walk by all these beautiful kitchen models. My hunger was growing. Next week I will remember, snacks before workouts are a must.

My friends and I secured spots in the back so no one could see us try to keep up. As class began we looked around to see most of the class was much older than us... and kicking our butts in following the "easy to follow" Zumba moves. I was reminded why Jim and I failed at ballroom dancing- I HAVE NO RHYTHM

Hunter Loses His Manhood

Hunter's castration was yesterday. Castration is the clinical term per the vet. The vet instructed us he could not eat after six or drink water after ten Wednesday, the night before his surgery.

We decided to take him to doggy daycare Wednesday and get him really worn out so he would not be super wound up AND unable to eat.

When I went to pick him up from doggy day care I was greeted by the owner with, "Boy, are we glad to see you!" It seems that young Hunter was the "hyper child" at doggy day care. He was so rambunctious he was put in the quite room for the last hour of his day.

This should have been a warning sign.

Thursday Jim dropped Hunter off for the castration on his way to work and I picked him up after work. Hunter was very un-Hunter like. He was quite, he was cuddly and he was sleepy.

This should have been another warning sign.

About nine o'clock last night Hunter awoke. He was playful, happy and ready to play. Of course, we were instructed by the vet to keep him calm. For two weeks Hunter is supposed to adhere to these rules:

No running.

No fetch.

Only outside on leash.

No jumping.

No stairs.

No frolicking in the snow. (The incision is to stay dry.)

I assumed when the vet told me all this that Hunter would be down on energy and enthusiasm for a few days while recovering from major surgery.

I was wrong.

Within three hours of waking up all but two of the vets mandates had been broken... Several times. I don't know how we are going to keep Hunter calm for the next two weeks so he doesn't pull out his stitches or get infected. Things are about to get real interesting on Lee Street. Heaven help us.

The Lake Effect Continues

We are up to three feet. One foot of that fell today between 9 am and 3 pm.

It continues to snow. Good thing we have a dog breed in Newfoundland. Here, he demonstrates his extreme cold tolerance by frolicing on a frozen puddle:


Jim has taken up a mean game of fetch with Hunter... he makes snowballs and poor Hunter tries to "go get it." Poor Huntie! When not being tormented by Jim, Hunter likes to climb to the top of the snow mound and scope it all out:


The extreme cold and snow is encouraging both Jim and me to make plans to look forward to. Jim just booked a trip to Colorado to go skiing and I just booked a trip to NYC to visit Liz. I have never been and am beyond excited!

Tomorrow night I start my first week of Zumba, I hope I make it to week two!

Lake Effect Snow is No Joke

We received at least a foot of Lake Effect over night last night on top of the over a foot we already had from yesterday's snow. Poor Hunter can't help but get covered in snow. Good thing he likes it.