Autu-WINTER

Last night we were getting ready to go over to my mother-in-law’s house to celebrate Diwali. We stepped out into the the little foyer area, with the dogs all leashed up and ready to go, “Weird, it sounds like its raining”, opened the door, “…..crap.” It was pouring.

So we rang Pramila and asked her to cab it over to us instead. No problem! Disappointed dogs soon forgot their disappointment as we played fetch and roughoused with them for 10 minutes until she arrived. Food was ordered, candles lit, dogs providing the entertainment as usual. We ate some delicious (though more chili-y than usual, won’t be ordering that dish again!) curry and drank some yummy Chardonnay.

Later, I pulled the curtain back to let the dogs out and saw something like this, only with big fat falling flakes.

It was surprising enough that it was snowing in late October (didn’t snow at all until January last year), but even more shocking that it actually stuck overnight, as I took this photo this morning! (See Toby back there? I know, I really need a new camera.)

So uh, happy winter everybody! *grumbles*

***EDIT*** This was the first time London had seen snow in October since 1934!

The Sterilisation of Sadie Sue

I’ll preface this post, as a disclaimer perhaps, by saying that while Ush and I might seem like over-indulgent, hyper-concerned “parents” and though we refer to these two as our “kids” – rest assured we are NOT those dog owners. We do realise they are, in fact, dogs, and we treat them as such in all the ways that matter.

Now then!

Toby was neutered when he was about 7 months old. On the morning we dropped him off, the vet picked him up, did a little informal exam, laughed at how teeny Toby’s nads were, and said – no problem, this will be an easy one!

Sure enough, Toby didn’t even need to stay there all day. The vet nurse called me mid-afternoon and said I could come get him. He was awake, had eaten, and was clearly eager to get home!

We knew that neutering a dog was a fairly easy snip-it-and-toss-it kind of procedure. But obviously spaying a female (I don’t like to use the word b*tch even though its not a swear in this case.. The word is just too colloquially derogatory now!) is a lot more complicated, seeing as it’s removing the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the uterus. That’s a lot to take out! So we were much more nervous this time around, and also quite unsure of how Sadie would handle the post-op stage.

We did our research online about how the surgery is done and what sorts of things to expect afterwards and how to handle them. We collected a very dazed and slow-moving Sadie that evening, and came home laden with after-care instructions, pain pills, and the dreaded Elizabethan collar!

We nervously put the collar on her straight away, as she swayed with droopy eyes, and then laid her in her bed to rest.

An hour or so later, it became very apparent that this arrangement was not going to work. She couldn’t eat with it on, and I hated to see her so uncomfortable after what she had just been through. I took it off of her so she could eat and, since she was making no move to lick the incision site, I just kept it off. She was, however, using her back legs to scratch her belly o either side of the stitches, and a cone was obviously not going to stop that.

So, I consulted the internet again for ideas. And sure enough – how silly that I didn’t think of it myself – a tshirt! Head through the head hole, front legs through the arm holes, and tied up at the back, just in front of the back legs.

And let me tell you, Sadie is one tolerant little doggy! She always has been really, probably do to with living her first year of life with a grabby 5-year old child. But every new experience (riding on the tube, on a train, walking through forest, on the beach, getting hit by waves, navigating through crowded public areas) she has taken in stride, without nervousness or fear, completely trusting that it will be okay. And this was no exception! She was quite happy to wear the tshirt, as you are about to see, and it has worked an absolute treat!

Her shirt yesterday said “Tough Guys Wear Pink”. Today she’s wearing a red one (shorter sleeves, we kept having to roll those up yesterday) with the Superman logo on it.

Oh, and notice how Ush said, “Where’s Steph?! Go to Steph!”? (You’re not going to get away with that here, love.) He blatantly just said that for the camera… He normally always refers to me as “Mummy” when talking to them, as I do with calling him “Daddy”…

Anyway. In the wise words of Bob Barker, “Help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered.” And use a tshirt instead of that horrible lampshade/cone thing!

I so have to get Chips and Dips on there

Upside Down Dogs!

I fed my family for a fiver

In actual fact, I spent about £50 on groceries tonight, but that’s because, obviously, I did the shopping for a week-plus.  But tonight’s meal was enough for four people (our dinners tonight and our lunches tomorrow) and the ingredients did indeed only cost £5.  So really, I fed my family (meaning me and Ush ) for only £2.50!

This campaign, a la Jamie Oliver and Sainsbury’s, is a brilliant idea in light of the credit crunch (I’m getting super tired of that phrase, by the way; it’s tossed around constantly.  That and ‘our current economic climate’.)
It’s a useful plan for people to continue to eat healthily on a budget rather than defaulting to cheap and easy ready-meals.

I happen to love it because my menu for the week is now sorted and it makes me branch out to try cooking simple things I’ve never made before.

Tonight we had the ham+cheddar+basil frittata.  Now, as far as I understand it, this is basically a quiche but without the pastry base.  That fact alone made me more than a little dubious because I had an awful quiche once that put me off of them altogether.  But the ingredient list seemed nice and colorful, and I figured if I seasoned it well enough, it couldn’t be all bad.

It was fabulous!!  Firstly, it was easy to prepare.  It was essentially just a matter of chopping things, and putting it all together in a pan for awhile, then sticking that pan under the grill for another little while.
Secondly, it was colorful.  I like food to be colorful because that usually means it has a wider variety of vitamins for your body’s enjoyment.
Thirdly, and bestly, it actually tasted good!!!

So I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself this evening… Tomorrow I think I’ll try cottage pie with mustard mash.  And, just a warning, you’ll probably hear about it if I do

Food for Thought: A big ol’ political sandwich

I came across this blog, back when I posted at Xanga, via the Relevant magazine blogring, and have been a subscriber ever since.  (In fact, he’s one of three of my subscriptions who ever posts there anymore.  Everyone else has moved elsewhere or, more commonly, quit blogging altogether.)  Anyway! I’ve always enjoyed his funny stories and his thought-provoking discussions about life and faith.

Semi-recently, he relayed some questions that someone recently asked him, and invited readers to share how they might respond:

1. Can a Christian be a Democrat?
2. Are all Democrats “baby killers”?
3. Must all Christians be Republicans?

The first person to comment mentioned an article/interview with best-selling author Donald Miller, (Blue Like Jazz is the only one of his that I’ve read), who is currently campaigning with Obama’s “Faith, Family, and Values Tour”.

It’s really well worth a read.   Though I try to stay out of political debate as much as possible, meaning I may not ‘do my homework’ as much as others do, I have to say that quite a few of Miller’s comments and opinions resonated with a lot of my gut feelings about various election issues. And the last paragraph says it all.

And that’s all I’ll say about that.

Too much thinking for a lazy Saturday

I’m in one of those moods this afternoon – thinking thoughts that I can’t necessarily put into words (oh that I could!), but wanting to share nonetheless.

Various people in various stages of life have come across my proverbial path today and it has led me to consider their lives in comparison to mine, as you do… I end up marveling at the differences that make us all unique, the different journeys we’re all doing our best to navigate.

A friend who I hadn’t spoken to in awhile was telling me about her recent split from her no-good husband (who is now a much better dad to their two children than he’s ever been before) and her new beau and how happy she is these days, feeling like her life is fuller than she’s imagined it could be.

And another set of friends who are experiencing sorrow at the loss of a relative and incredible joy as their son has just started walking.

And another set of friends who recently were burgled and lost quite a few expensive possessions, including electronics and jewelry. Their grief and anger must be so profound. I was distraught for at least a week when someone stole my handbag… but to have someone actually break into your home?! The violation and vulnerability they must feel, not to mention anger as I said.

So I’m thinking of all these things…. all the while my husband and I spent the morning playing Guitar Hero, playing with the dogs, and generally enjoying a beautiful day in our fantastic home with very little to worry about. I watched Mary Poppins on tv while Ush gave the doggies’ fur a trim (and even vacuumed it up when he was done!).

We are just so fortunate. (*knocks on wood*) We’re healthy, we aren’t being hit by the credit crunch, we have a lovely place to live, good jobs that we enjoy (as much as one CAN enjoy work! ), and we have an ever-strengthening relationship and a little family that we adore.

Part of me is tempted, amidst all this wonderfulness, to brace myself for a fall!! But that’s no way to live..

Que sera sera… When life gives you lemons… Life is like a box of chocolates… And to quote Mary Poppins, a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!
I just mean that I feel like we’re equipped to handle whatever may come, but we’re not going to fear the worst in the meantime. Life is good.

Neither can live while the other survives

I finished The Order of the Phoenix. (*quivers with the amazingness*)

A man at the station today asked me how I walk and read at the same time, to which I replied “Very carefully!” But that’s the mark of a really good book, isn’t it?! One that keeps you so captivated, that you must read in every spare minute you’re able.

Sometimes it frustrates me that I can’t put stuff into words as adequately, wonderfully, exquisitely as so many others can. But on the other hand, I get to read their words and just marvel. Which I really quite enjoy, so I’m not complaining all that much.

(PS – I may or may not have, out of laziness and an attempt to make my husband laugh, tried in vain to reach the remote control on the coffee table and so cried out, “Accio remote!” It didn’t work, of course… cuz I didn’t have my wand with me.)

The clock says 00:00

… and I really should be going to bed, but I am committed to you, dear readers, though it may not seem like it these days.

I just wanted to throw down some updates for you, and I promise to make a return to regular blogging soon(ish).

• Harry Potter Update. Currently reading The Order of the Phoenix. I started it on Thursday, and I’m currently on page 746 of 956. (Yeah, thisn’s a whopper.) AND I LOVE IT. Harry is so a moody teenager at times, which I can’t stand, but I still love it.
• One great thing about this time of year is the new fall line up. Heroes, Dexter, Dirty Sexy Money, My Name is Earl, and did I mention Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice?!?! *drools with glee*
• One crappy thing about this time of year is the whole getting dark earlier thing. And the raining. (Ok, that’s two things.)
• I booked a flight for the good old Midwest for Christmas… I fly out on Christmas day (how weird will that be) and stay til Sunday 4th Jan. I want to see as many people that I love as possible.
• Back in early June, we bought Guitar Hero as a bday present for a good friend’s 30th. His brother had given it to him the day before. We didn’t return it, we just left it unopened. Finally, last weekend, we opened it. And became hooked.
• Ush and I are traveling to Birmingham in a few weeks because Ush was nominated for a national award – Trainer of the Year. *so proud*
• The weekend before that, we’ll be taking the dogs and heading down to the south coast and the blissful little town of Seaford to celebrate our second anniversary. We went there last year and enjoyed it so much, figured we may as well go again.

And, I leave you with one final comment:- the new Kings of Leon album? Awesome. I suggest you procure it.