The Best Dog Ever and the No Good, Very Bad Day

In September of 2004, we decided that it was time to get a dog.  We knew that we’d only consider a rescue dog and we thought that it would take lots of visits before we found the right dog.  We wanted a puppy as we had two children and we wanted them to “grow up together”.

Our first trip to the Humane Society surprised us, as there was a litter of pups that had been born at the shelter four months earlier.  They had just been released for viewing, because they had been born with fleas, to a neglected, malnourished mother and developed a skin condition, which they were still being treated for all these months later. Two of the litter were left, both of them boys, one looked like a shepherd with sharp, silver eyes and the other looked like a hound, black and tan with soulful brown eyes.  While the silver eyed pup was the more striking of the two, I knew that the brown eyed one was the dog for us.  He was so interested in the children, smelling them, licking them, running into them, playing with them; I knew that this was our dog.

We couldn’t finalize his homecoming until he was given a clean bill of health and had been neutered, but we brought him home on a “trial basis” and gave him his medicine and applied ointment to his skin and made him eat the awful smelling oil that the vet said would help him heal and checked his skin and fell head over heels in love with him.

Less than a month later we were struck with three hurricanes in a row and were left without power for five days.  Five days with a wet, smelly, hound dog…  I had some puppy remorse then, but we got through it.

When Riley was about a year old, we brought him to the groomer and they dropped him off the grooming table and he dislocated his hip.  Through the surgery and the recovery, once again we nursed this dog back to health.

For the next four years, Riley was the most incredible, loving, mush of a dog; the best dog I have ever known.

Last week he got sick.  We didn’t know what was wrong and we didn’t think much of it.  After a couple of days we decided that he needed to go to the vet.  He wasn’t eating and he wouldn’t go to the bathroom, he was listless and even though he seemed to be in good spirits and was wagging his tail, he didn’t want to do anything.  We figured he ate something funny, or worst case scenario had a blockage.

My husband took Riley to the vet this morning and news was worse than we could have imagined.  Riley’s gallbladder had given out.  Just like that.  No rhyme, no reason, his kidneys were shutting down and the vet gave him two days to live.  He told us that Riley was in pain and we decided to do what we thought was best for him.

Jim brought Riley home and we hugged him and held him and pet him and told him how much we loved him and what a good boy he was and we said good-bye and then Jim put him back in the car and brought him back to the vet.  He stayed with him till Riley was gone, and Jim said that he went very peacefully.

I don’t know why this happened and I can barely see through my tears and I can’t imagine coming home to a house without Riley wagging his tail to welcome us. I can’t imagine why we only got to spend five years with this beautiful dog, but even if I knew how it would end, I wouldn’t have missed it.

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How (Not) to Build Business Relationships

Today I went to a local martial arts studio to sign my son up for classes.  I had done my due diligence and checked them out online, looked around for pricing and Googled them to see if anyone was talking about them online.  I couldn’t find anything, but it’s a fairly new studio, so I thought we were ok.

According to their website, they had a special where your first month was $135.00 and included one class a week and your uniform.  I called the studio and spoke to one of the owners at length about their programs and we made an appointment for 4:30 this afternoon.

When I arrived the studio was empty, save for the husband and wife who own the place.  They were very nice and we talked some more. They, about what was expected of the student; I, about what I expected of them.  It seemed that we were in agreement and then they told me that it was $79. a month, with a registration fee of $99, which included the uniform (that they didn’t have in stock) and that we would have to make a commitment of at least six months.  I spoke to Travis about the commitment and he agreed that he would give it the full six months.  We all seemed to be in agreement, even though this was $43 more than I expected, but it’s close to the house and I thought it was worth it. As an aside, at the point where we’re trying to decide on the commitment, a strange dynamic comes into play.  I’m pretty sure the husband was trying to get her to lower the registration fee if we sign up for a year commitment, but she’s having none of it, so 6 months it is.   We started to fill out paperwork and as they’re taking all of my information they decide to inform me that, although they will take a check today, they won’t do business with us unless we agree to allow them do direct debit my account every month.

*insert sound of squealing breaks here*

They obviously know this is going to be an issue, as they’re not very confident in their presentation of it, and they’re right.  It is an issue.

At this point the wife starts to speak to me in a very condescending manner about how to do business (hey, I’m not the one with the empty studio) and the husband starts to talk to me about how I’m on direct debit with my cable company (which I’m not).  I let them know that I don’t give anyone access to any account like that and it’s really a deal breaker.  At this point, they have all my paperwork with name, address, phone number, birthdates, etc.  And I say, “Thank you, but I guess this isn’t a good fit for us, please let me have my paperwork back.”  The wife refuses to give me the paperwork and keeps saying to her husband, “It’s our contract!  It’s our contract!” I guess if I had signed up, they don’t give me a copy of the paper work?? Danger Will Robinson! Danger Will Robinson!

The husband is getting very aggravated now and I see a little more anger than I’m comfortable with (what happened to the control and self discipline that Tae Kwon Do teaches?) and is telling her to throw it out.  She decides to rip off the part with our information on it and give it to me.  At this point, she says “I’m so sorry Travis”, which really pissed me off, but I keep my cool and we leave.

We came home and I made ONE phone call and found another place that is less expensive, with no commitment, will take my checks and has been in business in Ocala for quite a few years.

I guess they’re a better fit for us.

Roasted Cauliflower

I love cauliflower… Raw. Cooked? Not so much. Until this.
Roasted cauliflower is the most delightful treat. A terrific substitute for french fries. The trick is to make sure it’s completely dry. Cut the florets, wash and then either just let them dry in the colander, or pat them dry with a clean towel. Make sure they are completely dry. I have tried to skip this step, but they’re just not as good, they don’t crisp up as nicely if there’s any water.
Once they’re dry, preheat your oven to 400. Put the cauliflower, a couple of tablespoons of EVOO, and a healthy couple of pinches of kosher or sea salt. Using your hands, toss to really combine and then spread out on a foil lined baking sheet in one layer.

Put them in the oven and every ten minutes pull them out, and toss them with a spatula or spoon. Cook until they’re done to your liking (mine was about 30 minutes, but I could have gone another ten.

Let them cool just a bit and then try not to eat them all.

Stuffed Pablanos and Spinach Salad

I was very bad this weekend.  I sort of went on strike.  I do that occasionally, when I’m feeling overwhelmed, overworked and under appreciated.  I take a couple of days off and let everyone pretty much fend for themselves.  My children are at an age where they can fix themselves a frozen pizza, or a can of soup, or a sandwich, so don’t worry about them. They didn’t starve.

On Sunday, Jim was off and we realized that I had a refrigerator full of produce and a pick up the next day, so I really needed to make room in there!  What ensued was the most elegant “clean out the fridge” meal I’ve ever had!  Here’s what we used:

For the salad:
2 bags of baby spinach
2 kirby cucumbers
3 tomatoes
1 red onion
strawberries
raspberries
small bag of chopped walnuts

Assemble and toss in a large bowl.  Cover and refrigerate.

For the dressing:
1 part pomegranate red wine vinegar (whatever red vin. you have is fine)
2 parts extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping spoonful of strawberry preserves (we love Polaner All Fruit)

I always keep an empty screw lid jar handy for dressings.  Put all the ingredients in, cover tightly and shake till combined.  Sometimes, when you use preserves, they take a little work to break up.  I use a whisk to break it up, then cover and shake.  Set aside – this will keep fine on the counter for a couple of hours.

For the peppers:
5 poblano peppers, halved and cleaned
mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
cilantro a nice big handful, chopped
shredded cheese (we had Cracker Barrel sharp cheddar)
Rice (a big pot prepared according to package directions – we used Jasmati rice, 2 cups dry)

Prepare the rice.Here’s the trick to great rice:
Chop a large white onion and a couple of cloves of garlic.  Heat a heavy bottomed pot (that has a lid!), when it’s hot, add some olive oil to the pan, when it ribbons add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is glossy.  Add the rice and stir, when it looks a little like pearls, add your liquid.  I use stock or broth instead of water whenever possible. Let it come to a boil, stir once and lower to simmer, cover and leave it alone!  Seriously, no peeking, no moving, no stirring, nothing.   Follow the timing direction on the package.  That’s it, the big secret to perfect rice every time.

Add the cheese, mushrooms and cliantro to the rice and stir gently till it’s completely combined.  Scoop the rice mixture into the peppers and cook in a preheated oven at 350 till the peppers are a little wrinkled and the rice mixture is a little brown in places.

The peppers were spicier than I expected, but it was a great compliment to the cheesy rice and the fruit in the salad.

Dinner was delicious, and I had a refrigerator with room for Monday’s share of produce!

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