Archive for ‘May, 2013’

Bob’s good news

It’s Thursday and like the past several weeks, Bob went to the vet.

But today was for xrays to look at the inner ear bone pockets (there is an official name which I can’t remember) – to see if there was fluid and gunk. If so, a surgery was set for Monday to open, drain and culture whatever it was, via openings under the chin. Yuck.

The good news is the xrays showed the bone pockets absolutely clear!

Dr. Clark then used a teeny catheter to extract what gunk he could from the middle-outer ear and see if it grows something that can be identified and targeted. He also did another even more thorough flush while Bob was sedated. Meanwhile we will continue on the drops but no surgery and most likely another round of whatever antibiotic is indicated by the culture.

The light box/cat house has been officially turned into Bob’s cat cave.

When we arrived home from today’s ordeal Bob got a drink, followed me out to the garage as I was unloading Bear and a few groceries, followed me back inside, got a bite to eat, used his litter box and then went to bed and started cleaning up.

The cleaning up is a great sign. When he was the most ill, he just didn’t. That he did today, so soon after sedation – wonderful!

AND, I think he is hearing more after the cleanout!

He’s still a bit wobbly but that could be the sedative.

“Srsly. Another trip to the vet and it is “to the moon” for you. But, I’ll have a bit more of that salmon, please.”

Srsly, Bob. I would be very pleased, as would my VISA card, if we didn’t have to go to the vet for awhile :) !!

Together

It was almost a year and a half before I felt comfortable with Bob and Bear together. I made peace with the fact that it might never happen and I was doubly unsure whether it would ever be comfortable out of the house.

That Bear, Bob and I can be all together outside…with the split screen allowing all of us to go in and out as we please…to just relax in this beautiful, quiet place together – I am so pleased that we are able to do that.

Rhubarb Chutney

I’ve lived in the north Flathead Valley of Northwest Montana for 19 1/2 years. This past Memorial Day weekend was only the third that had sunshine and OMG! – there was sun ALL THREE DAYS!!

And the temperature was in my personal range of perfection: mid-60’s.

Bear, Bob and I enjoyed being outside a good part of all three days. I puttered about doing some yard chores, potting my herbs, cleaning the Jeep, cleaning Wild Thing (motorhome), some minor maintenance chores on both vehicles – all alternating with sitting on the front porch with a cup of coffee, tea or glass of wine.

It was mah-ve-lous!!

It was SO marvelous that I’m thinking of taking the entire 4th of July week – or at least the 4th and 5th – off to do a similar amount of nearly nothing.

But, I digress.

Monday morning, I picked rhubarb. I ended up with slightly less than a cup after cleaning and chopping.

I searched recipes with rhubarb and settled on a chutney which I adapted to the following:

1 cup rhubarb
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup currants
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves

Combine all, boil and then simmer until thickened – stirring frequently. SO easy and my house smelled wonderful.

A side note about some chalkboard labels and stakes. I first found the garden stakes: ceramic with a chalkboard glaze – so much fun for the herb pots! Those have been working so when I noticed the labels and wine charms, I bought a quantity of those also. The labels are particularly useful in that I can date items and have my own private “use by” date system. Much better than the sniff and guess method. Both items were found on Etsy.

Onward.

I intended to make a stir fry to test the chutney but ended making a pizza topped with thin sliced mozzerella, carmelized sweet onion and some grilled chicken. I added some goat cheese and the chutney after the pizza was ready.

Oh boy – that worked.

A perfect blend of savory-sweet-tangy-hot-cool goodness.

I should get another similar harvest from my little rhubarb patch and another batch of this chutney.

Weather: Valley View 360

I thought to get the view from the valley floor – 360 degrees. Maybe this weekend I will play with video editing software and figure out if there is a way to make things better!

But, here is the “uncut” version.

Better, though – at least in my own personal view…the stills – from a Friday afternoon walk with Bear. We were back in the Jeep just as the first raindrops fell.