Archive for ‘May, 2013’

Back to sunshine

Yesterday started with snow and a temperature of 34F.

But it ended with sunshine and a temperature of 52F.

Mr. Bob had another ear check at the vet. An internist is being consulted as although Bob is certainly improving, the ear is still very messy and obviously we haven’t kicked the infection…or the wobbles. The eardrum has healed, though and I think Bob is hearing a little bit. He is getting around easier, eating and drinking normally and interested in life with Bear and me – AND enjoying the sun when it is out.

The sun that followed the snow also brought the first lupin blooms in the woods. Last year’s lupins were a bit feeble due to the very wet spring. So far, it looks like there will be a bumper crop this year. I love the lupins!

And as I write this, it is Friday morning before a hopefully short work day and a 3 day weekend for which I have no – nada – zilch in the way of “have to do items”. Depending on the weather at any given moment there are bits of things I can do outside and inside or I might just putter in the kitchen or read or snuggle with Bob and Bear.

Happy Friday!

Jicama and Barbeque Chicken Chopped Salad

Jicama (He-ca-ma).

I recently saw jicama described as a cross between an apple and a potato. I’m not sure that makes it sound appetizing, but it does have the texture of something like that. The flavor is a bit reminiscent of mild apple. Bottom line, it is sweet and crunchy.

In 1985, California Pizza Kitchen’s first location opened in Beverly Hills. I think it was a bit later as they rapidly opened other locations, that I had my first CPK pizza. I don’t know that they were the first place to offer wood-fired specialty pizzas, but it was certainly my first experience and I was hooked. I can’t remember my favorite but somewhere along the line I had their Barbeque Chicken Chopped Salad and that was that.

Although I wasn’t making near as much from scratch as I do now, I had discovered the pleasure of good ingredients and of experimenting with the variety of fresh fruit and vegetables available in California markets. The menu noted that jicama was in the salad and by process of elimination, I knew it to be the small, white cubes of sweet crunchiness.

I relied on CPK visits to meet my cravings for Barbeque Chicken Chopped Salad until I left California.

I think I’ve made a version of the salad off and on but nothing like this weekend’s which was a rousing success!

From the tortilla strips made from my own homemade tortillas to a homemade barbecue sauce based on Simply Scratch’s Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe to my own homemade mayonnaise & buttermilk herb dressing…

Everything fresh.

The original recipe uses a mix of romaine and iceberg, but I had “just out of the ground” spring lettuces from the Bigfork Farmer’s Market.

My salad looks a lot greener than CPK’s, but taste-wise I had no complaints and had to stop myself from a THIRD helping!

It was an excellent salad. It was better than my memory of the CPK version. It will be made again!

And contrary to the forecasts, our weather has been more blue sky and sunny than cool and rainy.

They keep saying this will change and typically it is cool and rainy for Memorial Day. But until it does, Bob, Bear and I have been outside whenever possible.

Sunday morning

Saturday was off and on drizzly with off and on brilliant sun breaks – the week looks to continue the same. Today dawned misty and drippy. It is the kind of gray that makes the new grass and foliage almost glow.

Bob and I shared the morning quiet on the front porch. I think Bob is hearing a bit and is slightly less wobbly. We finished the premium antibiotic yesterday and proceed with a lower dose ear drop. Bob is looking more himself and generally more comfortable – yea!

Bear manned the lookout on Beardog Point before joining us for a treat near the front porch.

Puddle water is the best! There are 5 water bowls between the front porch and various venues in the house – full of sweet, clean well water…but puddles are always first choice when available.

Beth, a friend and blog reader – and family are in the area on vacation this week and stopped for a visit yesterday bringing with them a gift of baby herbs to start my 2013 herb garden. Woo-hoo – and Beth must be a bit clairvoyant as she brought all herbs I wanted to try this year: cilantro, sage, oregano (!!- this is a new cooking favorite), lemon thyme and my must-have basil.

A beautiful Sunday morning.

And so it goes

The good news is that yesterday’s vet visit for a progress check on Bob’s ear infection showed that Bob’s ear drum is already healing. Dr. Clark (and me, too!) was happily surprised.

Also, the ears continue draining. As Dr. Clark noted: “Lots of good ear snot!”. (My apologies if you were eating something when you read that). At any rate, a lot of stuff is coming out, but when Bob shakes his head, it still sounds kind of liquid-y so we have a ways to go.

The wobblies continue. BUT! – Bob is eating and drinking normally. He was having some trouble getting in and out of the litter box so his bathroom corner has been converted to an indoor sandbox on the floor and he is negotiating that fine.

Fortunately, Bob has never been fussy about what kind of box or what kind of litter. He stopped, looked a minute and then apparently recognized the litter and that was that.

He has been sleeping in his house aka my photo light box – a short trip to his food and the sandbox. Tomorrow, when he is out of it, I am going to take the door out and replace it with the foam mattress pad for a softer surface for him.

Other good news is that Dr. Clark said the dryer vent venue was not to blame for the ear infection, so I moved Bob’s bed back there. It is a sunny spot in the morning and a guy needs a sunny spot to close his eyes and stop the world from spinning.

Our mid-May heat wave came to an end and we are ramping up for our typically cool and rainy Memorial Day weekend. But along with the cool and cloudy, there have also been some sun breaks and very comfortable 60F daytime temps and blue sky. It is perfect for getting yard work done and I am happy that I found some nice people to do mine! I am still pretty sore and I am not a stoic, “just power through it” kind of girl. Nosirree!!! When the going gets tough, I hire help :) !

Bear continues to do very well. We are walking a lot and he has gained confidence being a bit further from me so we have opportunities for him to run and build muscle. His gate and stance look very good.

Below…another exciting Video by Liz. Bob IS a “just power through it” kind of guy and despite the wobbles, determined to make his rounds. I follow and when it seems like he’s had enough, he gets a ride home.

Bob Unbalanced from Liz Summers on Vimeo.

Monday’s drama, Tuesday’s sang-froid

Mondays have had a bit of drama lately.

Bear in mind that life here at the family Summers tends towards the quiet and VERY non-eventful, so a “bit of drama”…well, all is relative, Yes?

Still.

This week’s Monday drama started between 3 and 4:00 a.m. with a bit of throw up from Mr. Bob.

That is not usually a drama kind of thing except that we are dealing with the ear infection and medications… BUT, it was a one time thing and did not seem like the last week’s throw up thing related to the drug.

As I was cleaning up and watching…Bob was walking kind of funny. He was walking and then kind of stumbling…like he’d had one too many. I put 2 and 2 together: ear infection and stumbling??? – balance issue with inner ear.

This conclusion made me concerned about the steps he negotiates to get to his food.

At 3:30ish a.m. on Monday morning, I dismantled the door/sawhorse arrangement that held Bob’s food, water and “house”/photo light box.

Everything important to Bob on one low level.

We start Monday with a lack of sleep (me!), a wonky sense of balance (Bob!) and a “so what’s up with you guys?” (Bear) – frame of mind.

Emails and phone calls with the vet.

Ultimately all progressing well…ears are draining – GOOD! Short term ramification of the draining is the balance issue and little or no hearing.

Monday evening.

The forecast thunderstorms missed us.

The forecast wind did not!

The rearranging of Bob’s table, lack of sleep = aggravation of my rib stuff.

I hired help for cleanup and various grounds keeping stuff. Not my favorite chore(s) anyway, so oh, Yes!!!

Tuesday.

I kept Bob in on Monday. The wobblies, lack of hearing – they seemed like a risk for wandering about outside. But, after the wind, etc., the air was clear, the sun was warm and he wanted out.

I thought some sun would be a good thing but I didn’t want him wandering in the woods when he wasn’t hearing and not 100% footing-wise.

He mostly likes the front porch so we reached a compromise.

Baby monitor that I used with Bear post-op.

Mr. Bob…enjoying the sunshine under the watchful eye of the baby monitor.

From Monday drama to Tuesday sang-froid: Perfect.