Fish Taco Night!

Finally, I had a chance to take a breather. This past week has been all about studying for a two-part anatomy midterm. I've been studying since last Thursday. The exams went well. I'm just about to dig into studying for next weeks tests- two quizzes and a chemistry midterm exam. But for tonight, after taking Cookie to her puppy training class, I actually had time to cook some real food! On the menu, we had blackened spicy tilapia fish tacos with a special spicy horseradish sauce. That and an excellent Pinot made for an very satisfying meal!

A Walk in the Park

Jen suggested that I take the pup out for some fresh air, so I took her to our local dog park, where Cookie met some new friends! I met a friendly crowd, who meet at the park regularly- a very close group of dog lovers. They brought some red wine, so they poured me a glass, while we watched the dogs play. What a great experience!

A Smart Cookie

It's been one month to the day that we brought our Cookie home. It's been a fun and somewhat trying path to teach her what's acceptable and what's behaving badly. Looking back, it's remarkable how fast she learns things. From one week to the next, her habits and behaviours change drastically, mostly for the better. This past week, we completed the second week of our Puppy I series classes. She's doing so well in class, more in tune with her handlers than most of the other pups. So the time spent with her is really paying off! She's such a sweet puppy!

Cookie Gets the Spa Treatment

Last night, we were successfully able to cut the nails on all four of Cookie's paws, which was dramatically different than the last time we attempted it. She was practically asleep- I'm sure that helped a bit that she was that relaxed, but I feel that the main difference was that she felt more comfortable with us (and trusts us more), now that she's been with us for a few weeks.

This morning, we cleaned up the basin in the garage and gave her a nice warm bath. I installed an old stereo in the garage yesterday, so we put on some soothing music to help calm her. This time, she rather seemed to enjoy all the lathering and attention.

I'm just glad that it's getting easier, because the last round was so stressful for both parties.

Another Puppy Morning

Just another morning at the laptop with the puppy on my lap. She's so affectionate. Sometimes when she's wild, holding her will calm her down. I have to cherish these moments, as I know that one day soon, she will be too big to hold. She's learning a lot every day...socialization, tricks and right from wrong.

Side note- last night I cooked a quick and easy Turkey Pot Pie, something I found while watching a Food Network show. I halved the recipe to scale it down for Emmy and me, and still had enough for a second meal. I made some changes, like doubling the turkey, replacing the chicken and changing the mixed vegetables for something more suitable to our tastes. The total cost of the meal was around $11 with leftover ingredients to spare. Preparation time is about 15 minutes! (Since my life has suddenly gotten busier, I'm always looking for a meal that is simple to prepare.) Brent and Chal, this might be something you'd be interested in trying.

It tasted AWESOME. It was a great way to polish off a bottle of red wine!