On Being Human

Chocolate milk in mashed potatoes? It was a busy Christmas day. New people were visiting. Too many chefs in the kitchen. The wrong container of milk was given as the hot potatoes were being mashed. Stopped, just in time. A new recipe had almost been born.

Then there was the thyroid pill for a slow thyroid condition of our female Retriever. Another female on thyroid med? This time a dog? Oh my. ... Anyway, as I held this pill for her, I walked over to the sink to fill up a glass.(But she drinks out of a bowl!) and presto into my mouth it went. I was on thyroid med, too, but my dose was much lower then hers. A quick pick me up for me, today, perhaps? I worried. Phoned poison hot line, just in case. They could not help. Then who? Drank alot of water, I was told, to flush out the mistake. Absent minded professor?

I had phoned to check on something after my sweet boy, Emerson, had just been picked up after 13 days at summer 'camp'. His master answered to the delight of eating cukes with his 'buddy', along with watermelon and a half grape. I stopped in mid-conversation. Had I heard the unthinkable? Was Emerson now in the throes of renal failure? Would he be the exception to the rule? (He was) He'd been given a half grape, accidentally, by a loving someone. An unsettling mistake that could have resulted in a health crisis did not. We were shaken. Grapes are a forbidden food for all dogs for reasons unknown. Never do it!

The forbidden list of foods for dogs is endless and includes grapes, chocolate, onions and raisins (made from grapes) to name a few. In the wild, animals will eat what they find and instinctively know what is safe, otherwise, death would come calling, often. All would become extinct and eventually there would be no animals left on earth. But in the civilized world of man - us - they eat what we give them. Into the bowl the food is poured then eaten by our trusting animal companions. If we are not paying attention they can be harmed. The rules are endless but we must know them. We are their parents, after all.

After moving the cage towards the patio doors - its new winter location - we guided Sally, our very young, precocious two-year-old retriever into her bed. We were going out for an hour or two. Upon our return, I noticed red fabric strewn about near her rigid 'babysitter'. What was that, I wondered? A fool of a pet owner had helped Sally create the newest twist on in-house fabric re-design. This cute, youthful puppy had re-threaded one curtain panel into a pile of red fluff, through the cage's metal bars using her ingenious brain. Was she learning to crochet? Doubtful! The curtain panel was gone, another victim of puppy 'play'!

The faster we engage, the greater the chance mistakes will happen. In many instances, we are speed demons. Slowing down helps us to ponder then act. Actions do have consequences, as we all know.

Keeping anti-freeze, or washing fluids, in the open, in the driveway, is very problematic. Does the  chemical fluid linger where 'nosy' pups or children wander? In any event always be thinking of consequences. Leaving a plastic ladle in an empty soup pot, while heating on low, does not a positive outcome make. After decades of making pea soup, borscht, beef barley and the iconic chicken soup in this large pot  it was ruined, now coated in liquid plastic. Mistakes do happen. Our children and pets help keep us on our toes. Learning lessons is the final outcome.

Most Delicious Breakfast Detours

Today, breakfast was served later than normal. I had been finishing a novel, something I hadn't done in years. Saturday's morning ritual would be delayed, somewhat. Newspaper or magazine articles had been my modest operandi of late, a way to learn and be entertained. My most cherished gift was a newspaper my dad brought in when I was hospitalized as a teen. Sometimes reading was far more important than eating.

My husband had left to mow the grass, that morning, a time when breakfast might have been served. It was the weekend. Schedules were relaxed. I waited for him to return but after an lengthy stay with his Mr. John Deere, I began to cook.

The bag of broccoli florets stared at me, as I retrieved the eggs from the fridge, that Saturday, giving me the idea to include these powerhouse gems in his morning meal. He did not need to know everything and he enjoyed vegetables, anyway. I began to lop off the tops of the broccoli then added them to the pan, slowly, as the oil slowly heated. A slight sauteing was all that was required. The eggs were added slowly and methodically agitated in the pan as they coagulated. A fashionable omelette was made. On other occasions, brussel sprouts have been an exciting addition, a side dish like no other. Cutting them in half helps the heat reach the center more quickly thus retaining the bright green coloured without overcooking.

Even cold pizza can be a new version of breakfast. Simply removing the top from a slice of the carb crusted base can be the beginnings of a new omelette with added veggies. Thinly sliced mushrooms, and mixed greens, perhaps, can add nutrient value before the day begins. Making waffles is an easy way to have a sandwich with cheese, veggies, leftover protein or seafood for that customized breakfast touch.

Making home fries for breakfast is an easy step made easier using the Phillips Air Fryer. Brushed on oil with added spice mix makes delicious happen quickly. Do more than needed and freeze the rest. Delicious, in mere minutes. I always use turmeric, the brain spice, in all my marinades and spice rubs, soups. Then there is ginger powder, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper, too, along with granulated onion.

Some foods and spices are simply irreplaceable. Should be a part of our medicinal 'cupboard' called the kitchen for every meal. Then we have cream of wheat, red river cereal and oatmeal, the cereals of my youth, and the heartiest detours of all.