Memorial Day ... A Day To Remember

 Here's to all those who sacrificed their lives that we could live in freedom and peace.  This image says it all and demonstrates the respect we should have for all those who put their lives before ours.

It was a lovely day in overcast-all-day California.  Very fitting I thought.  The theme of the day was BE MORE SPECIFIC!!  That's what my neighbor said when I talked to her yesterday.  Here's my kid, FINALLY doing better.  It was the best day yet, though he still refuses to take his pills.  As much as I hate it, I have to pry his mouth open and try to stuff them down his throat.  It's not an easy task.  

BUT it's required ... and they finally seem to be taking effect.  We even had fifteen minutes of playing the ball game.  THAT is a dramatic change!  The only way he will sit still and not be frantic for any length of time is if he sits beside me on the couch, which is why my butt is killing me and my running brain is screaming YOU NEED TO RUN!!

Meet Halo.  This is the big guy that lives next door.  Notice any resemblance?  Not all that big, but bigger than Cooper, they are not related.  He and Coop have become great friends, but since the neighbors put in their big fence, he doesn't roam my front yard much any more at all.  Cooper has missed him.

Come on Coop ... let's go for a walk and see if you are REALLY feeling better.  He came unglued when I went for my running shoes.  That is a VERY good sign that he's not feeling, or at least noticing, the itchy patch on his butt.  

Who should we find roaming the yard but ..... HALO!!!  They ran up to each other and instantly began playing racehorse.  Running around the trees is so funny until you are the one on the end of the leash trying to keep up.  I never let Cooper go because he heads straight for the road.

They had a blast, but wait ... Halo is not usually out here by himself.  I didn't see his Mom ... so I called her.  "Raquel ... there's a white guy out here roaming around".  I got no response.  "A fluffy white guy".  Still no response.  "Raquel ... are you there?  Halo ... Halo is outside running around".

She began to laugh hysterically.  She had recently seen a couple of homeless guys parked on the ditch bank several blocks away and thought I was talking about THEM roaming our yards!!  Gosh ... I don't think that is how I would describe them, but NO ... I'm talking about your DOG!!  I guess I should be much more specific in my descriptions.

Back inside, I went into "leftover" mode to figure out what to make with leftover corn tortillas, corn, chicken that had to be eaten this day and the end of a block of cheese.  It screamed enchilada casserole to me!  So I whipped up two and baked one.  The other went in the freezer.  

Note to self:  Always remember to check the BAKE setting and make sure it's not on CONVECTION!  It was pretty crispy on top, but very tasty.  If you haven't tried Hatch green chili sauce, give it a shot.  It's a little spicy, but REALLY good!!

Though I still don't trust Cooper not to chew on his leg, I did get in a little sewing on my latest quilt.  Yes, I had to put the cone of shame on again.  It's good practice for tomorrow night's Bingo when I have to be gone.  At this point he SEEMS to be much better, but I just can't take the chance of coming home to a bloody mess.

Isn't it fun to have pets???  I even got in a load of laundry so my sheets don't smell like DOG any more. It's the little things!!

For dessert, since there is ALWAYS dessert ... I went for the angel food cake yet again.  So far my diet is working, though slowly.  I was pretty shocked yesterday when I looked up my little app where I record what I eat and discovered about 60% comes from FAT!!  How could that be since I eat so much salad?  Oh yes ... that ice cream is the devil in disguise!!  So I'm switching over to CAKE!!!  

And so another day has passed .... the best one so far in terms of Cooper!  I have high hopes that the cone of shame will be put away for good.  Cooper is VERY happy about that!!!