I asked Akemi where she wanted to go for Valentine’s dinner? She informed me that she’d prefer to eat at home. And so, inspired by the occasion (and a recipe from Gordon Ramsay), I made beans for dinner – supplemented by a couple of schnitzels. Romantic, no?
And, of course, the Valentine gifts…
I’m pleased to report that my sister’s dog, Aspen, is on the mend following a couple of nights at the animal hospital.
Turns out he had E.coli. I didn’t think dogs could get E.Coli but, apparently, they can – especially if they consume tainted chicken strips from China. If you’re Canadian, you can be forgiven for not having been warned. Presumably, the gang at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have better things to do.
http://goneforawalk.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/a-word-of-warning/
Not so the FDA that issued the following:
http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm280586.htm
Read the labels, folks!
In an effort to get Jelly, my eldest pug with the bad hips, some exercise, I have to resort to bribery when we’re out for walks…
Hey, speaking of dogs, my sister directed me to this little story. All politics aside, this guy seems like a complete douche:
Fox News’ Lanny Davis: Why Romney’s Dog on Car Roof Story Makes Him Unfit to be President
Hey, in Cookie Monster’s rush to finish off his last movie review, he forgot to mention next week’s selection for our Supermovie of the Week Club: Superman II.
There are bunch of versions floating around so, to make things simple, let’s go with the glorious 127 minute version readily available on iTunes!
Aw poor Aspen, he still doesn’t look too happy. Who knew about dried chicken strips. I’ve heard so much that I don’t and won’t buy food from China for that very reason if I can help it… same with food from Mexico for various reasons.So nice to see Rapini and Aspen being friends.
Which version of Superman II the original theatrical cut or the Richard Donner cut…
Nevermind I just saw that last line under the trailer. My Bad!
Incredible what some people do to their dogs. “Douche” doesn’t begin to describe what he did.
Valentine’s Day dinner was at home here, too. Coq au vin, potatoes, baby carrots (gross, I hate carrots), nothing special but good nevertheless.
I’ll see if I can find Superman II on Netflix streaming and will try to watch it again, oy. Mr. Deni will be happy, he loves this stuff. 🙂
Awwww! Jelly! Best in Show in my opinion!
Yeah, watching Westminster, but still on last night’s show. Not sure I’ll be able to squeeze all 6 hours in tonight, so I might have to cheat and watch the Best in Show judging before seeing everything that leads up to it. In the meantime, I’m trying to avoid spoilers.
Have a good night, sir!
das
Yay for Aspen! Poor baby. Did anyone else get sick with E. Coli?
That Jelly is such a cutie pie 🙂 . She maybe wobbly but she doesn’t seem to hurting.
“Pugs combine cocky confidence with a friendly, sensitive, and sincere nature.” Wouldn’t you agree, Joe? 🙂
das
Drat. Superman II isn’t available on Netflix streaming, but I’ll try to get the disc for the weekend.
Double drat. I really don’t like that story about Romney and the dog. What an inconsiderate lout. And to think I was considering tossing a primary vote his way.
But I am glad that Aspen is on the mend and Jelly is still getting around on those wobbly hips.
Beans and schitzel for dinner – you really are an incurable romantic, Joe! And Akemi knows they way to your heart (chocolate and peanut butter) while keeping it healthy (greek yogurt)!
Glad Aspen is recovering…I’ve got a Husky too, so I feel for your Sister and for Aspen. Hoping for full recovery soon!
On Superman II, I found a 128-minute version on Amazon Instant Video…will that work? Or will I be penalized for the extra minute?
Are you after my heart? I love beans and have them for dinner alot. Those look soooo good!
Yaaay, I have Superman II on dvd, I will watch it tomorow since i’m not going into work.
I noticed Khula has lost her appetite the last couple days, I was wondering if it could be the stomach bug going around. I was super sick, didn’t eat for 3 days, and am just getting over it now.
Yes, the Westminster Dog Show…6 hours of pure happiness!
Oh and the beans make me think of British Breakfasts…
Sorry, but I never really saw the attraction of beans on toast for breakfast, although I love rashers, and black and white puddings.
I’m going to have visit the local Irish grocer and get some black pudding tomorrow…that and Das’ grits ought to have me set breakfast on Saturday 😀
From me to her three long stem roses in a tall red vase with a teddy bear hugging the bottom of the vase roses are in the water with baby’s breath and a pretty bow
From her to me an invicta mens watch. Looking forward to superman 2 sorry didnt get to watch this Weeks movie. Hope you two had a grand day.
I’m fairly certain being a douche is a requirement to get a major party’s wink-wink during your run for the nomination. Being fit for the Presidency is waaaaaay down on our list of preferences when we consider candidates. The main thing we care about is whether the media says they are “surging”, then we vote for that guy.
Hmmm…SUPERMAN II was a date movie for Future Husband & I in 1981. Perhaps I can talk him into a video nostalgia night.
Neither of the brands of chicken strips I bought for my dogs indicated they were made in China. There is no way to tell for sure that the chicken jerky gave him e coli, but his symptoms are the same as those reported by the owners of other sick dogs.
Thankfully Aspen is doing much better now.
DUDE! Where are the macarons for Valentine’s Day?
@ Das … or anyone else who watched the Westminster Dog Show
Did you see at the end during the Best In Show part right after the German Sheppard showed? There was some kind of security broo-ha that happened in the crowd (near where the Chinese delegates were sitting), …it looked like security was trying to stop somebody from doing something, but nobody ever mentioned it.
Poor Aspen! (and nice step tansu, BTW)
Alone for the evening, I ate half a chicken breast (I’d baked up a batch for solo meals), a stale Hershey’s candy bar because I needed the chocolate fix after the uncomfortable doctor visit, and now a late night bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with vanilla coconut milk. I’m usually asleep by now, so the late night meal is quite abnormal.
@ Lewis – Yeah, just saw it. I wonder what that was? A Romney protester, perhaps? I heard a woman yelp, then saw someone being escorted off. Maybe it was a Peta freak, or something.
I won’t spoil Best in Show for Tim Gaffney’s sake, but it wasn’t a big surprise. Wouldn’t have been my choice, but what do I know! So many beautiful dogs…I really don’t know how anyone can choose just one as the best.
@ Sis – So glad Aspen is doing better! I didn’t know dogs could get e coli, either. We had a dog that used to eat cat turds out of the litter pan…I mean, if that doesn’t give ’em e coli, what does??! Well, besides bad chicken, that is. 😛
RE: Romney – The dog story is an old story that came out back when he tried running for president last time. I haven’t been able to stomach the guy ever since. Not because of what he did, but because of how he dismissed it as ‘the dog’s choice’, by saying something to the effect of, ‘the dog would rather ride on the roof than in the car with the kids’, or something like that. Bull. HE would rather have the dog on the roof because I’m guessing he’s a super anal control freak. (Yes, I’m being judgemental, but I call ’em as I see ’em.) Now, I don’t do politics, so for me this isn’t a Republican v Democrat thing, since I really don’t care. A jerk is a jerk, no matter what party he’s associated with,a nd Romney’s a jerk. (I would have used a harsher word, but I wanted to keep it PG. 😉 )
das
Just to clarify – I don’t like the fact that Romney transforted the dog on the roof, but if there was a good reason for it then maybe I could understand. But he just kinda blew it off, as if he has no idea how pet owners are supposed to treat the animals in their care. Reminds me of the type that would keep a dog chained up in the yard 24/7/365 because they don’t want animals in the house. I’ve known people like that, and I don’t like them, either.
das
Transported. 😛 I have no idea how I made that typo. Must’ve been thinking about Transformers. 😛
das
ㄥ口∨モ█▄【❤】▀▄▀ ▇☰ ɭ○⁄⁅ ᒧ❥ᐳшLჶ∖⁄∉LΩ∇ΣŁ❤VƎ |_❤＼／∑ LOVE ᴸᵒᵛe ❤#Love ❤ █▄◯▼E
┗✪✔ɛ∟∅∇∈ℓღνєℒℴѵE ℓϑѵҼLჶ∖⁄∉
╚◎ש≡ ㄥ口∨モᒧ❤ᐳшLჶ∖⁄∉
❤HAPPY VALENTINES DAY❤
❤Joe & Akemi❤
How people treat animals tells you a lot about how they’d treat people. That’s saying a hell of a lot about this guy.
So, I know we’re in Canada and all, but want to run for President? How about PM then? 😀
A few years ago, I put all four dogs on potato and duck organic food. Read the label, all seemed kosher. I’m very careful how I switch foods (and have only done it 2 or 3 times in many years), but after a few weeks, they were all eating the stuff and loving it. One morning, I awoke to find the living and dining rooms covered in watery diarrhea. My Lab, Jake, had apparently had a terrible night and was afraid to wake us (he was a rescue with many issues), so he went all over the house but missed every rug. The smell was so awful it was hard to clean it up without wanting to throw up. I took him directly to the vet, only to come home to find the other dogs had the same problem. Then, the vomiting started. About a week and $1,200 later, they were getting better and I was pissed off. I realized the only common denominator was the duck and potato crap. I called the company and told them they obviously had a problem and maybe should look into it. They were somewhat apologetic and promised they would. The dogs were still on Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d a few weeks later when I received………………wait for it…………………………………………..
10 free cases of the duck and potato crap. I couldn’t even give the stuff away for fear of making other dogs sick. Of course, the whole thing was kept quiet and that was the end of that. I never found out what caused the problem. We figured we’d just been lucky it was treatable, unlike what happened in 2007 with the deaths of so many animals from Chinese garbage (melamine, etc.) in pet foods. I later found out I was not the only one with a problem with this duck and potato stuff, but it was never reported or recalled.
Just last year, there was a recall on anti-seizure meds for people and animals, all coming from the same source. It was a serious situation because the anti-seizure stuff had been mislabeled. The only reason I even knew about was that a friend worked at the University of Florida and sent me the information. I passed it along to my regular vets and the ER vets, and none of them had any idea there was a recall. The tablets that were supposed to be phenobarbital were actually a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. There can be serious side effects if an animal takes this medication. If a cat were to ingest these pills they could be fatal as acetamenophin is toxic to cats. For dogs, serious sedation, breathing problems, coma and even death can result. Even worse, my regular people pharmacy (where I buy Elway’s phenobarbital) HAD NO IDEA of the recall. My pharmacist was freaking out when I called to make sure she knew, and as it turned out, not one pharmacy in town knew about it.
Glad to hear Aspen’s ok! (Sorry to have gone on so long, but this kind of stuff really gets me!)
Superman 2, eh? Think I have it in my collection. i’ll be very interested in Cookjie Monsters thoughts on this one.
Valentine’s day at work went well. The citizenry gave me the gift of sleeping through the night, the first time in at least 3 months. Strange feeling awake and refreshed the morning after getting off the job.
Hope everyone elses day goes well, and as a note the dog story pretty much finishes off romney as a potential candidate for me. Bad thing is, there isn’t another candidate that appeals. Can we choose “none of the above”? Maybe that will make things go better….
Glad Aspen is feeling better! Prompted by that FDA advisory and other shady “dog food from China” stories, about a month ago we started making our own whole wheat and peanut butter treats for Brandi. And starting this week, we’re making her dog food too: ground beef, whole grain rice, peas and carrots.
As part of a bigger picture, we are working towards starting a mobile dog grooming business and will offer the treats to our clients both as a “thank you” and a purchase. That’s about a year away though. Still have those pesky car payments to polish off…
Deni: That was quite a story! You described it so well that I could smell the diarrhea. Maybe smell vision for the blog is not a good idea 😉 .
I remember that melamine scare. All those families that lost pets, just makes me sick thinking about it. Writing a check would never compensate for losing a friend.
JimfromJersey: good luck with your new business!
Oh and Mr. M. you need a BBQ sandwich to go with those beans.
Rapini is pretty cute, also. What does Rapini mean?
The Romney dog story (poor Seamus!) is pretty old, but that doesn’t make it any less reprehensible. Any thinking person should now that no animal would be able to tolerate that. What’s worse is that rather than acknowledge the error by coming out and saying that it was a stupid mistake and he regrets it, he still just blows it off like it was no big deal. As a politician and someone who supposedly has interest in leading a country the size of the U.S., it calls his past and current judgement into serious question.
A little addition to this story is that his sons said a while ago that when they got up here to Canada that the dog actually ran away. Ha! Can you blame him?
Joe, don’t forget to change the Super-Movie of the Week Club selection in the sidebar of your blog page.
Jelly! What a cutie! 😀
She should have won Westminster last night.Das, who were you rooting for? I liked the German shepherd, the setter, and the Dalmatian. And what was that disturbance in the stands, right before the Best in Show judge took the floor? 😐
Also, have you been watching Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Theater? LOVE it, and can’t believe there’s only one more episode left for this year. It’s already online, but will wait till Sunday. I want to make it last as long as possible.
Another one for blog synchronicity/irony: We had bean soup for dinner, too. 🙂
Yep Lanny Davis and everyone else are correct, Romney shouldn’t be president of a snail racing league, let alone President.
I’m glad Aspen is feeling better and keep those treats coming for Jelly. 🙂