Monday, September 25, 2017

Doggie Breath and Tidbits


After Saturday night's all-nighter getting the dogs all used to each other, we spent most of Sunday in bed watching Westerns. But...we managed to get ALL FIVE dogs up on the bed with us, I know, it's really cozy (hmmm, that should read "crazy"!)...I have two legs under there somewhere and so does Alex lol...At one point Oscar the cat braved the little spot he could find, but didn't stick around long enough to be photographed!


Check this out...I just took a picture of my little froggie thermometer on the porch...it's 43 degrees in the shade. This is weather we should have had from May to August!! I'm on the porch by myself in my bathing suit taking very good advantage of some quiet alone "Rain time". All the pets are inside with the A/C on (yes, Sam, I caved lol!!!). Being in the valley of the Laurentian mountains, there is also always a humidex, but I have no idea what it is and I really don't want to know! I just know that my normally straight hair is now an afro of sorts...no picture required lol!


We are coming up on "monthly shopping day" next Monday so I have a bunch of cookbooks next to me and I'm starting my meal planning for the month of October. I've done so well the last year with monthly meal planning and grocery shopping that I actually have a really good supply of chicken, beef, pork and fish in the freezer! A year after starting this adventure, I'm cutting October's grocery bill by two thirds because I don't really need all that much food! Wonderful isn't it? Hard work DOES pay off! :)


One of the cookbooks I got at the thrift store had these little tidbits as part of the instructions, I thought it was funny!


I can't imagine turning the oven on tonight so I took the slow cookers out and I'm making two chilis. One with beef and spices for Alex and one with chicken and no spices for me (recipe: Rain's Chili). I was up AGAIN just before 5am, sigh...but I guess it was a good thing today because I got the chilis going before it got really hot.

I'm really taking advantage of this weather...before I know it, I'll be smack into six months of THIS:


Happy Monday! :)

36 comments:

  1. Ugh, that heat and humidity would kill me stone dead. It's not right to have such temperatures in Canada.

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  2. LOL Debra...well, I'm RELISHING it! Six months of winter isn't right either!!! ;)

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  3. 43 degrees!! I start to melt at like 30. Today we are at 19 and I am loving it, (since we had snow last week). LOL all those dogs will keep you guys warm in the winter!!

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  4. It's been really hot around here, but you are right about what's coming up, let's enjoy.

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  5. I wish we could have spring weather forever! I cannot stand extreme heat or extreme cold. By Thursday the temperature should be more reasonable and it'll be much nicer.

    Oh, the dogs...LOL Funniest thing I'll see today! You're all squeezed in there. It's a really cute sight.

    You are pretty amazing at meal planning. And keeping costs minimal. I should try meal planning one month and see how it goes. I have a monthly budget for groceries and I'm really good at making it stretch, so meal planning might be a good fit for me.

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  6. Oh i am jealous...we had the heat 5 days ago and tomorrow will be +9c first time we crash into the single digits ... meh
    Enjoy the heat and bottle up as much as you can ❤

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  7. I think we had about two weeks of summer weather this year, but yesterday was glorious and today looks promising making the most of it before winter comes knocking.

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  8. It's so wonderful to see your dogs happy and relaxed. They're clearly in a loving home. Isn't it fun to go through cookbooks for new recipes? That frog looks so bright and green, Rain! Very rarely do we get to see frogs up close and so personal. I remember a tiny one came in my house years ago, and just hung out on my dresser in my bedroom beside the lamp. Happy Day and great post! Hugs...RO

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  9. I need to restock my organic meats soon. I'm getting pretty low, but with the smaller household, I can really cut back. We eat more veggies and beans now too. We are having wacky weather too.

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  10. I can relate to the dogs in bed photo. We watch our daughter's 2 dogs at times and when we go to sleep, all 4 dogs sleep against MY body. It gets mighty hot lol.

    Good for you on the meak planning. I mever had tried a months worth so really admire you doing that. Then again, I am only 5 minutes from our produce store. We keep meat stocked when it goes on sale.

    Your temps this week are our summer temps. Luckily we don't have much humidity other than in monsoon season. But then we never get the 6 month of snow. Out winter low temps rarely get below 0 Celcius. We stay between 5 and 25 all winter.

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  11. Hi Jenn :) I am melting again today! Tomorrow there are thunderstorms so I think that's really it for summer here. From Thursday on, it's all below 20. You had snow last week? EEEEK! Too soon!!!

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  12. Hi Christine :) We have to enjoy it, our winters are just way too long!

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  13. Thanks John :) The dogs were very comfy but we were barely! We had to kick them off the bed so we could stretch our legs!

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  14. Hi Martha :)) Thursday should be back to fall weather, then I can get my head back into Thanksgiving and Halloween! :) The dogs are very comfy here. It's nice to have a full house of furry kids, but we need a bigger bed lol! Meal planning is great, I save a lot of money that way. If you already have a budget that you stick to, it's the first step. I always plan around the flyers and "shop from my freezer and pantry" first. I do an inventory and plan meals from what I have first, then add to the list according to what's on sale. It's been working pretty well. With 5 grocery store flyers, I can usually get everything we need without waiting another week for something to go on sale. And I always stock up if meat is really cheap. It's a long day though once a month but it's worth the one car trip too!! :)

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  15. Hi Nik :) I wish I could bottle up the summer for emergency February days lol!

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  16. Hi Dawn :) Winter will be knocking soon won't it? We have maybe a few more hot days, then it's back to fall. I sure hope winter takes its time this year, but my wishes never get answered lol!

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  17. HI RO :)) I love going through my cookbooks...it's quite an event lol! I have so many and now that we found that good thrift store, I keep adding a good handful every month. I love it! We have little toads here that keep cool under my container garden. Oh and in the spring, those lovely little spring peepers! We hear bull frogs in the river, but rarely see them, for us that is a big sign of summer! That's funny about your froggy visitor! :)

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  18. Hi Kristina :) You do have fewer mouths to feed now! That should help the grocery bill. The weather really is wacky but it has been all summer hasn't it?

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  19. LOL Marsha! I can totally relate to the dog heating pads!!! It does get hot, but it's nice in the winter! Jack likes to burrow under the covers too, so he keeps my legs warm :) I always complain about winter weather, but honestly, I do love the four seasons. It's when it gets to -30 that I just can't handle it, and I feel stuck indoors...not good for the mood, but I have so many nice hobbies to keep me busy this year, so I'm hoping for a happier winter!

    I was hoping that my garden would be my produce store this year! :) We choose to live far away from towns and cities, so shopping is a 90 minute drive away, one of the reasons we do it only once a month. One of the goals is to use the car the least amount as possible too.

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  20. We came one degree (F) of tying the heat record yesterday (Monday), and they're predicting that we'll break records today and tomorrow. Not amused. On the other hand the rest of the peppers in the garden appear to be finally ripening!

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  21. Call me crazy, but I long for the last photograph! LOVE the picture of the dogs en masse en bed. Do they cut off your circulation? It's nice to see they get along - it's not easy to accommodate that many personalities. I cannot stand humidity. I could put up with dry heat, but I am a goner if it's humid. Which it is. It's not right.

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  22. Hi Ruth :)) Oh that's great about your peppers! Mine never grew but I bet if I planted them last week, I'd have sprouts by now. Sad summer this year, but yeah, the heat is wonderful, at least to me :)

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  23. Hi Susan :) You're crazy, there I called you crazy lol! I kind of know what you mean though. I love all of the seasons, but winter is too long here. Actually, we have to kick the dogs off once in a while to stretch our legs and get feeling back lol...we just love them so much that we want them to be near us and comfy - sometimes to our detriment I guess. Your Peanut Butter is more my size...I'm not used to these big huskies and shepherds! Charlie and Stella DON'T get along...always trying to size each other up, stare-downs and growling...they are both alpha females, not fixed...so we have to keep a good eye on them and keep them separated all of the time. It's a bit of a challenge.

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  24. That was our weather about a week and a half ago. It finally found you! Since then its been raining and cool. I am not complaining. With hardly any rain this summer we are well overdue.

    That's funny all the dogs on the bed! Pavlov looks like he's top dog! :) Its would be chaos if we had all ours on the bed. Hunter needs to settle down puppy-wise before that happens. Speaking of Hunter....vet visit yesterday. Ladies and gentlemen - we have yet ANOTHER dog with gland issues. Sigh. :( There are things that are happening with this generation of animals that I have never, ever seen in all my other generations. Makes me wonder why.

    Now time and concentration are two things that are sadly lacking with me currently! :) Hilarious little notes for the cooker! :) I really need to get on board with my shopping/lists/menus etc. But I say this every time your shopping trip comes up. I just need some down time! AS I type this its my shopping night tonight. Keep me in your thoughts as I drag myself up and down the aisles to see 2.5 hours of my life gone.

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  25. Shhhhh! Don't mention the word snow! We have had 90 plus degree weather but it will soon end and I am not looking forward to the snow. I like it at Christmas time if my children are not traveling. I would say that is a bed full of dogs! Nancy

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  26. The picture of all the dogs is hysterical! They truly love you guys and each other! My dogs are on the floor at night but Annie (the miniature dachshund) takes her bed and moves it next to Nitty....so funny! I'm not sure what 43 C is in F but it must be hot! Especially when you said you were in your bathing suit....43 F would be a bit chilly for that! LOL!
    I have got to get serious about the grocery and menu planning but like today I was missing an ingredient for what I had planned so I ran uptown to our little grocery store. Do you ever have to do that or are you so good at it now that never happens? I was better when we lived in the country and there were 6 of us and animals!
    I wish recipes today would put comments like that on them and also which sides are good with what dishes. They do put prep time and cook time which is a help for sure.
    I'm going to make my own flour tortillas tomorrow and then tortilla pizza....did I get that from you? I can't remember but I thought I would try it. I'll let you know. I can't wait to see your menu and for sure I am making your frozen pizzas this month....they always make my mouth water!
    I've been getting up about that same time or earlier and I love it because I can get outside and water before the heat gets unbearable plus do some garage cleaning also.
    Glad you have AC when you need it! Take care! Hugs ~ Sam

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  27. I don't now if I've ever seen five dogs on a bed before! LOL They certainly looked contented.

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  28. Hi Dianna :) Come to think of it, it has been a while since it rained here. But in the mountains, there is always plenty of dew so the ground is always a little wet each morning. I'm happy for that. I haven't had to water my plants excessively...the rain is coming tomorrow I think, but then sun and fall weather, it'll be nice!

    Pavlov is the sweetest little dog...Jack is very jealous lol. Oh no...poor Hunter. That's terrible. Jack's get clogged and Charlie's are leaky...at least, like I mentioned, our vet visit isn't outrageously expensive when we have to get them done. Is there a solution for Hunter?

    Oh poor you...have strength...grocery shopping in the evening must be horrifying.

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  29. Hi Nancy :) I know...I'm probably jinxing myself posting that photo of the wintery back yard! It's such a radical difference, but I'm not looking forward to the cold and frigid weather at all!

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  30. Hi Sam :)) That's funny about Annie...you should post some pictures! I'd love to see your dogs! Yeah, 43C is HOT...close to 110F, we had that for three days and tomorrow it will thunder and break the heat wave, then it's back to fall.

    Honestly about the missing ingredients...I used to run to the nearest store for missing things. But now, I'm more careful because my goal is also not to use the car as much so I make do. If I'm missing an ingredient, I'll just look for another recipe. I try to be as detailed as I can when I plan the meals, everything down to how much butter I'll need lol...that detailed! Oh, no you didn't get the flour tortilla idea from me, but that's a good idea. I've made my own pita bread before, it turned out just okay. Tortillas though, we eat those a lot. I hope you post about it!

    I'm VERY glad we didn't give in and take the a/c's out last month! They've been essential the last few days!

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  31. Hi Fundy Blue :) Yes, the dogs are super content! They love being up on the bed, although it is very crowded!

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  32. You're roasting more than I. We have 90's today. My poor tween has PE at the very end of her school day which is of course the hottest. What lucky dogs to be able to all snuggle up on your bed like that. I am amazed at how you plan your meals for the whole month. I'm sort of doing every two weeks so I can pick up fresher food at Costco.
    Thank you for the birthday wishes. The worst was Monday for my cold and I'm slowly stepping down from that but I still feel bad. My Aleve has finally kicked it as I had a sinus headache and pressure since my cold moved from my chest to my nose and eyes.

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  33. Hi Stefanie :) I'm glad your feeling a bit better...when I have sinus headaches, my entire upper jaw and all my teeth ache too, it's not fun! Our hot weather is now over, I had to wear my toque this morning taking the dogs out!

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  34. your imagination is wonderful dear Rain!

    painting is GREAT and goes well with my fav word "Radio"

    I can see that it is hard to manage the all excited dogs for walk but i am sure you have amazing energy to make tough jobs possible .

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  35. Thanks Baili :) I have somehow found energy for the dogs, and I'm sure once our friend picks his two up, I'll be sleeping for a few days lol!

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❤ Thanks for your comment, I love hearing from everyone! ❤ Why not join me and my fellow artists every Thursday for TADD? That's Thursday Art and Dinner Date! It's a lot of fun!
Love,
Rain