Taco Tuesday and Other Holiday Observations

I hope everyone out there in the blog-o-sphere had a wonderful Christmas holiday! Ours was hectic with at least 30 people over Christmas day! A lot of food, family and friends made the day merry! I must say though the day after I felt like a train hit me! Running around all day cooking, serving, cleaning ugh! A ton of work though it's worth it that so everyone ends up having a good time! Nala had no shortage of fun. Between presents from Santa, illegal foods fed to her by well meaning guests and over all excitement she was just as pooped out the next day!

Now we are looking forward to a new year and our usual resolutions. Lose weight, exercise more, get organized blah blah! Yup same ones every year! Same good intentions that somehow fall to the wayside by mid February! Nala has similar resolutions too. Oh yeah the lose weight/exercise thing, and perhaps the refraining of eating cardboard and not peeing on our neighbor's lawn. All these too will be history at some point. Maybe the best we can do all year long is to be kind to others and take care of ourselves. That should cover a lot of territory!

Now you may wonder why the "Taco Tuesday" in the title of the post. We were out doing the gift return thing today when we stopped at On the Boarder for lunch. There they have Taco Tuesdays where you get a choice of 3 types of tacos for just $2.00 a taco! We found this was a great deal and fulled ourselves silly with tacos! Later on in the afternoon I was still revisiting the chicken tinga as my stomach kept reminding me of it! Perhaps this should be a resolution for 2016, everything in moderation especially when it comes to tacos!

Another Manic Monday

Monday rears its ugly head once again. At least the sunrise is a beauty and Nala has her day all planned out! Wake up eat, a quick trip to the yard and back to the couch! Ahh life is good!

Wishful Wednesday

"Humiliating I know! What my humans will do for their own amusement!"

There is a New Season Upon us Sunday

The days are getting shorter, the evenings are cool and crisp which signals the change of seasons from baseball to football, sandals to boots....yes summer to fall. Argh! Where did the summer go to?! Well I know one bulldog who is happy over the season change. Nala much prefers the temperature of fall.

Actually seasonal changes in day light and temperature triggers hormonal changes in all mammals which alters metabolism and influences food intake. In other words it just makes bulldogs a bit more hungrier than usual. This food seeking behavior to stock up on winter fat cells may have worked for their ancestors but works against the present day bulldog.

It's hard to cut back on their food since they are such chow hounds to begin with!  I have found a great treat that Nala really enjoys that is low calorie. The brand is called "Get Naked" and they are only 24 calories a stick. Seem to be gluten free and they are chicken flavored. With as many walks we can get in a week we will try our best to keep her girlish figure in check.

Meanwhile Halloween is not far off and I still need a costume for her highness. Any suggestions?

Enjoy the change of season all my bulldog friends and my quote of the week:

"I am not a glutton. I am an explorer of food!" - Erma Bombeck

Hot Dog...Summer in the City Monday!

August is going out like a lion with a the last blast of summer heat! Too hot for Nala to go out for a walk so I whipped up some of her favorite treats...Yogurt Cubes! Some how I did not think of making these all summer long ...but better late then never!

Easy pizy to make here is the recipe:


32 ounce container of plain low fat yogurt ( organic preferably )

Fresh blueberries, strawberries what ever is in season but no grapes! ( rinsed well, again organic if doable)

Alternatively you can use frozen fruit 

Mix well in blender, pour into ice cube trays

cover with plastic wrap and freeze


Here is the result:

So Where you Been Sunday?!

So I just returned from the Poconos where I had a girls weekend with my friends.  I left Nala in the capable hands of her Pop and Grand-paw. Even though it was only a short time away Nala was not happy with my absence! Apparently no one is a replacement for Mom!

"So where you been......well?!"

" I was bored and my cardboard roll broke!"

Bull Dog Days of Summer Tuesday

So summer finally put it's act together and took all of the hot weather we could of had already and gathered it up for this week. Yup a good ole heat wave is what we have in the NY/NJ area! With that comes a lot of air conditioning and folks finding ways to escape the heat! 

I don't need to tell you bulldog folks about the dangers of hot weather. We must never under estimate their low tolerance for any kind of heat and how deadly it could be. I have attached a story of a local woman who was idiot enough to leave her bulldog in a hot car with windows up while she did some of her shopping. Luckily this story had a good ending and the dog was saved by a good Samaritan that notified the police. The story isn't over and hopefully the woman will face some prosecution but she should not have this beautiful animal and I pray somehow he ends up with a knowledgeable, loving owner!


http://cliffviewpilot.com/tenafly-police-officer-rescues-bulldog-from-hot-car/

"Let's go in where it's cool!"

"Now that's much better! Go get me some ice cream human!"

Taking it to the Streets Tuesday

Nala was so excited when she met Hank the puppy Dachshund last night. 

She just loves him!

My hydrangeas are in bloom this year! Such wonderful colors!

Monday's Mystery of the Lost Collar

So have you ever lost your dog's collar? I mean it's like losing your wallet. All the ID tags, town dog license and rabies vaccination tag etc . This happened last Sunday with Nala's collar. We always take it off at night because she prefers to sleep in the buff. The next morning it was no where to be found. Like I mean absolutely no where! We searched every couch and under every chair, table and bed! In cabinets under rugs it was no where zero...zip notta!

I immediately called the board of health in our town which issues the dog licenses. I explained my dilemma to the clerk and she told me it would be no problem to get another one. That day we did exactly that. So new tags new collar we were set. The only conclusion I could come to was that it accidentally fell into the garbage somehow. Because it was totally gone, missing, disappeared, vanished,poof!

The next afternoon there was a ring of our doorbell and our next door neighbor Al was standing on our porch. 'I have something of yours." he said with a puzzled look. In his hand was Nala's collar. 'Someone hung it on my back fence." Stunned to think that it was laying around outside we could only assume that it came off during her walk. We use a harness to hook the leash on so it could of happened that way but still it seems weird. I guess some one hung it on Al's fence in a vain attempt to return it....close enough. I suppose we will never know fully how it happened and Nala's not giving up any information. Now we have a spare dog license just in case a collar decides to go missing one day again.

"I am tired of looking for that darn collar, I'm taking a nap! Wake me up when you find it!"

To Cold for June Tuesday!

What a miserable day...rainy and cold..I mean really cold for the month of June, it feels like March today! Quite disappointing but what can you do? Complain on a blog about it I guess! 

Nala has been well and dabbling in card board and plastic bottles, her usual play things! She recently was the hit of the party at her Pop's 60th birthday gala! So many people and so little time to have each and every one pet and make a fuss over her!

It's getting late so I am going to sign off for now. Stay well all!

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”
―M.K. Clinton (author, The Returns)

Simply Sunday

So we been busy around the house lately but no excuse not to blog except pure laziness! Nala is loving the spring since besides bringing the wonderful weather it also brings the return of our landscapers Chris and Bruce. It is a mutual admiration that they share. Nala just can't wait to get out there and be admired!

I discovered a more affordable version of the dental treats Greenies at Walmart the other day.  Called Minties, they are similar, wheat soy and corn free with that minty taste. At 

$ 6.88 a 6 oz size bag they are almost half the price. Also at Walmart I found this cute toy that holds an empty water bottle which is one of Nala's favorite things to play with. It is a winner!

Here is hoping you have a wonderful week and enjoying the weather out there!

"These products have been endorsed by me!"

Palooza Tuesday

Sunshine was in abundance on Saturday for MABR's Bully Palooza at the Wonder Bar, which probably led to good attendance, people and dogs alike! The Wonder Bar is a local fixture in Asbury Park. A quirky place that makes a mean burger and hosts some rocking bands! During the warmer weather they have a Yappy Hour where you can bring your dog and chill in an outside gated area while having a beer or go for a dip in a plastic kiddie pool. (The dogs doing the dipping that is!)

There were bullies everywhere of all colors and sizes and it was a beautiful sight to behold for the bulldog aficionado! Nala was a bit over whelmed but did make friends with a handsome dude named Oliver! It was ten dollars a person for admission (dogs where admitted free) and you received a bunch of numbered tickets to place next to all the various bulldog themed prizes that they raffled off...like a Chinese auction. Sad to say we didn't win a thing but the prize of the day was having this special outing with Nala!

Nala was exhausted and snoozed on the ride home with a look of content on her sleepy face! We will definitely do it again next year!  

Here are some pics of the Palooza! 

Finally Friday

It's been a long week but it's Friday and we are now getting into our weekend mode! We are looking forward to the Bully Palooza at the Wonderbar located in Asbury Park tomorrow! The weather is suppose to be perfect with temps in the 70's and no rain!! Woo hoo!

The Bully Palooza is a fund raiser for the MidAtlantic Bulldog rescue that's held twice a year. The monies raised go to pay for veterinary care that some of the rescues are in need of.. The folks who run this rescue are amazing dedicated people that love the breed and go over and beyond the call of duty to find these dogs loving forever homes!

I will have some super bulldog pics to share with you from tomorrow's event! Until then have a good night and enjoy spring at last!!

"OK when do we go to the Palooza?!"

Good Friday

Hello all! Sorry I have been away from the blog scene for a few weeks...just my over all laziness I suppose! So here we are during holy week, Good Friday and on the eve of Passover and the weather has finally turn spring like!There are actually some crocuses popping up in the front lawn and Nala is liking sunning herself out on the deck again! Yes there is reprieve from the long cold winter and a shedding of our heavy jackets give way to hopes of wearing t shirts and Capri pants once again! 

As I was out shopping for Easter goodies I found myself at the old reliable dollar store. As I stood online at the cash register a woman in front of me had a raw hide bone as one of her purchases. I was tempted to say to her that raw hide is not good for dogs and especially ones that you find in dollar stores which most likely come from China. But I bite my tongue and held back from saying anything which was probably the wisest thing to do since she looked like she could probably take me down in 2 rounds! I know there is the pro and con people when it comes to raw hide but I feel it's best to stay away from them since they have been know to cause intestinal blockages and lesser quality raw hides are treated with too many chemicals. I came across an interesting piece on the down side to raw hide treat chews in a blog called "The Bark.com". The reader comments are just as interesting and it gives you information to make up your own mind on the debate.

http://thebark.com/content/dangers-rawhide-dog-chew-toys

Enjoy the holidays ahead along with the good weather (finally!) 

Love, peace and best wishes!

Linda and Nala 

Happy St Patrick's Day or Too Much Tuesday

As you can see after eating some parsley potatoes and going to Petsmart Nala had a full day and is fast asleep! Hope everyone had a happy St. Patrick's day!

=

Good night all........

Freezing Friday

So we weathered another snow storm in the metro NY-NJ area that left us with about 8 inches of the white stuff! Today is sunny but freezing outside with temps around 17 F. Spring is just weeks away so I will keep that in mind as I clean the snow off my car and slip on the ice in my drive way!

Apparently this latest precipitation does not get Nala discouraged! New snow to play in and a clean canvas to pee on!

I found an article on someone who was inspired by the cold weather and how to keep her dogs ears warm in the freezing temps. It resulted in very innovative and chic head wear for your bullie!

http://www.boston.com/business/2015/03/04/kickstarter-campaign-for-dog-hats-saves-canine-ears-from-the-cold/qQG2MZ2OpT8O7yZ6Ym9syL/story.html



Remember to turn your clocks forward this Saturday night and change your batteries in your smoke alarms!

Think spring!

Snow ...Let it Go!

Hello folks...it's another snowy day here in Jersey! Arghh! Well spring is a mere 20 days off and temperatures are suppose to moderate so winter is on the run! (Sure!)Though I must say Nala is enjoying the snow! She loves to run and dive into it and end up wiggling on her back, legs going every which way in a most unladylike fashion!

Word came out the other day concerning the dog food Beneful made by Purina. Supposedly dogs that were getting ill or dying had a common link as far as consuming this dog food and a class action law suit was filed against Purina. It's been disclosed that Beneful contains propylene gylcol a chemical used to maintain moisture in food but you may be familiar with it as a component in anti-freeze! 

Evidently the FDA is okay with limited amounts of this stuff in dog and human food alike though some vets are not that alarmed by this commonly used additive. I noticed today while shopping in CVS that a mouthwash I picked up had PG in it!! ( Gargling with anti-freeze!? ) I would refrain from feeding my dog any food containing this chemical just to be safe.Read the labels carefully on what you buy and make an educated choice. Just saying folks!

Check out the links below if you want to read more on this subject.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/red-flag-ingredients/propylene-glycol-dog-food-aid-or-automotive-anti-freeze/

http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/is-purina-beneful-harmful-to-your-dogs-health-local-vets-weigh-in/31505498

Turning Four Tuesday

Our Nala girl turns 4 years old today! That means we have had her for 2 years now! Time flies doesn't it?! Other than getting a couple of extra treats today and her usual uber loving...nothing special in terms of celebration. I have been stuck home for a week with a wicked cold and today was my first day back at work. Quite honestly I still don't feel 100 percent yet so I guess by the weekend I will get myself out there and buy a special present(s) for Nala!

This evening is the last night for catching the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Tonight events are the Junior Showmanship, sporting, working, terrier groups and BEST IN SHOW. You can watch it on USA network or stream it if you are on the west coast.

Though a bulldog did not win the non-sporting group as I hoped, a stylish standard poodle named Dawin Hearts on Fire took the prize. You can always watch the video for the best in breed for the bullies at:

http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/breedresults.php?year=2015&breed=bullt

Meanwhile hope all of you are making it through this cold snowy winter! Hang in there spring is only 30 days away!

"I tell everyone I am 3 years old so don't blab my real age!"