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Bear’s surgery went well!

Dr. Clark phoned at 11:45 to let me know that Bear was out of surgery, resting comfortably and all went very well.

A friend is helping me with the transfer to the ER for the overnight – we’ll do that later this afternoon. Bear and I stopped at the ER clinic on Saturday and spoke to the ER staff that will be the same staff tonight and they explained all they do and welcomed me to phone at any time during the night if I wanted to. I intend to sleep as I am very confident in their care and I will be at my best if I’m rested!

We left the house this morning at 7:45 and saw a beautiful sunrise…actually, the morning version of alpenglo as these clouds are to the West -turned pink by the rising sun.

Although the Wild Fowl area and path to the lake is closed until mid-July, we parked at the gate and walked back toward the highway. It is a good half mile of farm road with good things to sniff between the road and the pasture fences. All business was accomplished, fresh air and excercise taken and on we went.

I gave Bear hugs in the car, took him in silently and handed over his leash to the tech who he followed with wagging tail into the clinic – a low key parting with no tears (me) and no anxiety (either of us)!

***EDIT 8:04 p.m. Transfer to the ER went well. After retrieving my Jeep, I returned to the ER with a blanket for Bear. He was sleeping and comfortable. They told me – both clinics – what a sweetheart he is – that’s my boy! They moved another dog who was being annoying to Bear. I feel very good that all will be well. My neighbor is riding with me early in the morning to get Bear and allow me to ride in back with Bear on the way home. We should be home by 8:30 MDT!

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Beardog recuperative suite Version 2.0

Bear’s second TPLO surgery is Monday, 3/11/2013.

All is ready here at Chez Beardog.

I did make a bit of a change in the recuperative suite.

The “mattress” from last round was rather tall and made me a bit anxious so for this round, I procured a foam mattress topper with a mere 3 inches of height.

The topper is the same brand I have on my own sleeping system and after the foam expanded, I laid down upon it and was VERY impressed with how comfy just the foam on the floor was. I hoped that Bear felt the same.

Ok.

Lookin’ good!

Huh???

Oh, dear!

???

Whatever.

***Srlsy…WE are in good shape for surgery v2.0. A little different this round as our new vet, Dr. Clark, is the surgeon and his anesthetic/pain protocol is different than the first TPLO. Bear will have a spinal epidural vs morphine. I am in agreement with Dr. Clark for this protocol although it means that Bear stays overnight…but since Dr. C’s clinic is not staffed overnight, I will transport Bear to the local ER for the overnight. I have met with the ER staff at the overnight clinic. Dr. C has done this handoff previously, i.e. all is set for the transition. I am very happy with how all is to be handled. I hope to be able to post surgery outcome late afternoon of 3/11 and have Bear home with Bob and me by very early (8:00 a.m. or sooner) 3/12.

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A little bit of everything

We continue with our pattern of sun, snow squall, gray, sun and repeat…sometimes all at the same time.

Photo taken 3/7 early evening – looking East – just as a snowish squall ended and the setting sun hit the tree tops with blue sky above and gray clouds over the mountains of the divide.

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Zuppa for one

A big pot of soup used to be the only kind I could make, volume-wise. I would start out thinking it was going to be a small pot of soup and always end up with more than I could eat in a week. While most freeze ok and it can be wonderful to reach in the freezer and pull out a container of soup on a cold night, I really like that first fresh bowl of soup best.

This year, I started making a kind of riff on Italian Wedding soup using chopped up meatloaf instead of meatballs. Somewhere along the way, I saw a recipe that suggested heating the broth, sauteing the vegetables and then combining the broth, vegetables and orzo (or other small pasta) and letting them simmer a bit together, i.e. marry the flavors.

I tried the saute and combine method and since I cooked the orzo ahead of time, I sauteed it a wee bit also. That worked VERY well and it made it easy to make one delicious bowl of soup.

A month or so ago, I made this pizza sauce. The recipe notes that the vinegar and garlic “make” the sauce and I have to agree – especially the vinegar. Not a huge surprise as vinegar or lemon juice (acids) added to things tend to brighten and intensify the flavors.

So…the next time I made Italian Wedding Soup, I added some vinegar which kicked up the flavor a notch.

Zuppa for one: all ingredients can be modified for individual taste and/or what is left in the refrigerator.

Today’s combo included leftover meatloaf, sweet corn, carrots and kale.

I measure 1/2 a bowl full of broth – heating that up with a spoon full of marinara. Actually, I broke a chunk of roast vegetable marinara that I froze flat in zips…so handy to break off what is needed for soup or pasta sauce.

For the vegetables and meat, I find that if I cut all up on the cutting board and think about portions on a plate, I don’t end up with too much stuff for my one bowl of soup. This is versus adding willy-nilly to the pot…then a bit more broth, etc., etc. and ending up with enough for a week!

I added the carrots to warming olive oil and ghee and gave the carrots several minutes to soften: then the corn and finally the meatloaf and kale. Into to broth with everything. No pasta today.

Add a bit of red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan and get all of the flavorful brown bits and then add all of that liquid and scrapings to the broth, vegetables and meat.

Everything into a bowl – top with red pepper flakes, croutons and parmesan. Zuppa for one!

Of course, you can make larger quanties if the soup eating persons in your house number more than one :)

***3/6 edit: I made this today using a chipotle olive oil and a white balsamic vinegar…samples from a friend purchased at a local spot that sells specialty oils and vinegars. This combo…with carrots, corn, leeks, kale and bits of hamburger (burger courtesy of Bear!) in the marinara broth – SPECTACULAR! It was spicy with a hint of sweet and just perfect.