Start the New Year Right!!

I am starting the New Year right. 

Meet my adorable grand dogs who fill so many of my retired hours.

Grimace - my senior guy.
Grimace inherited the role of "King" and elder statesman of
our canines after Meathead died.  Grimace never wanted to be King, but
we all have to do things we don't want to do sometimes.

Dear, dear Grimace is my heart and soul.  All dogs have their unique inherited qualities.  Pugs are known most for being companion animals.  They are happy, cheerful, devoted, and, well ... stalkers.  I use the word "stalkers" in the most loving way.  Pugs MUST be at your side - even when you are planted on the toilet.  I know all dogs want to be with their owners, but Pugs value it at a level of importance equal to breathing.  No place is too horrible for them to follow you.  He has chosen his Grandma as his special person.  Grimace managed to squeak ahead of all the other pets in my heart  (including my own cats) through his blind devotion to me.  I think I am tied with his Papa, my son, in his heart.  He is an old guy now - about 13 years old.  He can't hear a thing and his vision is terribly compromised, but his heart is bigger than ever - and full of love.  Me too, dear Grimace.  Me too.  When your time comes to cross over the rainbow bridge to join your buddy Meathead, your Grandma's heart will be more than broken.  It will shatter into a million pieces.  Live a long long life my little buddy.

Milo - who has Napoleon tendencies!
Milo wanted to be 'king' from the moment he knew there was a 'king.'
Wait your turn, Mr. Milo.
Look at that cute face - how can you deny him anything!
Ok dear Milo, I will give you France!

Milo is a French Bull Dog.  That should explain EVERYTHING!  He is a handsome, affectionate, and cuddle bug who has delusions of grandeur and world domination - and who loves his mom (my daughter) above all others in the whole world.  Grandma is mom's back up and second in line.  French Bull Dogs are natural alert dogs. They alert you to all kinds of things.  Bad guys, good guys, delivery folks, kids playing outside, squirrels, leaves falling from the trees, a breeze.  There is no filter on that alert thing (barking) that they do. It is a busy life when you are a French Bull Dog.  He is at his best when he isn't sharing ... not sharing his toys ... not sharing his bones ... not sharing his peoples.  I know how you feel, dear Milo.  I am not a big sharer either.  Grandma loves your quirky little personality - and she wouldn't change one thing about you.  Well ... maybe you could be nicer to Grimace since he is the "King" now, but otherwise you are perfect.

Olivia - or Livvy for short  (Sometime I call her 'girlfriend')
She is a polite, sweet, sensitive lady dog
 with baggage left over from a previous life.

Livvy is the latest addition to our family.  Olivia was rescued from a local no-kill shelter.  She was first adopted as a puppy by a shelter volunteer.  Two years into her 'forever home' her owner got cancer and died.  She was returned to the shelter after the adult children of the deceased owner determined they could not keep her.  She lived another month in the shelter until my daughter-in-law noticed her and recognized her worth.  At the time our family was recovering from the death of our beloved English Bull Dog, Meathead.  For Livvy and my daughter-in-law, it was love at first sight.  Livvy is a hound and Swiss Mountain Dog mix.  She is living proof that given enough time, patience and love, a shelter dog with a rocky start in life can make a sensational addition to the family.  My own status with Livvy falls somewhere behind my daughter-in-law (1st) and my son (2nd). And I have worked very hard - very, very hard - for 3rd place and her trust.  She is a gentle soul with many insecurities but we love, love, love the sweet charming personality she has finally let us see.  Livvy, you are now, finally, in your forever family!

As in past Christmases, I made my grand dogs their own holiday cookies ... from this book.

Yes, I bought this book mostly because there was an English Bull Dog on the cover!
But the recipes are very dog-dietary healthy and tasty.

The liver cookies are made with whole wheat flour, brown rice and, of course, liver!  What else would a loving grandmother do for her grand babies.

The first time I made these cookies I didn't have a cookie cutter.  I just made round disks out of the rolled out dough.  I had a plate of baked ones sitting on the kitchen counter cooling that year - when my husband passed through the kitchen.  He came into the living room munching and said quite causally, "so these are not chocolate chip cookies, are they."  Ha!

The next year I had a dog bone cookie cutter!

Anyway, today is New Year's Day!

  It is the first day of what I expect will be a sensational year!

  What better way to start the New Year then with my sensational grand-dogs.

All admiring comments
of my terribly good looking grand-dogs,
gratefully accepted!

Happy New Year All!