The search for a dog continues. Haven't quite found one that 'clicks' with both of us (both being my partner and I). We've kept all options open...we're on a waiting list for the Greyhound adoption (in case one becomes available that meets our criteria), we check at the local shelters as often as possible (including daily online), and we even browsed the newspaper/online ads a few times. We've narrowed our 'search' down to a very few specific breeds we -both- like.

That all said, we -thought- we had found a nice, reputable breeder about 2 1/2 hours drive from us. So we made a day of it and went to a few shelters on the way. The breeders' place was our last stop (as we honestly would prefer to adopt from a shelter).


So we're still dog-less, but still in touch with a few rescues and keeping our eyes and ears open. Just had to share the BYB stupid. D:

Around about 4 months ago, I had a really sweet, over-ripe pineapple. I decided to do a little experiment and added little cubes of pineapple into some wine. I used Hardy’s Crest Chardonnay and poured it into two bottles. The bottles were 1/3 filled.

I remember from an old science experiment I did once in secondary/primary school(can’t remember which)….we made some ginger beer and I can remember the lady at the science centre telling us to leave at least 1/3 of the bottle empty coz of the gases that would be produced etc etc.

Anyways, it turned out a lot better than I thought. There was a very subtle pineapple taste and aroma to the wine. Very easy to drink on a hot summer’s day especially if its ice cold! My only regret is that I didn’t make enough! lol I want to try it out with other fruits and maybe even some herbs… hmmm….  

Has anyone else tried making something similar? i would love some pointers/ideas/inspirations!

Up at five a.m.
Ratties beg as I walk by.
Eating: craunch, craunch, craunch.

Mood: sleepy

can anybody tell me the font for this?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/IkLwHiTeLiE/ljheaderpurpcopy.png

its the "iced cafe mocha"

pls pls thx in advance =)

The larger font. Made by the wonderful Mrs. sindorei herself.

Hi everyone. This is my first post here.
I really need to get this story out of my system, so I thought I would share it with you guys. I am really angry, sad and disappointed.

I have a dog named Bobby (see icon). He’s a 2 year-old lab mix. I adopted him about 1 ½ years ago because he was living in the streets thanks to his previous “owners” who abandoned him. I work very hard training him and his progress is amazing, although we still have some behavior issues to deal with. He is on-leash and supervised 100% of the time when we go out. I always want to improve his quality of life and keep him happy, safe and healthy.

( Now the horrible side of the story )

Can you imagine wandering through a labyrinthine old market, following your nose to find the most tantalizing smells of aromatic spices. Or buying ripe fruit that weren't imported from the other side of the globe, but the other side of town. Do you remember that olives actually come from hundred-year-old trees, it may be just about time for a cooking tour.
All great meals begin with the best sort out ingredients, and the best ingredients are all ways found locally-whether it's in your hometown or abroad.Cooking tours allow chefs and people that are passionate about food of all skill levels to drown themselves in a foreign culture in a way that traditional tourism cannot.
On a cooking tour, for example, participants tour a goat farm on the Greek island of Kea to see exactly how feta cheese is made, and then share in a meal overlooking the Aegean Sea with the farmer and family. Or maybe you could find yourself in India at the spice markets.
For some, it's the local markets, that make a cooking tour an outstanding experience.
The world's markets are traditional places that can feel a bit unnerving to tourists. As part of a culinary tour, you are mostly provided with guides to help with both ingredient choice, language barriers and navigation. After these long but abundant excursions, travelers ultimately feel like natives. It's yet another way to find your inner chef and feel like a participant, not just an observer.
So next time when you book your trip, make the most of it and include a culinary tour in your travels and when you host a dinner party you can impress your guests not only with the food but a colorful story of your experience.
View video of culinary tour in Vietnam.

Split pea soup is fucking awesome, looks so groos don't you think?

( We want revolution, girl style now! )  

So thanks to my friend, two of my girls got loose the day before yesterday. I went psycho freak out trying to find them and all, and today I went to work and came home and what do I find? Bug and Teddy sitting in top of their cage waiting to be let in. I guess they were finished with their vacation and decided to head home to Mocha.

Just thought you all would enjoy that.

My new cage came in the mail today- it's a SuperPet Deluxe Home for Critters. I only have two girls and I think the cage is a great size! Right now it's only being inhabited by Luna, as Molly is in quarantine for another 2 weeks, so she has a rat palace!

Know what though?



my guitar's all safey

and though veronica might need a new drivers side door, i think it's gonna be ok.

Hey, all! I'm a recovering alcoholic (I get my six-month chip next Friday! Woot!), and I love to cook. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any good non-alcoholic wines that would be good for cooking or drinking with a meal. Does such a thing even exist?

I know that things like tomatoes have alcohol-soluble compounds that I can't get to without including real wine. Does anyone know a good way around this? Cooking sherry, I s'pose, but it's normally loaded with salt...

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any ideas you have!

Hello, I've posted here maybe once before, but way way back, about my two rat girls Seymour and Franny. I lost Franny last week to illness, and I'm coping with that and also trying to focus on my remaining girl, Seymour. I'm hoping someone can give me an idea of how this might be on her? The pair were extremely bonded- they hated to be apart (for example, after returning Franny from a medication quarantine, they wouldn't leave each other's side for days) they slept together, ate together, got into trouble together. You could always find them curled in their hammock and, despite what people might say, I know they loved each other.
I'm worried about Seymour now, with Franny gone and no other rats in our tiny family for her to cuddle with or love- except me, and I'm an honourary rat at best, and obviously can't give her constant companionship. I don't know how well she would respond to a new rat (and frankly, I don't know if I'm ready for that) but I'm worried about her getting lonely. Any advice on how to deal with this situation from people who have experienced it? She's only just about two, and I'm thinking- because rats do so much better in pairs- that I should maybe bite the bullet and get her a new friend...not now, but in a month or so when it doesn't feel so weird to do so.  I'd just like to hear the experiences/opinions of others. (I know that all rats are different, but it helps to have opinions.)

Thanks for any help/ideas/suggestions/etc. that you can offer me!

Okay, so I have this problem. With vegetables. I love to cook, but I absolutely hate vegetables. I don't know why. It's crazy. But since vegetables make you all immortal and are kind of the staple of human existence, I'm trying to eat more. That's why I need your help!

So, does anybody know any recipes for vegetables that don't really tase like veggies? Something smothered in butter and sauce and spice? Delicious and at least somewhat nutritious?

Thanks in advance guys! :]

 Wow, I don't know if it's a good thing or not that I finally have some stupid to share.  Heh.

I work for a major chain as a dog trainer.  I have a lot of customers that I remember and that I have done a lot for, but not a one of them can even compare to Corgi Lady.

Hey everyone!

I made some sweet potato fries the other day, and even though they were good they weren't exactly crunchy. The recipe I had said to slice them up, toss them with olive oil/salt/pepper, lay them on a baking sheet and sprinkle with whatever spices you wished and bake at 400 for about half an hour.
Any ideas on how to make them more crispy?
Or any other french fry replacement recipes?
I can't have potatoes anymore and thats the one thing I'm dying without.
Thanks!

A woman and her daughter walked in today and I recognized them as having two little poodles who were having trouble being house-trained (and as I recall their male was also very ill when I met them). The daughter was carrying a hideously matted, dirty, flea and tick infested, white poodle whose eyes were so dirty they were pretty much caked shut with matting and eye gunk.

The woman explains to me (in Spanish) how they had just bought the dog from a woman down the street from their house for $30. The daughter showed me the dog's belly as the woman asked me if the dog was fixed (spayed). I inspected the poodle's belly to see if she had been spayed (she had not).

They asked what flea and tick medicine they should put on her and as we were talking about flea and tick medications the daughter mentioned that this new dog would be their 6th poodle. I asked about the ones I had seen them with a few months ago and they said that their female had just had puppies.

Again, the woman asked if I thought the dog was spayed and I said that No it didn't look like it, and she said (in Spanish) "Thank God. What good would she have been to me if she had been fixed? I wouldn't have been able to breed her or make any money from her. I would have had to sell her on the street again." She later asked me how much she should be selling her current puppies for. I muttered something like "However much you want..." and left. Thankfully they bought the flea and tick shampoo.