Pursuit Of Idle Pleasures: Not a Shaggy-Dog Anymore

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Not a Shaggy-Dog Anymore

Today I did the job that leaves me itchy and prickly all over – clipping the poodles. Now they aren’t shaggy-dogs anymore - I even cut off their leg puffs. Being home all day (yeah retirement!) means they are outside so much more and thus spending time wading in the pond and just generally being dogs and getting dirty. I think (hope) a little less hair will help with the mess…

Speaking of which, today’s word of the day is shaggy-dog (shag-ee-DAWG adjective - : of, relating to, or being a long-drawn-out circumstantial story concerning an inconsequential happening that impresses the teller as humorous or interesting but the hearer as boring and pointless; also : of, relating to, or being a similar humorous story whose humour lies in the pointlessness or irrelevance of the punch line). Carm tells some pretty good jokes, but is also an expert at shaggy-dog’s. I don’t know if it is because I hear them over and over again but sometime… Some of our favourite TV shows have been shaggy-dog in their format – Corner Gas is one of these. It is a Canadian show that has its characters going through regular life, but it is a bit quirky and pointless and we find it funny.

I’m really getting the hang of making healthy soups – yesterday I made a minestrone that had: 4 stalks celery, 4 stalks bok choy, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 can white kidney beans, 1 cup dried lentils, bunch of thyme, 2 bay leaves and some chicken stock. After simmering for an hour I get out my trusty immersion blender and whiz it up a bit to make a thick broth – don’t make it smooth though. It was an easy and tasty “eat to live” soup – enough for 5 days of lunches (some goes right into the freezer for camping).

I keep forgetting to include pleasures in my post, which sort of means I’m forgetting to notice the small good things in life. For today: listening to the rain softly fall outside the bedroom window ; waking up to find Spike stretched out along side me – so cosy and warm ; getting the clipping done ; teaching Kabira to weave through me legs and having her go squirrely on me – she can be so crazy! ; re-heated soup – even better the day after it was cooked ; looking out at the deck – it doesn’t look like a giant job that needs being done anymore ; watching the dogs run around outside in their new “do” ;