National Dog Day Was Last Week.

The above photo is Hachi's "Happy National Dog Day" Instagram post.  Look at how many Instagram photos I have taken of him already.  I can't help it - I'm a proud dog momma!

So far Hachi

• still doesn't bark much (I'm not complaining!) - could this be Akita blood?
• can sit, lie down, shake hands
• doesn't try to leave with me anymore when I leave for work
• is able to go off-leash at the dog park now

And such a gentle friendly disposition!  He has coaxed smiles out of many fellow dog-owners and random folks we encounter on our walks.  There is something about a rescue dog - I think it's a sense of happy gratitude that emanates from the dog.  This is my first rescue and I am hooked.  It's a win-win situation really.  A dog-owner win: I am reminded not to work too much and to take breaks and enjoy the outdoors everyday.

Another win: being able to explore parts of Edmonton that are dog-friendly.  Remedy Cafe gets a thumbs up for their dog-friendly patio and vegan food.  I checked out the downtown Farmer's Market this weekend and I loved the hustle and bustle of  booths, people and canines.  My lunch currently consists of locally grown potatoes and tomatoes (roasted with balsamic vinegar courtesy of this recipe - yum!). 

I'm enjoying the dog parks in this city as well.  Terwillegar Park was crazy busy this long weekend.  A dog's excitement about just being able to go outside is contagious.  Hachi = spurts of joy about the simplest things.  

Especially when there is so much pain and suffering out there: the Nigerian schoolgirls are still prisoners, hostages, senseless cruelty and killings, poaching of elephants, disappearing First Nations women ... 

It's like Ebola is the only hot-topic misery that wasn't started by stupid humans.

We need to take some notes from our four-legged furry friends.  Aside from the butt-sniffing practices of course.

Mind Farts
-more and more veggie options are popping up around the city!  had a delicious Vietnamese veggie sub at MKT of all places
-mmm ... ginger beer
-i discovered dulse seaweed this weekend.  i used it to make vegan bagoong.  bagoong is one of the few things i miss from my seafood days ... ohhhh that fermented shrimpy fishy taste that i love so much.  dulse may help me out with this craving 

-still can't dance in heels because of the ankle.  but i can't say i've been feeling deprived or sad about it :)  you know that saying "don't put your all of your eggs in one basket?"  i'm like an Easter egg hunt - eggs all over the place
-*finally* read Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere.  even though there are old fashioned attitudes in the novel especially about women (creamy white neck and demure = wifey material), i still got a fascinating look at the Philippines in the 1800s.  man, the Spaniards were such absolute dicks to the native Filipinos.  just horrific.  even poor Mr. Rizal was shot for this exposé :(