The New Year has blown in with the breath of winter. Now ice has settled on sidewalks and streets, making travel treacherous. Lu has slipped ice cleats on his shoes, purchased at our local hardware store, to walk Gilbert. Gilbert seems to have his own traction on the ice and nature has provided his warm winter coat.
The pair are off to exercise at Fit Express. Lu had originally thought Gilbert could run on the treadmill, but the owner was concerned about this use of her machine. Our son-in-law used to regularly exercise his dog on his treadmill, so it is possible. Walks will have to suffice for now. Gilbert is happy to take a long walk with Lu on a frigid day. He shares his joy by jumping around, dancing about and having a great time in general.
At home, in tune with Lu’s moods, Gilbert tends to spend much of his time sleeping and looking sad. I miss his spurts of “happy dog dances,” when Gilbert suddenly grabs a dog toy and jumps around to his own lively tune.
Lu has a cold, his first in almost two years and has trouble finding the energy to do almost anything. Now he is in a struggle with the insurance company to pay for the sensors that communicate with his transmitter and new pump. The agent he dealt with formerly has been on vacation, so the process has been slow. He finally reached her assistant and after waiting on hold a very long time, she assured him the insurance company was talking with the drug company to work out the problem. In the meantime, Lu called Edgepark and ordered sensors to be delivered December 30. The sensors have yet to arrive and the agent has yet to call him after coming back from vacation. We are trapped in the Catch-22 of communication. Three months of sensors cost $2,200, which seems exorbitant to us. Whatever happened to our legislators looking into the continuing escalation of the costs of drugs and supplies after the indignation of the rising cost of EpiPens? Perhaps we should call our legislators and remind them of the need for this reform.
A couple of weeks ago, Gilbert’s constant itching warranted a trip to the vet. He has a skin infection and has been getting an antibiotic hidden in a tasty wet dog food to offset the taste. The promise of food does move Gilbert off the couch. In the morning, we give him a taste of our eggs and toast after breakfast. I give Gilbert a command first, so it does not seem like a reward for begging and to keep his skills current. In the meantime, I remind Gilbert to stay alert, as we need his sharp intelligence and keen nose to help Lu until his sensors finally do arrive.
A recipe for a new year
Exercise, healthy food, and an optimistic outlook. A meditation I like – I wish you health, I wish you happiness, I wish you peace. First, you are supposed to say these words to yourself, then to those you know and like, and then to those you like, maybe not so much!
Salmon with Dill and Mustard
1-1/2 lb salmon filet, cut into 4 pieces
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Dill Sauce
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp honey
1 tsp chopped fresh dill
salt and white pepper to taste
Preheat broiler. Press garlic. Rub salmon with 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place salmon in broiler pan. Keep in mind that it is cooking rapidly on both sides so it will be done very quickly (7 minutes per inch of thickness). Test with a fork for doneness. It will flake easily when it is cooked. Salmon is best when it is still pink inside.
To make the sauce, add garlic to a stainless steel skillet and stir for half a minute. Add mustard, lemon juice, broth, honey, salt and pepper. Cook on high heat for a minute to reduce slightly and then add dill. Pour over salmon and serve. Serves 4.